Pestana Porto Santo Premium All Inclusive Beach & SPA Resort

There is no need to complicate the brief here: you are looking at a large all-inclusive beach resort built for days that move between the sea, the pool, the restaurant and the spa. Pestana Porto Santo Premium All Inclusive Beach & Spa Resort has a private stretch of sandy beach, two natural-style pool areas and gardens spread across 30,000 m². That gives you room to change pace rather than queue for the same small patch of shade every afternoon.

The atmosphere is resort-like and practical, with 209 rooms, family accommodation, evening entertainment and live music. You can spend the day doing very little, which is often the point after a few demanding dives. A games room, indoor play area and children's playground also make the property workable for mixed-age groups, while couples have the beach, the Sunset Bar and the spa when they have had enough of organised fun.

The hotel team’s languages are not listed, so the safest approach is to confirm any important communication needs before booking. That is a small piece of admin, but less irritating than discovering it at reception with wet hair and a suitcase.

You are in Porto Santo, Portugal, at Estrada Regional 111 in the Sítio do Campo de Baixo area. The hotel sits directly on Porto Santo Beach, with the sand close enough to make footwear feel rather ceremonial. Sun loungers and parasols are available on the beach, and the resort’s gardens keep the setting open rather than tightly built-up.

The island’s other beaches are within easy driving range. Ponta da Calheta Beach is about 1.7 miles away, Praia do Zimbralinho about 1.9 miles, and Porto de Frades Beach about 3.9 miles. If you want a change from the resort shoreline, those are straightforward options for a car day rather than an expedition.

You also have a few places to eat and drink outside the property. Maramao is about 0.2 miles away, Marés about 0.4 miles, and Pita about 0.6 miles. The Beach Bar is around 0.6 miles away, while Dunas is about 0.5 miles from the hotel. Quinta das Palmeiras, a little over 1 mile away, gives you another nearby outing.

The rooms are designed in blue and green tones, with the ocean doing most of the decorating outside the window. A private balcony gives you somewhere to sit with the first coffee of the day or to let the evening air in, while air conditioning matters when the Atlantic breeze has not quite done enough to cool you down after a warm day. Flat-screen televisions, free Wi-Fi, a minibar and tea-and-coffee-making facilities cover the ordinary practicalities.

For two people, the pool-view room gives you a defined outlook and a balcony; the classic double room keeps things simpler. Both use twin beds, so couples who prefer a single large bed should look towards the one-bedroom suite option with a king-size bed. That is the choice to make when the room itself matters as part of the holiday rather than merely somewhere to leave a camera and a pair of sandals.

Families should look at the suite layouts first. The one-bedroom suites give you more separation than the compact family rooms, while the two-bedroom suites are the sensible option for larger groups. Family rooms are available, and children of any age are welcome; cots can be requested for very young children. There are no extra beds, so the exact room configuration deserves attention before you confirm the booking.

Soundproofing, heating and air conditioning are available, and daily housekeeping keeps the room from turning into a drying rack for holiday clutter. Private bathrooms include a bath, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. The balcony is useful for sitting out; it is not a substitute for proper dive-centre handling of equipment.

The all-inclusive formula keeps food and drink close at hand, which suits the particular appetite created by a morning in the water. Breakfast is served as a buffet, and the hotel has four restaurants: one buffet restaurant and three thematic restaurants. You are not tied to a single dining room every evening, although the available restaurants and meal arrangements should be checked for your dates.

The food offer covers Italian and Mediterranean cooking, with Mares adding Portuguese dishes to the picture. Mares serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it is the straightforward option when you want a proper meal without turning dinner into a logistical exercise. Kids’ meals are available as well.

There are two bars. The Sunset Bar is the one to remember for its Atlantic views, particularly when the day is winding down and nobody is in a hurry to put on smart clothes. A coffee house is also on site, and room service is available. The minibar and tea-and-coffee facilities in the room are useful for the first drink of the day, before the buffet starts doing the heavy lifting.

Two natural-style pool areas give you an alternative to the beach, while the spa provides a more deliberate way to recover. Its facilities include a heated indoor pool with water jets, wet and dry saunas, an aromatic steam bath, a hammam and a relaxation area. Massages include full-body, back, neck, head, hand and foot treatments, with couples’ massage also available. After a long day, that is a more convincing plan than pretending you are still energetic enough for a serious sightseeing programme.

If you do want to move, the resort has a gym, a tennis court and a multi-purpose court. Golf is also available as an activity, and hiking, windsurfing, fishing and snorkelling can be arranged away from the property. These are options rather than obligations. The private beach area, loungers and parasols let you settle in with a book, while the gardens provide space for a slower walk when lying flat has become surprisingly demanding.

Evenings bring live music, entertainment and an entertainment team. Families have a games room, an indoor play area and a children’s playground, but the resort is not only built around children: the spa, beach and Atlantic-facing bar give adults somewhere to retreat when the animation reaches full volume.

Porto Santo Airport is about 2.5 miles away, making the arrival transfer a short one. Airport transfers are not detailed here, so arrange your preferred connection with the hotel before travelling. Car hire is available on site, and free private parking is available for guests; spaces cannot be reserved.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at arrival, and there is no minimum age requirement for check-in. A 24-hour reception, wake-up service and daily housekeeping cover the useful basics, while laundry and ironing services are available when a suitcase has been through the usual island treatment.

Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. The resort has lifts, facilities for disabled guests, non-smoking rooms, a safety deposit box and room service. Pets are not allowed. Children of any age can stay, children aged 13 and over are treated as adults, and cots are available on request; there are no extra beds.