About this hotel
General information
Vila Joya sits above Praia da Galé on the Algarve coast, its lawns, cypresses and palms giving way to limestone cliffs and sand dunes. It was built as a private family residence and still behaves like one: Moorish architecture, interiors that mix antiques and maritime art with a quiet contemporary hand, and little more than a dozen rooms and suites, no two laid out alike. The name is translated as “house of joy” or “jewellery box”.
Food is the reason most guests come. The MICHELIN-starred restaurant writes a new menu every day, and residents have priority for dinner tables. Around it are a beach restaurant, Vila Joya SEA, a cocktail bar, a small spa with a room for aquatic bodywork, and two pools facing the Atlantic. The hotel opens seasonally and closes for the winter; breakfast is included in the room rate.
Location
The hotel lies on the western edge of Albufeira, directly above Praia da Galé beach. Faro Airport is 48 km away, Seville Airport 246 km and Lisbon Airport 258 km.
Spa
The spa is called a “recanto”, the Portuguese word for a snug corner of the home. The sea washes against its walls, and its interiors and scents were gathered on travels through the East. Two resident therapists offer massage, skincare and bodywork, and a visiting specialist holds sessions in Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture when in residence. The signature space is the Floating Room, a spacious freshwater pool lined with mosaic and kept just below body temperature, where aquatic bodywork combines gentle movement and acupressure, alone or as a couple. The Turkish bath and sauna both face the ocean and can be reserved for private use together with the spa terrace; an outdoor Jacuzzi and the spa pool are alongside.
Sports & leisure
The open-air gym faces the ocean and is set up for strength training and Pilates. Instructors give private yoga sessions tailored to each guest’s level, wherever on the property they like, sea view or starlit sky included. Slower days are spent on the garden paths, in the sauna or the Jacuzzi, and the Algarve itself is known for its golf courses.
Restaurants & bars
Gastronomy is the heart of the house, from the daily tasting menu to beach cooking and cocktails built around the food.
- Restaurant Vila Joya — a MICHELIN-starred dining room with a menu that changes every day, served at lunch and dinner on an arcaded terrace above the garden and the Atlantic; the largest table seats six, and residents can take dinner on a half-board basis
- Pool Restaurant — light, fresh dishes at lunch only, by the pool with an open kitchen
- Vila Joya SEA — a seasonal beach restaurant and bar in a relaxed bohemian spirit, serving Japanese cooking and dishes from High Asia; its concept and décor change every summer, and it can be hired for private events of up to 33 guests
- The Bar — signature cocktails and classics designed to accompany the restaurant’s daily menus, with a sister bar at Vila Joya SEA
- In-room dining — including the restaurant’s menu served on a private terrace
Swimming
There are two pools: a secluded one overlooking the ocean, with a Jacuzzi and sunbathing terraces, and a livelier one with poolside service, a restaurant and easy access to the beach. Below the hotel lies the sandy Praia da Galé, framed by dunes and limestone cliffs, where the Vila Joya SEA beach restaurant opens in season.
Rooms
Because the villa was built as a family home, every room and suite has its own layout and individual furnishings. All look out over the Atlantic and have a terrace or balcony; some add a private garden, Jacuzzi, pool or open-air shower.
Ocean view, a terrace or balcony, individually designed interiors with fine fabrics, antiques or maritime art, and in-room dining.
Deluxe Double Room
Three rooms with the feel of a small suite: rooms 1 and 6 (30 m²) on the ground floor with terracotta floors, sunbeds and direct garden access (room 6 has a Japanese bathtub), and room 12 (40 m²) on the first floor with a sea-facing bed, walk-in closet and small balcony.
Deluxe Terrace Room Claudia
A bright first-floor room with a white wooden floor, four-poster bed and a large sundeck with daybed and ocean view. The bathroom is lined with hand-painted black-and-white Portuguese tiles and has a walk-in shower; it connects with Suite 1001 Nights.
Junior Suite 11
A first-floor junior suite in cream tones with a soft carpet, walk-in closet and a sheltered balcony with a small daybed. The open-plan bathroom has a freestanding bathtub and a double walk-in shower.
Junior Suite Redondo
A ground-floor junior suite in white and grey with curved walls, a round bed and terracotta floor. A small private garden with terrace, sunbeds and a large daybed, and a bathroom with walk-in shower.
Junior Suite Galé
A warm ground-floor junior suite with dark woods, terracotta floor and an extra-large sofa. A terrace with small private garden, sunbeds and a large daybed; the open-plan bathroom has a sea-view bathtub and a horizontal spa shower.
Junior Suite Saudade
A ground-floor junior suite in natural beige and brown, with a dark cork floor, large shaded windows and a small desk. A terrace and small private garden with sunbeds, and an open-plan bathroom with a freestanding bathtub overlooking the sea.
Junior Suite Maresia
A ground-floor junior suite in chocolate and white with a four-poster bed, walk-in closet, terrace and small private garden. It has direct access to the spa and an open-plan bathroom with a bathtub facing the sea, and connects with Master Royal Suite Alegria.
Suite 7
A ground-floor suite with a country-house feel: terracotta floors, wooden details, a separate living area with dining space, and a large bedroom with a four-poster bed and an extra-large walk-in closet. An open garden with sunbeds leads straight into the hotel gardens; bathtub and double shower.
Sweet Sixteen
A first-floor suite in terracotta tones with cherry-wood accents, its living, dining and sleeping areas flowing into one another, with the ocean in view throughout. A generous south-west-facing terrace holds sunbeds, a private dining area, an outdoor double bathtub and shower; available as a one- or two-bedroom suite on request.
Suite 2001
A one-bedroom suite on the first floor with Moorish décor in ivory and white. A living room with mirrored fireplace and dining area, a bed and a shower both facing the ocean, a large sun terrace with sunbeds that leads to the garden, and an open-plan bathroom with an oversized bathtub.
Suite Joia
A bright, penthouse-style first-floor suite with a separate living area, a spacious bedroom and walk-in closet. Two large sundecks with sunbeds and a daybed, a rooftop garden with Jacuzzi, and an open-plan bathroom with an XL bathtub looking out to sea.
Suite 1001 Nights
A first-floor suite in a former ballroom, reached by a grand staircase, where Portuguese and Japanese details meet. A living room with terracotta floor, wood-burning fireplace and dining area, a separate bedroom with a sea-facing king-size bed, walk-in closet, a large terrace with sunbeds and a wooden bathtub; it connects with Deluxe Terrace Room Claudia.
Master Royal Suite Alegria
The largest suite, on the ground floor, with a living room, dining area and guest cloakroom, antiques from around the world, a private garden with sunbeds, a heated pool with counter-current jet, a large outdoor shower and outdoor dining. The bathroom has an oversized bathtub facing the sea and a rain shower with built-in steam room; it can be joined with Junior Suite Maresia to form a two-bedroom suite.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.