The Pearl Troia sits on a narrow strip of land between the Atlantic and the Sado Estuary, roughly 90 minutes by road from Lisbon. Troia is a fairly low-key resort area made up of pine forest, long sandy beaches and a small marina, and the hotel puts you right in the middle of it. Troia Beach is a short walk away, the casino is next door, and Troia Golf, the Robert Trent Jones Sr. course that regularly features in Portugal’s top-ten lists, is about two kilometres up the road.

This is an aparthotel rather than a traditional hotel, and that shapes the stay. Rather than a standard room, you get a studio or apartment with a kitchenette and balcony, many of them looking out over the ocean or the river. For golf groups, the two-bedroom apartments are worth a look: they sleep up to six and give you a shared living space for a post-round drink without crowding into someone’s bedroom.

Facilities cover the essentials well:

• Pools: an outdoor pool for the warmer months and a heated indoor pool for the spring and autumn, when most golfers visit
• Spa: sauna, hammam and whirlpool, with massages available, plus a gym
• Dining: Salicórnia restaurant, which focuses on seasonal Alentejo cooking, along with a bar and a seasonal beach restaurant in summer

It’s a comfortable, practical choice. You get five-star space and views without the formality, and a short transfer to one of Portugal’s best links-style courses.