Excellence Luxury Villas · Vale do Lobo
Luxury Villa Rentals in Vale do Lobo
Villas among the pines and fairways of the Algarve's oldest golf resort, a short walk from the sea
As featured in
The valley of the wolf, where Algarve golf began
Vale do Lobo was laid out in the late 1960s, when Sir Henry Cotton was brought in to design its first course on a stretch of pine woods and ochre cliffs west of Faro. More than half a century on, it is one of the three corners of the Golden Triangle. It has two golf courses, a tennis academy, a lively little square of restaurants and more than two kilometres of beach.
Our Vale do Lobo collection runs to 70+ villas, from three-bedroom houses beside the fairways to large family villas with up to 9 bedrooms. Some sit within the resort itself, others on its edges towards Dunas Douradas, Quinta do Lago and Quarteira, and many come with private pools.
What follows covers the resort, the golf and the countryside beyond the gates.
Vale Do Lobo at a glance
- Villas
- 70+ in and around Vale do Lobo, with up to 9 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £1,400 to £4,900 a week, from around £1,100
- Golf
- The Royal and Ocean courses, including the clifftop 16th on the Royal
- Best time
- May to October for the beach; spring and autumn for golf and tennis
- Airport
- Faro, around 20 minutes by road
Browse all 70+ villas in Vale Do Lobo
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Villa Riba Portugal5 bedrooms
Villa Troto | 4-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool in Vale do Lobo Loule4 bedrooms
Deluxe Fuentes Portugal9 bedrooms
Villa Urada Portugal4 bedroomsWhere to stay in Vale do Lobo
The heart of Vale do Lobo for the beach, the Praça and the golf, Escanxinas and Almancil for a quieter, more rural setting, and Quarteira and Vilamoura for a town and a marina along the coast.
A square, a beach and a bus to both
The main road through Vale do Lobo runs down to the Praça, a square of restaurants and bars with outdoor tables, live music on summer evenings and the beach just beyond. The sand runs below low ochre cliffs and, even in August, it rarely feels crowded.
The resort is spread out, so villas nearest the Praça mean you can walk to dinner and back. Further up the slope you get more quiet and more pine trees, and an internal shuttle bus does the rounds. The tennis academy, with its own restaurant and pool, is a draw for families with competitive teenagers.
Search villas in Vale do Lobo
Cotton's clifftop par three
Sir Henry Cotton's original holes opened in 1968, and the American architect Rocky Roquemore later reworked them into two 18-hole courses, the Royal and the Ocean. The Portuguese Open was played here in 2002 and 2003.
The hole everyone comes for is the 16th on the Royal, a par three played across a gap in the cliffs and often called the most photographed hole in Europe. The Ocean course takes you closer to the sea than any other in the Algarve, with its 15th running alongside the beach. Both courses play through umbrella pines and fig trees, and Quinta do Lago's courses are a short drive east.
Tiles, markets and a fishing town
Inland, Almancil's church of São Lourenço is lined from floor to ceiling with blue and white eighteenth-century azulejos, and it is worth the detour. Loulé, a little further on, has a Moorish-style covered market for fish, fruit and almonds, a busy Saturday market and one of Portugal's oldest carnivals, held in February or March before Lent.
To the west, Quarteira is a working fishing town with a long seafront promenade, and Vilamoura's marina lies beyond it. To the east, a walk along the sand brings you to Quinta do Lago and the lagoons of the Ria Formosa.
Clams, grilled fish and a long, mild year
Lunch here means grilled fish and arroz de marisco at a beach restaurant, or clams and oysters from the Ria Formosa. For dinner, the Praça has everything from steak to Japanese, and Almancil's restaurants add some of the best cooking on the coast.
The beach season runs from May to October, when July and August are hot and the Praça is at its busiest. Spring and autumn are the golfer's months, with green fairways and softer light, and the winters are mild enough for long stays. Our concierge can book tee times, tennis coaching, restaurant tables and transfers from Faro.
Ask our conciergeFeatured villas in Vale Do Lobo
Villa Etnea Portugal5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £5,972 a week
Villa Amari | 4-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool in Almancil4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £5,809 a week
Villa Eduardo Portugal6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £5,722 a week
Estoi Vistas | 5-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool in Estoi5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £5,388 a week
Villa Marea | 4-Bedroom Villa in Vale do Lobo Quarteira4 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £5,235 a week
Villa Edite Portugal4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £5,188 a week
Casa Flores | 5-Bedroom Villa in Vale do Lobo Almancil5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £5,185 a week
Casa Nitta Portugal5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £5,059 a weekWhy book your Vale do Lobo villa with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
Vale do Lobo covers a surprising amount of ground, and we know which villas are a short walk from the beach and the Praça and which are better reached by the resort bus. With 70+ properties in Vale do Lobo, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Tee times on the Royal and Ocean courses, tennis coaching, tables at the Praça, a private chef, boat trips on the Ria Formosa, car hire and transfers from Faro. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to stay in Vale do Lobo?
Villas near the Praça and the beach let you walk to the sand and to dinner. Those higher up among the fairways are quieter and close to the golf clubhouse. Escanxinas and the lanes towards Almancil feel more rural but are still a short drive from the sea.
When is the best time to visit Vale do Lobo?
May to October is best for the beach, with July and August the busiest months. Spring and autumn are ideal for golf and tennis, and the mild winters suit longer stays.
Do I need a car in Vale do Lobo?
You can get by without one inside the resort, which has a shuttle bus, restaurants and a beach within walking distance of many villas. A car is useful for trips to Loulé, Almancil, Quinta do Lago and further afield, and our concierge can arrange car hire.
Can you arrange a private chef at a villa in Vale do Lobo?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury villa in Vale Do Lobo cost?
Across our 70+ villas in Vale Do Lobo, weekly rates typically range from £1,400 to £4,900, with the most affordable from around £1,100 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How far is Vale do Lobo from Faro airport?
Vale do Lobo is around 20 minutes' drive from Faro airport, which has direct flights from many UK airports. Lisbon and Seville are each around two and a half hours away by road. Our concierge can arrange private transfers.
Are there villas in Vale do Lobo for large groups?
Yes. Our Vale do Lobo collection includes properties with up to 9 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
Explore More Destinations
Find your villa in Vale do Lobo
Choose from 70+ villas in Vale do Lobo, from fairway houses to family homes a short walk from the sea