Fleewinter

Hidden among rural olive groves and orange trees, the newly-renovated Vila Monte Farm House offers a tranquil retreat in the unspoilt eastern Algarve. Featuring typical Algarve architecture, simple white-washed rooms, local organic fare that combine to create a luxurious but relaxed atmosphere.

In among the nine-hectare garden are two heated swimming pools, a tennis court, a gym and a chef's table, where dishes can be prepared and eaten in the shade of fig trees. Evenings are given over to al fresco cinema with classics, while summer days can be spent on the nearby Fuseta Island beach, which can be reached by the shuttle bus in high season and a hotel boat that takes you across to the golden sands.

The 55 rooms and suites are divided into different white-washed Moorish buildings within the garden, with many clustered around a fountain-filled, bougainvillea-clad courtyard or off an avenue lined with orange trees. The new Suite Collection contains six suites, one of which, the Family Corner Suite, has two bedrooms and two bathrooms off its shared sitting room. The remaining five come with butler service, private gardens with hammocks and solariums or swimming pools or both.

Other rooms, many with private balconies, have huge beds with canopied mosquito nets and white on white shower rooms with pale turquoise trim and Molton Brown Green Park eco-toiletries. A wrap, panama hat and locally made wicker basket are provided in each room for trips to the pool or beach.

The Farm House’s two restaurants serve Algarvian delicacies, all made from fresh ingredients including fish from the local markets and the resort’s own fruits and herbs.

À Terra serves up local Portuguese food and mouthwatering Mediterranean meals – order assorted cuts of meat and fish fired up over the Josper grill or pizzas direct from the wood-fired oven. In warmer months, Laranjal Restaurant is open for tapas, seafood and all manner of grilled dishes; ask for the catch of the day.