Came here alone to take some time off for myself, and whoa this place certainly exceeded my expectations: Before arrival: The staff were very easily reachable in terms of arranging things in advance, such as booking transport from the airport to booking experiences and answered any questions necessary in a timely manner. Check-in: The staff was very friendly and welcoming. They also provided me with any information necessary, such as the map of the resort, the weekly experiences (which there were plenty) and took care of my luggage and other things and took them to my room while I had lunch. The Resort: There is a lovely lake on the grounds and plenty of seating/lounging amenities such as hammocks, sunbeds and chairs and tables. One thing I especially enjoyed was that the resort is big enough to have some privacy but also sized enough where going from A to B is not a hike. It is certain that the grounds will be missed and dreamed about until one can return to the lovely gardens of Vila Monte. The Room: I stayed in the standard room, which had more than enough space and lighting. The bed was extremely comfy and I especially loved the evening service where cookies are provided, makes your bed and leaves a sleeping kit on your nightstand. The room also came with straw hats, beach bags and a beach towel, which made the service even more exceptional. The Food: Best food I had in awhile, especially the Calamari tacos at Laranjal and the eggplant in À Terra. Breakfast also very nice. Wellness: The spa casita is something everyone with time during their visit should experience. Experiences: The beach is definitely worthy of a visit, the handloom workshop was exceptional and the weekly experiences that were the port wine tasting was very informative and fun, thanks to the sommelier. The staff: I would honestly just come back to this place for the staff, they were the best I have met.

One thing I would add is maybe extend the hours of the pool bar for dinner options.

We visited on Christmas time, when the hotel was opened just for a few weeks off-season, as they do some remodeling, etc. The location is nice and quiet, full of fruity Orange trees (you can pick oranges yourself - and they are tasty!). The food was great - exceptional dinners with excellent wine recommendations, good lunches with live pizza cooking and very nice breakfast experience. I would highlight breakfast especially - as the mix of small, but extremely tasty buffet, with additional a la carte options. The Chef is outstanding. We also enjoyed the real fireplace at the lobby, which was almost always on those days and that created a fantastic coziness in the lobby area - great for the book reading, along with tea-time. The pool also was truly heated - like pools are heated in Alps! We enjoyed, since the weather was so-so, and having such a warm inviting pool was a true pleasure. Our kid had a lot of fun and engagement with the staff, they did amazing care for him and took him into multiple activities. Room was spacious and always very-well cleaned. We would love to come back to this place within more of the season, to truly see all the facilities. I liked the generosity of the hotel and ultra friendly attitude of all the staff members.

The rooms are more like made for summer heat - with concrete floors and only heating via A/C, which takes a while to heat up (albeit we did managed to make it nicely warmed through the days). The rooms are also very expensive - especially for the off-season time (I'm comparing with place like Vila Vita Parc where we went next). There is also unusual practice of 15% gratitude "auto-suggestion" for all the restaurant bills, which has more like USA approach, but nothing I've ever met in Europe before. I believe this is pretty hefty gratitude by any European and Portugal standards.

Setting is lovely and the grounds immaculate. Staff are young, professional, warm and very helpful. Very welcoming and friendly. Excellent restaurant with fresh, grilled seafood, an excellent wine list and good advice from the sommelier.

A minor criticism is the signage to and from the guest parking. For example one sign says "reception" and from the car park "lobby". On arrival it could be made clearer where guest parking should be. Also: the standard recommended tip is 15%. This is NOT typical of the practice in Portugal and seems designed to be relevant to guests from the USA. I have not seen this elsewhere in Portugal.

All staff are genuinely friendly and welcoming. We dined at the A Terra restaurant both evenings, good varied menu also for vegans. Water, fruit and cookies served in the room daily along with some small things for the kids. The kids club is great and the staff there are superb. The dog fee is 50€/night which is a big hefty but it includes a dog bed, bowls, dog towel, poop bags and a chewing bone. There is plenty of green areas to walk our four legged friends.

We had a Family suite (two connecting deluxe rooms), the paint job in the bathrooms is not up to the standard of a 5 star hotel. Also the fact that there is no ventilation system in the bathroom (except opening the window) shows its wear and tear on the interior of the bathrooms. This is the main reason for not giving a 10 rating. Beware: The A Terra restaurant adds a recommended tip of 15% which is uncommon in Portugal, or Europe for that matter. You can alter the tip to a desired amount but the 15% is precalculated and if you sign without looking properly it is easy to miss.

Our stay was simply perfect. It started with the friendly communication even before we arrived. On arrival, the first great impression continued. We were greeted immediately with a smile and by our name, politely and at the same time sincerely. The hotel grounds are well-kept and very spacious. The room was just a dream, which continued at breakfast - we looked forward to the large, high-quality selection every morning as soon as we woke up. The team at dinner not only met but exceeded every expectation. Thank you very much for this wonderful vacation. We will definitely be back!

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One of the most special places we have stayed; the location, resort/retreat, staff, facilities, and food were above expectation. Octant really cared about us and not only met our special requests but exceeded our requirements having thought and care into each day we stayed - they surprised us with beautiful fruit plates, chacuterie plates, wines, water. The staff were super attentive but discreet and we felt really cared for. We will definitely be back.

We could not fault anything.

The property was beautiful and well maintained. The selection at breakfast was good quality with eggs cooked to order and some variation each day. The resort catered well to both families and couples with separate pools and areas - the family pool was a perfect temperature. The staff were wonderful and so kind to our 11 month old. The baby bath, toys and toiletries in addition to the cot were very appreciated.

Nothing

The hotel is very beautiful and welcoming with stunning grounds in a good location. Breakfast was amazing and restaurants good. The staff are top notch with a laid-back, very friendly attitude. It was all very relaxing and would certainly like to return.

The room, a superior double, was a little underwhelming, probably due to the constraints of the original building, eg no balcony and a shower in a bath.

There's nothing about this hotel that I did not like, making it challenging to create an objective review. But there are some exceptional things: the hotel is set in expansive and beautiful grounds. You can easily spend an hour or two just walking around and admiring the scenery. The staff are also exceptional – unfailingly friendly, smiling and helpful.

It's difficult to find any faults at all, but nowhere is perfect. It would have been nice if there were a handrail to help get into and out of the bath/shower. That's about the only negative I can think of.

Located in a peaceful rural area and set in spacious and well kept grounds, Octant Villa Monte is a calm and comfortable retreat. Within an easy drive of Olhão and Faro and a range of excellent beaches it is a great alternative to the usual beach hotels. The hotel restaurant, A Terra, is rightly a destination of it’s own with a menu worth exploring.