Anyone for the beach? We might be well in the festive weeds at the moment, with Christmas adverts on every channel and the dreaded Christmas shopping list still awaiting completion – but this is more reason than ever for your mind to wander, to altogether more balmy thoughts.
Whether you’re after a last-minute winter getaway or planning your next big summer holiday, you’re reading this because you have a beach resort stay firmly on your mind. And you want to get the most out of it.
Fundamentally, a beach resort holiday is about far more than just sun, sand and your physical closeness to both; it’s an opportunity to relax, explore, and create lasting memories, a far cry from the drizzle of grey-skied Britain. If you want to squeeze every last iota of joy out of your next beachside stay, you’ll find all the necessaries right here.
1. Balance Relaxation and Adventure
There is an essential tension in any international holiday, and it is the tension between relaxation and adventure. A good holiday is a great stress-reliever, but also a great opportunity to expand your horizons beyond the ins-and-outs of your day-to-day. As such, you need to be careful about that balance between allowing yourself to simply do nothing, and seizing the moment to explore a brave new world.
Beach resorts are a great lowering-in to the warm bath that is this tension; they are a hodge-podge of loud and quiet, fast and slow, fun and sun. To give an excellent example from the shores of Portugal, Auramar Beach Resort is a beachfront location with three pools, a full roster of events and entertainment, and excellent links to the best of the Algarve.
Somewhere like this, a loose itinerary that specifies alternating downtime and active days enables you to benefit from localised relaxation and wider exploration without burning out.
2. Make the Most of On-Site Amenities and Services
Indeed, taking advantage of your resort’s on-site services and provisions is an obvious tip, but a hugely transformative one for the shape and form of your holiday. For instance, many resorts (including our example from above) operate supervised kid’s clubs in the on-season, so if you’re taking the family with you, you can easily create some stress-free days simply by delivering your little ones to the club, and yourself to a nice poolside bar.
Likewise, resorts often make localised experiences easier for you to access, whether by organising trips or just keeping a handy directory of local attractions on hand. Your friendly receptionist or concierge will be more than happy to help you make the most of your stay, whether on- or off-site.
3. Exploring Nearby Attractions
Personally, I’m a fan of taking things off-site to get more of feel for the destination you’re staying in. Resorts are excellent bases from which to enjoy a whole holiday, but they don’t have to be the be-all and end-all.
With our Portugal example, Albufeira is a coastal city with a rich maritime history and some incredible marine experiences on tap; travel inland and you’ll find some stunning small-town architecture brimming with local culture.
