Katherine MacAlister tries out The Conrad Algarve in Portugal and finds that she never wants to leave

Ten years is a pretty good innings these days. We’d made it this far. We deserved to celebrate... alone.

We wanted some relaxation, sun and a bit of luxury – somewhere near the sea but not too far away flight wise, with a pool, decent restaurants, somewhere calm, grown-up, stylish.

Unrealistic? Too ambitious? No, because The Conrad Algarve fitted the bill perfectly, it’s name synonymous with taste, elegance and simplicity.

Flying into Faro airport from Birmingham with Monarch was easy as pie and we were picked up from the airport by the hotel’s courier service and whisked through a landscape I had, until now, written off as ‘golf country’ to a hotel that defied expectations.

For a start the tree-lined water-featured entrance took your breath away, stretching up to a grand, opulent and vast white hotel gleaming in the sunshine.

Our room overlooking the front was sumptuous and generous.

Exploring we found a tennis court, an infinity pool stretching from the terrace, a triple Michelin-starred chef’s restaurant, a cluster pool of turquoise water, bridges and sunloungers, several further restaurants and bars, terraces, a spa, would it never end?

No, as it turned out, the long weekend merging into one long, relaxing, enticing, hot, sleek, sophisticated haven in which we scarcely left the hotel.

Why would you?

The private beach was a short, courtesy bus journey away, where the long white sands of the Algarve that stretched away as far as as you could see were virtually empty.

And although it was October, with temperatures in their 30s, the water seemed as enticing as during the summer months.

A quick dip in the sea though and I understood why no one was biting, the Atlantic water temperature more suited to us hardy Brits, as we swam patriotically out, our Mediterranean cousins staring in amazement.

We ate out a few times, wandering along the coast, discovering little fish shacks on the beach, and watched the sunset, avoiding the blingy marinas, preferring the little pizzerias, tapas restaurants and bars. But never for too long, preferring The Conrad’s many bars and restaurants, relishing the freedom, the views, the heat, the occasion, of our hotel.

Our meal at legendary chef Heinz Beck’s Gusto restaurant was truly miraculous.

His funky eaterie with a slipstream bar, huge open plan kitchen, and six course tasting menu, provided a meal I will never forget... and some truly incredible cocktails taken out on the terrace.

We tried the room service too, relishing eating alone in the evenings, enjoying the hotel’s views from our balcony.

Breakfast was eaten outside every morning by the infinity pool, the sheer scale and variety of the dejeuner on offer setting us up for the day.

But mostly we did nothing. A visit to the luxurious spa where I tried a new treatment that involved having oxygen pumped into my skin, a quick game of tennis, a visit to the amazingly-equipped gym.

Where to swim and sunbathe took up most of out time and attention, there being so many piscines on offer, each supplied with pool staff who were on hand with fresh salads, sandwiches and drinks to keep you fed and watered while you slumbered in the sun, soft fluffy towels at the ready.

Otherwise we read, lazed, sunbathed, chatted, laughed, swam, replenished, and realised that after 10 years and four children later, we still rather liked each other.

How much of that was to do with The Conrad Algarve, and how much to do with actually making time to get away alone and together, we will never know. But as a combination it was overwhelming.

Portugal seemed like a distant memory, as we walked back through the front door, but like a photograph, that week spent at The Conrad, was snapped, mentally filed and is unearthed when we need a reminder of those few blissful days away. I can’t recommend it highly enough. So if, like me, you have never been to The Algarve before, it’s time to change your preconceptions and visit.

* Nightly rates at Conrad Algarve start from £121 (€164) based on two adults sharing a grand deluxe room on a bed and breakfast basis.

* See conradalgarve.com for further details.

* Katherine flew with Monarch to Faro from Birmingham. See monarch.co.uk for details.