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Review written by Daniel Saunders, Athlete - 5/10k and half/full marathon from United Kingdom - March 2024:

Hotel itself was fantastic , excellent facilities including fully equipped gym, 6 lane track , pool all free to use as a hotel guest, staff were great. Food we went just breakfast and the options were incredible especially as I’m a plant based athlete, they catered fantastically.

We went in February expecting bad weather but that remained great with good conditions to run. Runs close to the hotel there were plenty of options for road running and even an international cross country course right next to the hotel to utilise too. Overall fantastic experience for any athlete looking to get a great training camp in.

Review written by Matthew Naisbit, Athlete / Middle distance / Marathon from United Kingdom - March 2024:

First things first , accessibility Victoria Sports & beach is close to Faro airport , there are many taxis / Ubers which are between €20-€60 depending on group size. Entering the hotel you notice the European championship cross country track adjacent to the hotel this should fill any runner with excitement. Reception staff are very friendly and always willing to help with any requests. Check in is quick and easy , the rooms are self catered and unexpectedly large , main bedroom, kitchen , dining area lounge with pull out bed , bathroom and Balcony. I didn’t find laundry facilities but that doesn’t mean they don’t offer a service so you’d need to check that.

The restaurant food is great a buffet self service has everything you want, catering for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I opted not to go for all inclusive but could see the benefits. There are a number of restaurants a stones throw from the hotel all of which are great and take card payments(many restaurants outside this area are cash only) there is a small shop which has everything you need if you are self catering.

Of course I’ve mentioned the Cross country track already , on the opposite side of the hotel is the running track in which en-circles a football pitch , this is also used by javelin athletes , a long jump area and high jump. The 6 lane track also includes a 100m sprint lane. There are 2 pools a main pool on your way to the track and a kids pool behind the hotel which has a kids club.

Overlooking the track is one of the restaurants I mentioned above (their Pizza & Pasta were fantastic by the way) on the ground floor you will find the gym and sauna. The gym is a little tired but has everything you need to work on your S&C . The Sauna & steam room you need to notify hotel reception so they can let the gym know to turn it on. Takes roughly 15 / 20 mins so prior to going make sure you’ve let them know. You will also find the tennis courts here.

There are plenty of trail/ running routes outside of the hotel , Vilamoura is close by and offers a pacey beach side boardwalk stretch once you have cornered the marina. The routes available definitely cater for your easy / steady runs and Sunday long runs. There are distances for everyone. I forgot to mention you can hire bikes with plenty long distance routes for those keen cyclists.

If you are looking for a day of recovery opposite the hotel is a conference / Hotel with Spa. I paid €35 for an all day pass to utilise their Gym, 2 x indoor pools, relaxation areas, steam room & sauna. They also offer deep tissue massage etc etc. There were a few outdoor pools but temperature was cold on my visit. The food at this hotel was exceptional, slightly more pricey but worth it. You get 10% off food if using the Spa.

Back to the hotel, my overall experience has been 10/10 , it caters for every discipline and ability from GB athletes to your casual runners. Food was great and will recommend anyone who is slightly interested to take a break away and concentrate on their training this should be on your list as a potential destination!