Heading south on cruise control
From PGA Aroeira Lisboa, we take the quickest route to the Algarve, where the Details – Hospitality, Sports & Leisure Management company is realising further impressive projects. It takes just over two and a half hours to reach the Dom Pedro Resort & Golf in Vilamoura via the A2 motorway, which carries very little traffic and has a maximum permitted speed of 120 km per hour.
Vilamoura was created in the 1960s as a modern holiday resort to offer a wide range of leisure activities and recreational opportunities. It was created as an exclusive holiday destination that stood for luxury and lifestyle. The management company Details is now building on this to attract new, upmarket target groups to the resort. The aim is to develop it into one of the leading golf destinations in Europe. The current portfolio that Details manages here includes various hotels, golf courses, an equestrian centre and the marina.
As a first step, the existing assets of the Dom Pedro Hotel & Golf Collection were revalued. As part of a multi-year development project, these will now be renovated, remodelled, replaced or expanded with new units. The plan is to place them under internationally recognised premium brands, such as Hyatt and Hilton. This should also increase the attractiveness of Vilamoura as a high-quality leisure and lifestyle destination.
Other planned measures include the expansion of the equestrian centre. This will have a capacity for 1,000 horses and will be suitable for Grand Prix events for professionals. A high-end multiple sports centre is also planned, which will attract attention as a real game changer in the region.
Centrally located with great views
We are staying at the four-star Dom Pedro Marina Hotel & Golf. It immediately catches the eye with its terraced architecture and reddish-brown colour. From our 49 square metre, one-bedroom suite with balcony on the seventh floor, we enjoy an excellent view of the pool below and the beach within walking distance.
On the other side of the hotel, built in 1988, it is just a stone’s throw from the marina. During the adaptations initiated by Details, numerous renovations were carried out without the hotel losing any of its original charm.
Pure golfing pleasure
The Dom Pedro Group in Vilamoura has five golf courses in the immediate vicinity: the legendary Old Course, the Laguna, Millennium, Pinhal and the Victoria Course.
The Victoria Course is currently closed. It is due to reopen next spring after being completely remodelled as the first private members’ club in the Algarve. The former world number one, South African Ernie Els, has been brought in as architect and namesake. It will be his first golf project in Europe. The other courses are also being continuously upgraded.
The grande dame of the Algarve
We are lucky enough to get to know the current jewel among the aforementioned golf courses in Vilamoura. The Old Course is the second oldest course in the Algarve and is considered the “grande dame” of the courses in the south of Portugal. It is a real gem – prestigious and beautiful.
As soon as we enter the club premises we are struck by a feeling of “wow!”. A member of staff is waiting for us in a buggy to take us to the entrance of the newly renovated clubhouse. This is where tradition meets modernity. Everything is new. We enjoy the luxurious ambience in the pro shop, the restaurant, the bar and on the inviting terrace. With its dignified atmosphere, it is reminiscent of a traditional British pub and pays homage to the course’s first architect Frank Pennink, who designed the course in 1969.
Hawtree & Sons made extensive changes to the course in 1997, including the introduction of a new irrigation system. Now, in addition to the clubhouse, the putting green has also been renovated.
The view from the terrace over the huge practice green, the first and tenth tees and the driving range conveys the feeling of endless expanse. The fairways through the hilly terrain are wide and surrounded by pine trees on both sides. The paths have been redesigned and are now of the same high standard as the rest of the course. To describe it as well maintained would be an understatement. It often gives the impression that the greenkeepers have been at work with nail scissors.
After a smooth start, the first interesting par 3 awaits us with hole four. It is not only visually extremely appealing but is also a delight to play. Water at the front, a tree in the centre of the fairway and the green protected by plenty of bunkers, – what more could you want as a golfer?
As the course progresses, the bunkers are just as impressive as the huge, fast greens.
The par 73 championship course, which is 6,254 metres long from the back tees, is a joy to play, thanks to the great layout and the well-kept condition. This outstanding course and the free shuttle are also included in the hotel’s Stay & Play packages.
Palmares Ocean Living & Golf Resort
From Vilamoura, we continue westwards on the A22 motorway, where Details’ next project awaits us near Lagos. The Palmares Ocean Living & Golf resort is located here in complete tranquility, with the bay and Meia Praia Beach stretching out in front of it like an amphitheatre.
We check into our room at the five-star Beach House Hotel. Contrary to what its name suggests, it is not located directly on the beach, but high above it. Its 20 rooms offer a sensational 180-degree view that stretches from the town of Alvor on one side to Lagos on the other.
The view is like a painting. Whether at sunrise or sunset, we savour every one of these moments (see photo at the beginning of the article). In 2025, work is set to begin on integrating it into a new hotel with around 150 rooms.
If you are looking for absolute tranquility, this is the place for you. As an alternative to the hotel, there is a range of exclusive Signature Apartments available to book. According to the masterplan, the resort will one day have 460 residential units, which will be carefully integrated into the existing landscape.
Number one in Europe
The impressive clubhouse, which has just been voted the best golf clubhouse in Europe at the World Golf Awards 2024, towers above the hotel. Designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning company RCR Arquitectes, the steel and glass building integrates an unrivalled accent into the coastal landscape. The spectacular views from its terrace over the golf course to the sea are just as impressive as its location, design and extraordinary atmosphere.
The warm, red-brown colour of the building is fascinating both inside and out. The high, angled interior areas surprise with their asymmetrical layout and always offer unique views through the huge glass fronts.
Fine dining at the highest level
However, it is not only its location and architecture that are impressive, but also its gastronomic offering. The AL SUD restaurant in the clubhouse was awarded a Michelin star just five months after it opened. Head chef Louis Anjos spoils guests with fresh seafood specialities and Portuguese dishes. The use of local products is a high priority. The hotel’s own oyster farm is just 200 metres away.
The main restaurant of the clubhouse and of the Beach Hotel are also under the management of Louis Anjos and are also characterised by freshness, sophistication and quality. With a chilled Vino Verde, the savoury of the Camarāo Piri Piri (prawns) and the Peixhinos da Horta (green beans in tempura) are a delight.
Fantastic views
Originally designed by architect Frank Pennink, the golf course was opened in 1975. It was redesigned and extended in 2011 by world-renowned golf architect Robert Trent Jones Junior. The nine holes of the Alvor, Lagos and Praia loops each have magnificent layouts with considerable differences in altitude to overcome. The constantly impressive views of the sea link all three.
The Alvor and Lagos nines are laid out as parkland courses, and we are particularly impressed by the tee shots into the fairways deep below. While some of their holes run through the hilly terrain behind the clubhouse, we can look down from its terrace and that of the Beach Hotel onto the Praia Loop below.
Some of its holes lead over sandy, natural terrain, which, separated only by the dune, reaches as far as the sea. The waste areas and large bunkers, some of which run directly into them, give them a links feel. Railway tracks and a road separate the holes here from the rest of the course. The final hole is magnificent, a steeply rising par 5 that ends with a shot into the hidden green below the clubhouse.
While the greens are in good condition, the maintenance of the rest of this loop does not yet reach the high quality of the Alvor nine during our visit but this will soon change. As part of a longterm plan, Details will be carrying out significant upgrades on all loops, which will also raise this facility to a leading level in Europe. Its co-CEO and head greenkeeper have already demonstrated this impressively in their previous roles at Costa Navarino in Greece.
Sustainability is a top priority
Environmental aspects play a key role here, with the reduced use of water in course maintenance being an important factor. The remodelling of the rough, which currently still requires a lot of water, into less water-consuming areas should contribute to this.
Convincing concepts promise success
Extraordinary developments cast their shadows ahead. We were able to see this for ourselves during our visits south of Lisbon and at the Algarve. We gained the impression that the ambitious plans of the prominent company Details – Hospitality, Sports & Leisure will be successfully realised in the coming years. The speed and quality with which the first steps have been achieved leave us in no doubt about this.
