I was admittedly a little bit late to the Portugal party. My first trip to the country was for work to Lisbon in 2022 and since then, I’ve been back once or sometimes twice every year. Everything that people say about it is true. It’s cheap, the food is outstanding and although there are plenty of reports of locals beginning to lose their patience with digital nomads taking over the country, none of my interactions have been that way and the level of English I’ve encountered has surprised me in a positive way.
After my work trip, my wife and I were searching for a beach destination to spend the weekend after. I was still trying to qualify for Marriott Bonvoy Titanium so I did a quick search of Marriott hotels in the country. At that point, the Four Points was brand new and still under USD 100/night, given the exchange rate with the euro. We booked it for that weekend, fell in love with the hotel and the area and have been back twice since. The Four Points Sheraton Sesimbra feels like a much swankier brand than the Four Points Brand most Americans might be used to and is the perfect place to base yourself for some sea, sun and grilled fish on the Portuguese coast, not too far from Lisbon.
The rooms at the Four Points Sheraton Sesimbra
Every room at the hotel has a balcony, many of which look over the pool and the ocean. The rooms are bright and spacious and have individually controlled air conditioning units. The rooms all come with a fridge and a coffee and tea station. There are a few free soft drinks in the fridges which is a nice touch. The water pressure and temperature are good and the sole thing I have to complain about is the bed. After a few days sleeping in their beds, my back is a wreck. The mattresses are too hard and you can feel the springs.
The balconies are lovely and make for a perfect place to have a glass of wine in the evenings. If you are staying on a ground-floor room, you will be able to spread out a bit onto the grass as well, and this small grassy area is a great area to tan during the day as well. Just be sure to remember that the grass mowers come every Wednesday (there is a sign on the door to remind you) if you don’t want to be disrupted.
As a Titanium Bonvoy member, I got free breakfast which is buffet style and served in the hotel’s sole restaurant which also takes lunch and dinner orders and serves drinks at the bar at night. I didn’t take any pictures last time around (next time, I will snap some and update this post) but it is a fairly standard European breakfast buffet with lots of cheese and cold cuts, some cereals, yogurts and fruits, and perhaps most importantly, a freshly squeezed orange juice machine.
Everyone I have dealt with at the hotel was welcoming and professional and a handful of them are beginning to remember me from my numerous visits.
The common area at the Four Points Sheraton Sesimbra
The Four Points Sesimbra is oriented around the swimming pool, which is not a heated one. Even in the summer months, it’s quite chilly and there have been times when we were staying at the hotel (February) that it even seemed closed, with no chairs or loungers set out, even though it was sunny and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Besides that, there are not many common spaces. There is a fully equipped gym (again, photos to be uploaded) which is just steps away from the restaurant. It doesn’t have any windows, though, if you were hoping for a scenic view. There’s a lobby at the check-in area, but it doesn’t scream welcoming and is more of a place you might wait for your Uber.
The location of the Four Points Sheraton Sesimbra
One of the best things about the location of the Four Points Sheraton Sesimbra is how easily accessible it is from Lisbon. Most of the time, you can get an Uber for the 40-minute drive for under 30 Euros. Uber and taxis operates in the town, which is helpful when it come to getting to some of the more far-flung beaches. The hotel also has a shuttle which will take you down to the city center and beach, which is a ride just under five minutes. The only issue with it is that it seems to be constantly in use and we’ve never even been during the high season. I can only imagine what it’s like then. The half-mile to the city is totally walkable as well, but the hill going down (or going up) is quite steep. You can also take a quick walk to the castle which looms over the city, which is worth seeing just for the views and the church inside. Stay tuned for an upcoming post on the best places to eat in Sesimbra!
The bottom line
Centrally located and in great shape, with facilities to tan, sport and get the most of Sesimbra, the Four Points Sheraton is an absolute steal. While prices during the high season are just over USD 100/night, if I’m being honest, I don’t think I would want to go during the busiest summer months, when the beach is jam packed and the walk up the hill to the hotel is a million degrees. We have been in February, March and May. To be perfectly honest, it was plenty warm in May, the pool was still cold but we got in anyway and the temperature of the ocean was perfectly lovely to swim. Unless you have kids and summer break plays into your plans, I wouldn’t go from June to August. I almost wanted to gatekeep this hotel as it’s such a special spot and I don’t want prices to go up, but hey, this is why you come to the site, right?! Now go drink some vinho verde on the patio and tell them that The Veteran Voyager sent you.