When we were planning our trip to Portugal, we knew that we had to visit the Algarve region and wanted to be close to the beach for our 6-year-old. We also always appreciate hotels with kid-friendly pools so we can get a swim in before breakfast or after dinner.

The Algarve region of Portugal is well known for its sandstone beaches and dramatic cliffs. After spending 10 days in Scotland and France, we wanted to end our summer trip abroad with some quality beach time for our 6-year-old daughter. Like many travelers, Portugal climbed to a top spot on our bucket list because it’s affordable, the beaches are beautiful, and it’s an easy flight to and from the US.

If you are looking for a hotel that will fit the needs of every member of your family, then look no further than the Belmar Spa & Beach Resort in Lagos. This resort has a collection of apartments that also allow you to access the main hotel- which gives you the best of both worlds when you are traveling.

Since the summer of 2025, I have tried (and failed) to convince my husband to immediately book a return trip to Portugal and spend a full week at this beautiful hotel. But, I am certain we will be back some day!

Overview of our stay

Date of stay:
- 3 nights- early July, 2025
How we booked:
- Booking.com
- Cash € 952.20
- Room: 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with kitchen, living room, and terrace
Who traveled
- 2 adults and 1 child, age 6
Overall verdict: Would we stay again with kids?
- Yes! We love this hotel and it was perfect for our family.

Main pool at Belmar Space and Beach Resort

Why We Chose this Hotel: Family-Friendly Pools

Pools everywhere!

We were honestly shocked when we checked into this hotel. Our apartment was not ready yet, so we changed and went out to the main pool area. It’s a large pool with a snack bar and views of the beach. It’s a great place for the entire family to hang out, and great for those without children to enjoy some fun in the sun. When we left for our room, they were switching over to entertainment mode and music was going to be played.
However, the real perk is when we checked into our apartment and found a small pool area right in front of our apartment. In fact, there are multiple smaller pools all over the resort. Each serves a specific section of apartments. We only had to share this pool with a handful of families. There were never more than 10 kids in the pool at once, which made this perfect.

Our “small” pool next to our apartment at Belmar Spa & Beach Resort

Why We Chose this Hotel: Walking distance to the beach

Praia do Porto de Mós

It’s just a short walk downhill to the beach (praia in Portuguese). Beach access is free throughout Portugal.
This is also the second longest beach in the area; there’s plenty of space to spread out and enjoy.
If you love to meander and take a walk, you will be rewarded with views of the cliffs on either side of the beach.
There are a couple small restaurants on the beach if you want to stay all day and eat while you are there.
The waves were manageable for our 6-year-old.
This beach did not feature any surfers or surfing lessons (but we did try that another day!)

Why We Chose this Hotel: Other Family-Friendly Amenities

Full Kitchen: All apartments come with a full kitchen that has everything you could need- from a coffee maker to a dishwasher.

Separate living and sleeping spaces: If you have younger children who need to get to sleep early (or teenagers who sleep in late) then the rest of the family can still enjoy their time in the living room or outdoor patio.

Indoor and outdoor dining: Your family can spread our and have meals inside or outside.

Laundry facilities: If you book an apartment, you will have a washer in your kitchen and drying racks on your terrace. The sun is hot, so it was easy to do a couple loads of laundry and have them dry before we left.

Covered garage parking: We were able to park our rental car safely under cover and walk to it from our apartment. It was nice to be able to pop out without worrying about the car being too hot.

Full kitchen at Belmar Spa & Beach Resort

Dining and living room Belmar Spa & Beach Resort

Amenities for Adults

We did not take advantage of any of these, but the hotel does include:
- a gym
- spa
- massages
- hydrotherapy
- heated indoor pool.
There are also restaurants on site, but since we had a full apartment, we chose to cook our meals instead.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Walking distance to the beach.
Great amenities for kids and adults.
The apartments are incredibly spacious. They fit a family of 4 easily.
The kitchenette can help you save a little food and a little for your budget.

Cons

You will need to rent a car to get around this area.
Rooms and apartments are a bit pricy- you will have a hard time finding a room under $300 in high season.

We visited in Portugal in the summer of 2025, but we’ve traveled to over 20 countries. Check out our other trip reports.

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