What to expect: Opened in 2003 on the site of a former private club popular with Britons for a half-century, Luna Luz Bay Club Hotel retains a club-like ambience, including landscaped gardens with citrus trees and lawns, a squash court, and tennis courts. Guests come here for rest and relaxation at Luz's slow pace of life.

Amenity highlights: Surrounded by sun terraces, two 16-metre pools and an eight-metre children's pool provide uncrowded swimming. In addition to a complimentary English buffet breakfast, the hotel restaurant serves a dinner buffet nightly. From April to October, a poolside bar serves snack foods such as burgers and omelettes, and the hotel bar offers live music five nights weekly.

Insider tip: A promenade hand-paved in Portugal's traditional tan and black-marble squares extends 350 metres alongside Luz Beach and the ocean beyond. Strollers contemplating the waves can miss a small opening in the stone wall on the promenade's other side that leads to Roman-bath ruins.

What to expect: Owned and operated by two partners who are on hand to create a relaxed, hospitable ambience, Luzmar Villas attracts guests seeking sunshine, rest, and the opportunity to explore the western Algarve. Original paintings and a collection of art objects, antique furniture, and old chests contribute to the home-like atmosphere.

Amenity highlights: A 33-metre pool shaped like a half-moon includes a separate children's section. Sun terraces, expansive lawns, palm trees, and flowering gardens surround the pool. English buffet breakfasts (complimentary) and buffet dinners featuring Portuguese specialities are served in the ocean-view restaurant. A ground-level lounge offers drinks, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. Board games are available in the adjacent living room.

Insider tip: Two kilometres from the hotel, a promenade hand-paved in Portugal's traditional tan and black marble squares extends 350 metres along Luz Beach and the ocean beyond the beach. Strollers contemplating the ocean can miss a small opening in the stone wall on the promenade's other side that leads to Roman-bath ruins.