Fodor's Expert Review Refúgio das Galés

Aimed squarely at couples, this upmarket guesthouse is one of the few accommodation options on the relatively unspoiled Mariscal beach. Well located, with its own boardwalk connecting the garden to the beach, the guesthouse has eight smartly furnished rooms, all with their own verandas and sea view, and plenty of bright, airy communal space, kitted out with expanses of white marble and wood decking. Mariscal beach flanks a 4-km-long (2½-mile-long) bay and is popular with surfers, though not so good for swimmers, with strong currents. Note that no children under 15 are allowed.