Vale De Lobo Estate, Algarve (20 minutes from Faro).

Situated in the famous Vale de Lobo golfing region, Dona Filipa Hotel has its own golf course called San Lorenzo. The golf course is a short drive from the hotel. Designed by renowned golf architect Joseph Lee, the 6,822 yard San Lorenzo Golf Course opened in 1988 and is known for its superb condition all year round. The golf course weaves its way through valleys of umbrella pines, along the shore of the Ria Formosa estuary, around lakes and on past Roman ruins. The golf course was ranked number one in Portugal by Golf Digest Magazine (USA) in April 2005. The first hole offers an inviting but almost impossible par 5 to reach in two but still presents a birdie chance. The next three holes follow along rolling, pine-fringed fairways. It is from the 5th hole that the most amazing part of the course begins offering stunning views over the beaches of the Algarve coast. At the 8th hole, the course turns back inland and faces the largest of its' two lakes. For the last four holes the course again turns seawards, and finishes with a par 4 that has a small green surrounded by the waters of the second lake. A outstanding end to one of the finest golf courses in Europe that demands the use of all the clubs in the bag.

Located within the exclusive Vale do Lobo Estate, just 100 metres from the beach, Le Meridien Dona Filipa offers excellent service and luxurious surroundings. The hotel is furnished in traditional Portuguese style, with a selection of fine restaurants and 154 bedrooms allow the guests to relax in the most comfortable surroundings. A wide range of leisure and sports facilities are available and include floodlit tennis, heated outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, games room with table tennis and a beauty salon. Stretching away just 100 metres from the hotel are the magnificent long, sandy beaches of Vale de Lobo, with its dramatic cliffs and fascinating rock formation. The 5* resort features a choice of dining in the Primavera Restaurant and the D. Duarte Grill as well as couple of classy bars. Dona Filipa is ideally situated within the Vale de Lobo estate, renowned as one of the Algarve's most beautiful areas, yet is only 20 minutes drive from Faro International Airport.