Kids facilities: playground, cinema room, kids club all very nice.

There are no adult only chill out zones for when your kids are in kids club, a lounge or relaxation room for adults would be nice to just read the paper, have a coffee, do some work without the noise of the other kids who aren't in kids club. The private jacuzzi in couples massage room was not working for any of the four days we were there making me feel that there was no intention to repair it. I had two massages during our stay and the first was excellent, the second wasn't good. The indoor and external pool areas relatively small for the capacity of the resort and we stayed in off peak season. The service was not 5 star, a number of easy to accommodate requests were answered no as it was inconvenient - for example: we asked what type of pizzas were available when we were seated in the main bar, a long list of pizzas were offered and then only when we ordered we were told they actually only do 3 of those pizzas from this bar and the others were in the pool restaurant. I feel that 5 star service would have just resolved this issue by sending someone to either collect the pizza or the toppings from the other kitchen without letting us know there was an issue.

1. The grounds within the estate are well designed and beautifully maintained. 2. The rooms are generously sized and comfortable. 3. The entire resort is clearly geared towards children, from the baby-proofing designs to the children’s facilities. (It’s hard to imagine why anyone would stay here if they weren’t bringing their kids.) 4. The gym and pool facilities are adequate, while not being exceptional.

1. With the exception of certain individuals, the general service culture did not shine through. For example, in their online check-in process, we stipulated an early check-in at 12pm to accommodate our infant’s midday nap. Having concluded the check-in process we did not receive any further comms from the hotel, leaving us to assume that there were no issues with our requested check-in time. On arriving, the receptionist challenged us initially, telling us that they don’t guarantee early check-ins. All this in the midst of managing a clearly frustrated infant, crying loudly in the lobby. They eventually found a solution for us, but we could have avoided the initial friction - it set a terrible tone. There was also no one at the entrance to welcome us or help with our bags. 2. Wi-Fi. The wifi experience was patchy and slow, especially in the rooms. The hotel’s excuse was that they were experiencing general problems with their wifi. One wants to be forgiving but in reality guests have a reasonable expectation that these kinds of issues don’t occur during their stay, especially at a 5 star hotel. 3. Air-Con. We struggled to get to get the aircon to work in our room. The staff were helpful, but the solution involved a technician coming to our room at 22:30 with a ladder. Again, we could see that the individuals were trying to be helpful, but these kinds of things just shouldn’t happen as a so called five star resort. 4. The gym. While the equipment was acceptable, the gym and spa area in general were a little sad. Aircon didn’t work in the gym, there was no Sanitiser or cleaning materials. There was never a receptionist at the spa area and the gym was poorly maintained - lots of sweat marks all over the floor; questionable sanitation, etc. 5. General lack of attention to detail. This is a little more abstract, but we just felt that there was a lack of the small things that make for a truly memorable five star experience.

1st class family hotel Perfect for adults and children

Excellent choice at breakfast

The shuttle bus service has ceased since Covid began and this means the opportunity for causal trips to Cascais no longer exist. Instead, UBER and Taxi rides are necessary to travel into and from Cascais which also adds to the costs associated with the stay. Difficult to find out prices as all menus are now only accessible with QR codes which creates a lack of transparency.

kids club, playground

kids club is unsupervised in the afternoons pool is old fashioned

Staff were all excellent and always on hand to assist. Lots for kids to do and very family focused. Very spacious in all aspects and beautiful grounds.

Drinks can be a little on the expensive side. Not a complaint for alcoholic drinks etc but kids drinks are a little over priced eg. €4.50 for a glass of apple juice (not fresh).

brilliant for kids- kids club amazing as is the swimming pool and playground. excellent breakfast. really easy to get an Uber down town. my son loved the football coaching. the entertainment for kids in the evening was great!

no atmosphere in bar- would be so much better to have a pianist or some music. food in main restaurant very pricey at night (42.50 per adult for buffet) service could be better at pool area.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. My children had a great time and enjoyed the garden/football pitch/kids club. The outdoor pools looked lovely but unfortunately the weather wasn't that good the week we visited so they weren't open. Breakfast was plentiful.

The rooms looked a little worn and tired. The cleaning was a bit hit and miss. The indoor pool area needs some attention as the wood decking is looking moldy and worn. It's a long way from town (but we did realise that when booking) and got fed up ordering Uber's all the time - a shuttle bus to Cascais would be a good addition!

We really enjoyed our stay at the Martinhal Cascais. The facilities, especially the ones for children were excellent. Our son really enjoyed the kids club and loves the fox he was given. He also loved playing football and bouncing on the trampolines. Breakfast was excellent and we loved being able to sit outside and eat in the sunshine.

In low season it would be good to have a bigger indoor pool as the spa pool was pretty busy and quite small once lots of kids are in it. The hotel asked in advance if we were celebrating something so we told them that indeed we were celebrating our son’s 5th birthday but nothing was actually made of it in the end which was a bit disappointing as I’d stupidly told my son something special might happen.

- Amazing breakfast buffet - Lots of cool things to do for children, so our 2 year old had a great time! - Great spa area with free access to heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, and sauna

- The sauna needs some way to tell the time elapsed in there (a sand-clock or just a regular clock outside the sauna but visible from inside) - We could hear a lot from our neighbor's room - Would highly appreciate if lunch and dinner can also be buffet-style