Best Hotels in Sagres: Martinhal, Memmo Baleeira & Pousada de Sagres
- Jun 18, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 18
Sagres offers three good quality hotels, everything else is B&Bs, hostels, or apartments. But each of these three serves a very different type of traveller: Martinhal is built for families, Memmo Baleeira is a design hotel that attracts couples and surfers, and the Pousada is a heritage property on a clifftop with some of the best views in the Algarve.
Here is an honest comparison to help you choose.
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Quick Comparison
Martinhal Sagres | Memmo Baleeira | Pousada de Sagres | |
Stars | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
Best for | Families with kids | Couples, surfers | Couples, history lovers |
Nearest beach | Martinhal (2 min walk) | Baleeira (5 min walk) | Mareta (5 min walk) |
Pool | 5 outdoor pools | 1 outdoor + 1 indoor | 1 outdoor |
Spa | Yes (Finisterra Spa) | Yes (indoor pool, sauna) | Yes |
Restaurant | 3 on-site | 1 (Fornaria, wood-fired pizza) | 1 (Portuguese cuisine) |
Surf centre | No (but watersports available) | Yes | No |
Kids' club | Yes (all ages, babies to teens) | Children's play area | No |
Price from | ~€200/night | ~€150/night | ~€130/night |
Book |
Prices are approximate low-season rates. July–August can be 2–3× higher. Book summer stays by March.
Martinhal Sagres Beach Family Resort Hotel
The only 5-star property in Sagres, and consistently rated as one of the best family resorts in Portugal. Martinhal sits on its own beach (Praia do Martinhal) on the eastern edge of town, inside the Costa Vicentina Natural Park. It has rooms, suites, and private villas, from compact hotel rooms to multi-bedroom houses with private gardens.
What stands out: The kids' clubs. Martinhal runs programmes for every age group, from babies (6 months+) to teenagers, so parents actually get time to themselves. The Finisterra Spa is genuinely good. There are five pools, tennis courts, and a watersports centre offering paddleboarding and windsurfing on the sheltered Martinhal beach. The sunset views from the O Terraço restaurant are some of the best in Sagres.
Worth knowing: Martinhal is on the eastern edge of Sagres, about a 20-minute walk (or 3-minute drive) from the village centre. If you want to walk to restaurants and bars in the evening, it is not as convenient as the Memmo or Pousada. That said, most families with young children prefer the self-contained resort experience. In peak summer (July–August), this fills up months in advance, book early.
Best for: Families with children of any age, couples who want resort-level comfort. Less ideal for: Budget travellers, solo surfers, people who want to be in the village centre.
Memmo Baleeira - Design Hotels
A 4-star design hotel above the Porto da Baleeira fishing harbour, on the east side of Sagres. The Memmo has been renovated in recent years and has a clean, contemporary style, white rooms, natural wood accents, floor-to-ceiling windows, and sea-view balconies on the upper floors. The outdoor pool overlooks the harbour and the open Atlantic beyond.
What stands out: The location hits a sweet spot. You are 5 minutes' walk downhill to the harbour (where boat trips depart), 10 minutes to the village centre, and roughly equidistant from Mareta and Tonel beaches. The hotel has its own surf centre with lessons and board storage, practical if you are here to surf. The Fornaria restaurant does solid wood-fired pizza, and the breakfast buffet is one of the better ones in town.
Worth knowing: The hotel is built into the hillside above the harbour, so there are stairs and slopes to navigate. Rooms on the lower floors can face the car park rather than the sea; ask for an upper-floor sea-view room when booking. The indoor pool and spa are a genuine plus for windy or rainy days, which happen more than you might expect in Sagres.
Best for: Couples, surfers who want comfort, design-conscious travellers. Less ideal for: Families with very young children (it works, but Martinhal is better equipped).
Pousada de Sagres
Part of the Pousadas de Portugal chain — a network of historic and heritage hotels. The Pousada sits on a clifftop on the southern edge of Sagres, between Mareta beach and the Sagres Fortress. It is the most dramatically located of the three hotels: the terrace and pool look straight out to sea, with the Cabo de São Vicente lighthouse visible to the west.
What stands out: The setting. Waking up to an unobstructed Atlantic view from your balcony is the kind of experience you remember. The pool area, perched on the cliff edge, is easily the most photogenic in Sagres. The hotel has a mid-century Portuguese architectural style that feels authentic rather than designed, it was built in the 1960s and has character. The restaurant serves honest Portuguese food, and the proximity to the fortress (8 minutes' walk) makes it ideal for history-oriented travellers.
Worth knowing: The clifftop position means wind. Evenings on the terrace can be breezy, especially in spring and autumn — bring a layer. The rooms are comfortable but not luxurious; if you are coming from a 5-star expectation, adjust accordingly. Some rooms face the garden rather than the sea — the difference matters here, so specify when booking. It also has fewer facilities than the Martinhal or Memmo: no kids' club, no surf centre, and the spa is modest.
Best for: Couples, history lovers, anyone who prioritises views and atmosphere. Less ideal for: Anyone wanting modern design.
Which Hotel Should You Choose?
Choose Martinhal if you are travelling with children and want everything in one place — kids' clubs, pools, beach, restaurants. It is the most expensive option, but for families it justifies the price.
Choose Memmo Baleeira if you are a couple or a surfer who wants a stylish, modern base with easy access to both the harbour and the village. The surf centre and Fornaria pizzeria are genuine plusses.
Choose Pousada de Sagres if you want the best views in town and you care more about atmosphere and location than modern amenities. It is also the most affordable of the three.
None of these fit your budget? Sagres has excellent hostels, B&Bs, and apartments from €25/night. → See all accommodation options
Looking for more options? Find hostels, B&Bs, and apartments in Sagres from €25/night. → Search 60+ properties on Booking.com
Tips for Booking Hotels in Sagres
Book summer early. July and August fill up fast, Martinhal and Pousada can sell out 3-4 months in advance. If you know your dates, don't wait.
Shoulder season = best value. May–June and September – October offer warm weather, lower prices (often 40-50% less), and availability at all three hotels.
Parking is free. All three hotels have free parking, unlike the central Algarve.
Direct booking can save 10-35%. Check the hotels' own websites and our Stay page for direct rates before booking through aggregators.
Getting to Sagres. All three hotels are within a 90-minute drive of Faro Airport. There is no direct bus, you need to connect via Lagos.
