For ‘snowbirds’ Kevin and Ann Hudson, retirement is all about following the sun and having fun, and buying a new golf home in Portugal will help them do just that!
The British couple, who also own homes in North America, got the keys to their new villa beside a pristine fairway in the central Algarve in 2020, the same year they retired. They had first visited the region 40 years before and it was on the recommendation of friends who already owned a place there that they decided to return to this famous stretch to Portuguese coast to hunt for their retirement home in Europe.
After exploring a number of other options, golf fans the Hudsons were wowed by the Amendoeira Golf Resort, which occupies a scenic 270-hectare site in Alcantarilha, 10 minutes from the coast.
“We would highly recommend Amendoeira to anyone looking for another home abroad,” the couple said. “We were really well looked after and made to feel very welcome. We loved both golf courses and found everyone very friendly.”
Initially the couple put down a deposit on the apartment they were staying in at the resort.
But when they returned to Portugal four months later, they decided they wanted their own swimming pool. So they swapped the apartment for a three-bedroom villa, which came with landscaped gardens, a private pool and glorious fairway views.
Added the Hudsons: “The golf courses are great and the facilities wonderful. And it’s close to lovely beaches, restaurants, and shopping, so perfect for retirees, as well as holiday homeowners. The transition and move were very smooth, and easy. We have properties in Canada and in Florida – we follow the sun to the golf!”
Fantastic facilities
For non-golfers staying at the resort, other on-site facilities include a grass football pitch, two Astroturf five-a-side football fields, six tennis courts, two padel courts, gym facilities and two communal swimming pools. For winding down with a drink
or quality meal, there is a clubhouse, sports bar
and restaurant, while the 24-hour security, 16-hour reception and maid and laundry services help homeowners to really switch off.
“We’ve sought to respect the beauty and natural assets of the setting at every point when developing the homes and facilities at Amendoeira,” said Alda Filipe, Sales and Marketing Director at Kronos Homes, creator of the resort. “We’ve also created homes that serve a range of needs, from family holiday homes to fulltime residences to investment properties. So, we offer a full rental and management service for those who need it.”
Buyers at the resort can choose between apartments and villas set in landscaped gardens. Each property offers high-end interior design
and modern amenities. Apartments include
two-bedroom homes priced from €285,000 and
two- plus one-bedroom duplex apartments costing from €380,000. Villas range from three-bedroom homes priced from €660,000 to superior
four-bedroom properties costing from €1.650 million (prices as of Feb 2022). All villas come with their own private pool.
Scenic and accessible
Around 30 minutes’ drive west is the sister resort of Amendoeira, namely Palmares Ocean Living & Golf. Between its 27-hole golf course, its Michelin-starred ‘Al Sud’ restaurant and its prime position
in a natural amphitheatre delivering spectacular sea views over the Western Algarve’s Alvor estuary, the resort offers a winning combination of top-quality golf, fine dining and rolling golden sands.
The Algarve’s easy connectivity from the UK makes it an excellent choice for those looking to retire to the sun but still maintain regular contact with family and friends back home. Faro Airport provides regular flights to various UK airports,
as well as to other destinations across Europe. Those looking to travel further afield can connect in either London or Amsterdam, or enjoy the easy, scenic drive up to Lisbon and fly from there.
