Monte do Giestal - Casas de Campo and Spa  

In the Portuguese countryside near Santiago do Cacém, this family-friendly, pet-friendly villa complex sits a short drive from Porto Covo and Vasco de Gama beaches and about 3 km from the town of Abela. Nearby highlights include Ilha do Pessegueiro Fort, Lousal Mining Museum and Sao Jorge Chapel, with Safari Badoca Park and the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park within easy reach.

Ten bright, individually decorated rooms and villas mix country-chic with cozy fireplaces, private balconies or patios and kitchenettes equipped with refrigerators, stovetops and microwaves. Rooms offer flat-screen TVs and satellite channels, with optional in-room massages and babysitting available for a surcharge. Grounds include gardens, a library and picnic spots for slow afternoons.

Soak in indoor and outdoor pools or unwind at the full-service spa with massages, hammam and other treatments; a sauna is also available. Active guests can hit the full-size tennis court, fitness center, mini-golf or rent bicycles to explore local trails. Kids get a playroom, and the property even has two beach bars and a bar/lounge for easy evenings.

Complimentary wireless internet across the property, multilingual staff, concierge, luggage storage, laundry and dry-cleaning services. Free self-parking onsite and a roundtrip airport shuttle are available for a surcharge.

An on-site restaurant, café and snack bar/deli serve light bites and regional flavors, while a bar/lounge and two beach bars keep things casual. Room service is offered and a complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning.