HOTEL REVIEW:
SHERATON CASCAIS

Can a well-known chain hotel provide everything a solo parent needs for holidaying with her six-year old? Jo Gardner heads to Portugal with a plan: to award the hotel a point every time it gets something right for families. How will they fare? Read on…

In all my years as a travel journalist, I’ve never considered Sheraton’s group of hotels to be particularly geared up for families - business travellers and couples, yes; noisy, sticky-fingered children, not so much.

So I was surprised to receive an invitation to review the relatively new (three years) Sheraton Cascais Resort in Portugal with my six-year-old daughter (a particularly sticky-fingered, full-of-life child).

A month later, we head on our 2.5-hour flight to Lisbon from Stansted, followed by a free 40-minute transfer to Cascais, Lisbon’s beach town, for my first family stay at a Sheraton. (The free airport shuttle gets the hotel off to a flying start with 1 point).

The resort

The Sheraton Cascais is a large resort made up of a series of ochre-hued buildings with striking grey balconies and window frames – some of the buildings house the guest bedrooms and hotel facilities; others are residences which can be bought and stayed in all-year-round.

The entrance to the hotel is eye-catching, with a square cobbled driveway complete with statement tree-like sculpture and water feature; the lobby is light and spacious with several fountains at floor level which turn purple at night (hours of fun for children – 2 points).

Sheraton Cascais also has the most family-friendly check-in (10am) and check-out (12pm) times I have ever experienced, making life easier for families on early or late flights – occupying a child until 3pm when everything is still packed is no easy feat (3 points). So far, so family-friendly.

The entire resort is set in pristine gardens, too which, the gardener tells me, are designed to let nature run wild (in part at least). We spot the odd daisy growing in the grass, smell wild rosemary beside the pool and take photos of bright pink flowers which I have never seen before.

The rooms

I am surprised to learn that all 156 rooms and suites have kitchen facilities allowing families to cater for their children around the clock (4 points). The hotel’s two-bed panoramic suite has a fireplace and rooftop whirlpool bath.

Our one-bed suite has a separate double bedroom for parents and a sofa-bed in the lounge for children (already set up -5 points), a lounge-cum-dining room with sliding doors opening out onto an oversized balcony, a large bathroom with shower over bath, and a fully-equipped kitchen with large fridge and Nespresso machine.

The décor edges on Asian with calming greys, statement blacks and pillar-box reds; the artwork is feathers and leaves – we spend the entire weekend debating if they are real or not. 

Large flat-screens in the lounge and bedroom, as well as room service, make an evening in your PJs with the kids possible – after getting out of the large tub, Lily-Jane and I snuggle up in our pyjamas, order burgers to be delivered (complete with wine for mum) and watch a movie together. Rather go out? Book a babysitter to come to your room for a few hours while you enjoy some time together (6 points).

Comfy beds, mood lighting, sound-proof walls and thick curtains ensure we sleep like babies (7 points).

The pool

As soon as we see the outdoor pool the next day, I am in awe of the design. The round shape is cleverly divided into two sections by a wooden walkway meaning parents can follow nervous swimmers all the way across the pool without having to get wet (8 points). The left side is heated, while the right isn’t, meaning guests can choose the right temperature for them depending on the weather.

It’s 11 am and the sun is out - I relax on a squashy cream lounger with a cup of coffee while my daughter swims in the clear green water.

When she gets too cold, we go next door to The Brave Kids club, a large, rustic playground which backs onto woodland. Tepee-style huts, swings and slides are on the inside; rope bridges and zip-lines between the trees in the woods. During the summer months, activities for children take place here including mini golf, archery, science workshops and treasure hunts, giving parents a much-needed rest (9 points).

The Flow Bar by the pool, meanwhile, provides a constant flow of drinks, snacks, juices, smoothies, ice-creams and wine or beer, all of which can be enjoyed poolside.

Food & drink

All guests start their day in The Glass Terrace, a dining room with two complete sides of retractable glass which can be opened up in the summer. Help yourself to a buffet of pastries, meats and cheeses, yoghurts, fruits and, of course, Pasties de nata (Portuguese custard tarts) before ordering eggs and coffee from one of the waiters – my eggs Benedict is spot on.

Lily-Jane loves the pancake-making machine – put a plate underneath, push a button and watch the pancake come out the side before smothering it in maple syrup or Nutella (10 points).

Dinner is an a la carte affair with a separate menu for kids with colouring on the back – coloured pencils are provided (11 points). My slow-roasted pork with carrot puree is a triumph; my lemon and lime dessert tart and light. On the other side of the table, the fish fingers (sea bass in bread crumbs that it then sliced, no less) and fries are also a hit. All wines are locally-sourced, too – try the Vinho Verde, a local white that’s light and delicious, as well as lower in alcohol (9.5%).

Sadly, our visit doesn’t coincide with the opening of the hotel’s new Sushi restaurant, but we will just have to return…

The spa

This is where I imagine I will claw some points back – children aren’t allowed in spas anywhere in the UK as far as I am aware, and in relatively few in Europe.

At the Sheraton Cascias, however, the award-winning Serenity Spa permits children into the spa between 2pm and 5pm every day to swim in the hydro-pool, enjoy a treatment or simply relax on a lounger – an absolute god-send when it’s raining outside (12 points).

Adults can work out in the 24-hour fitness room, relax in the hydro-pool with its three swan neck fountains or get hot under the collar in the steam room or sauna.

In the centre you’ll find four relaxation loungers affording gardens views through full-height windows. Relax, relax, relax… Treatments take place in one of five treatment rooms and include facials, wraps, massages, scrubs, treatments for mothers-to-be and men, and manis/pedis. Products are from revered marine brand Thalgo, Charme d’Orient (from Paris) and Gentleman’s Tonic, London.

My Senses of Cascais signature treatment (90 minutes, Euro 130) was been designed especially for the hotel using local ingredients. It consists of a scrub using fleur-de-sel (salt, sugar and vanilla) mixed with sand from the local Guincho Beach, followed by a wrap using a light clay made from blended, locally-grown red and white grape skins. While this works its magic, my therapist performs a sleep-inducing head massage.

The treatment ends with a full body massage (knots? What knots?) followed by a glass of red wine which is served in the relaxation room – a treat indeed.

While I am being pampered, my offspring enjoys a Princess Nails treatment (30 minutes, Euro 20) in a separate room (13 points). She is shown a few colours and designs and, once chosen, allows her therapist to create a masterpiece – baby pink nails with perfect red flowers and silver streaks. As my treatment is longer, the therapist then sits in reception with her for a further hour until I return – without charging a babysitting fee (14 points).  

Activities

If it’s sunny, book in the Picnic Basket Tour - a four-hour bike ride ending with a picnic prepared by the hotel, which you take with you in a wicker basket. Bikes hire is part of the package and you can order small bikes so that children can join you (15 points). A family bike-ride in the sunshine is one of those lovely holiday moments that everyone remembers.

Inside the large wicker basket, we find a gingham red and white tablecloth which we lay on the grass, white crockery and silverware. Our picnic is made up of cheese and salad rolls, smoked salmon and red pepper wraps, tuna and black bean salad, tubs of Pringles, more doughnuts than my daughter can possibly eat in one go (but boy does she try) and a bag of Haribo sweets, as well as cans of coca-cola, a lemon iced tea and a small bottle of orange juice. 

The hotel also offers free hourly transfer (16 points) into Cascais, the nearby town. Here, we sit on caramel-hued sand and watch the boats come in and out, eat lunch in a quaint restaurant on a pretty cobbled street and visit museum quarter, a cluster of museums housing art, history and photography exhibitions. There’s also an ancient fort, some envy-inducing houses (this is where the rich and famous used to holiday) and plenty of little cafes for ice-cream (for them) and beer (for us).

The verdict

So… a quick tot up reveals that we awarded the Sheraton Cascais Resort 16 points during our three-night stay. Does that make it family-friendly? You can bet your Moana it does.