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The striking blue-and-white façade is hard to miss, and the stylish interior design is equally ebullient. Embroidered gardens of palm and pine surround an inviting pool, although the huge Meia Praia beach is just five minutes away.

This refurbished 19th-century property is a classified national monument and its grand façade and grace evoke a less hurried era. However, the elegant interior and period architecture belies the hotel’s modern infrastructure. The front rooms command glorious views across the River Guadiana.

Alte is one of the prettiest villages in the Algarve, surrounded as it is by the Serra do Caldeirão mountains. The views from the hotel are stunning although its position at the summit of a hill means that having your own transport is useful. Leisure activities include a swimming pool, tennis court and billiards.

A cracking view of Silves castle is to be had from the back rooms of this friendly hotel, just a few minutes’ walk from the town’s historic quarter. A sun terrace overlooks a circular pool and rows of orange groves.

Refurbished to an early 20th-century design, the beige-and-cream façade faces a quiet park in the centre of Loulé. The town’s castle and Saturday market are both within easy reach, and the rooftop pool is a bonus.

Overlooking the bay, this is an ideal base from which to explore the Sagres promontory and Cabo de São Vicente. The gardens incorporate a pool and lead directly to the beach.

Within Albufeira’s lively bar district, this is the ideal place if heady nightlife is your bag. All bedrooms have terrace views over the town, and Praia dos Barcos is a 10-minute stroll away, though the rooftop pool is just as blissful.

The hotel building is the centrepiece of an old quay that retains the charm of colourful boats and rows of fishermen’s huts. The rooms have great views of the bay, and a number of bars, cafés and restaurants are all within easy reach.

The majority of rooms have balconies, some with a lovely ocean view, but the hotel’s draw is its central position, in the heart of Lagos. The major historical attractions are less than a 10-minute walk away, as are the shops and some great restaurants.

The front rooms of this tidy hotel overlook the Ermida Nossa Senhora da Esperança; top floors command city centre views. Convenient for Faro’s main attractions.