Alentejo Marmòris Hotel & Spa ★★★★★

As you drive down from the E90 motorway, you enter a sleepy landscape of empty open hillsides – a land of olives, vines and ancient cork-oaks. Here, in historic town of Vila Viçosa you find the Alentejo Marmoris Hotel & Spa. Created from an old olive mill, it has been designed as a tribute to the beauty of marble by its owners, who have operated marble mines in the area for generations. It is now famed for being one of the most luxurious hotels in Portugal!

Our room was large, with a superbly comfortably four-poster bed. Diaphanous drapes were tied back and could be drawn around the bed, while French windows led out onto the balcony. The bathroom, naturally all in marble, had exotic decorated mirrors and beautiful pink-brown, naturally patterned, marble from the local mine. The room came with full five-star amenities, including a flat-screen TV artfully disguised in the mirror. The décor was a restful mix of slate and neutral colours with some bright yellow splashes.

Dinner at the hotel's restaurant was such a perfect antidote to our hurried snacks on the road. As one of the foremost restaurants in the region, it proudly lives up to its reputation. All ingredients possible are sourced locally, and the chef presents each dish with exquisite flair for colour, texture and of course, delicious flavour! Equally excellent, is the extensive wine list – with emphasis on superb local Alentejo wines.

The Stone Spa was a true highlight for us – the unique, natural marble walls, a genuine trickle of underground water and real stalactites on the ceiling; it’s a genuine underground cave adorned with petal-strewn baths. The marble wall, despite being made by nature, look like sophisticated contemporary artwork. There are heated swimming pools and a Hammam, and of course, a range of relaxing massage to choose from.

From exploring the surrounding countryside or the antiquities of timeless Vila Viçosa, relaxing by the gorgeous pool or in the sumptuous spa, to indulging in the fine cuisine or on an olive oil and wine tasting tour, there is plenty to keep you occupied. And, when it comes time to leave, you are sure to have been rejuvenated by this oasis of luxury in a truly unspoiled part of Portugal.