Even when family vacations with young kids are fun, they are rarely relaxing. For youngsters, joy may mean racing down a corkscrew waterslide. For parents, it might look more like a quiet stroll on the beach. Children may want white rice, fish crackers and pasta, while you’re craving a gourmet meal.

Portugal-based Martinhal Resorts has built its entire concept around resolving these competing needs. The brand has reimagined luxury family travel by creating five-star resorts where parents and children can genuinely enjoy themselves—at the same time.

As co-founder and CEO Chitra Stern puts it, parents want to enjoy a cappuccino while the froth is still hot, and they also want happy children. Those goals don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

While raising four children, Chitra and Roman Stern identified a gap in the market and launched Martinhal in 2010, creating luxury resorts that welcome kids without sacrificing comfort, design or service. As any parent knows, vacations with young children require flexibility, and Martinhal’s approach is built around making family travel easier rather than more stressful.

Instead of simply being “child-friendly,” Martinhal focuses on being truly family-friendly. Across all its properties, thoughtful design, contemporary art and excellent dining are paired with high-quality supervised childcare and engaging kids’ programming.

The result feels equal parts luxury resort and home away from home. When a cancelled flight unexpectedly forced us back to Lisbon for another night, staff at Martinhal Lisbon Oriente welcomed us with genuine warmth and sympathy after our airport ordeal. It felt less like checking into a hotel than returning to familiar friends.

From the Algarve to Lisbon

Martinhal’s flagship property opened in Sagres on the Algarve’s southwestern tip, near where the Sterns settled after moving from Britain in 2001. Located within a protected natural park, Martinhal Sagres Family Beach Resort combines spacious hotel rooms, suites and private villas with sea views, water sports and outdoor activities for all ages.

In 2015, the company expanded with Martinhal Quinta do Lago Family Resort, located in the upscale Quinta do Lago area of the Algarve, known for golf courses, beaches and restaurants within Ria Formosa Natural Park.

The brand later brought its family-focused luxury concept to Lisbon with Martinhal Lisbon Chiado (2016) and Martinhal Lisbon Oriente (2023). I stayed at both and loved each for different reasons: Oriente offered a peaceful urban retreat, while Chiado blended historic charm with easy access to restaurants, bars and nightlife.

Remarkably, over four nights I never encountered a crying child—or a visibly stressed parent.

Martinhal Lisbon Oriente

The newest property is a 14-story urban resort with 96 luxury hotel apartments in Lisbon’s Parque das Nações district, built on the former site of the 1998 World Expo. The lower floors serve short-stay guests, while the upper residences accommodate longer-term stays.

Its location is ideal: a short walk from the Oriente train, metro and bus station, only 10 minutes from the airport, and close to attractions including the Oceanarium, Ciência Viva science museum, riverside walking and cycling paths, and numerous restaurants. Despite its central setting, the hotel feels peaceful.

Art is central to the experience. Outside, Portuguese street artist Bordalo II’s enormous Plastic Dragonfly, constructed from discarded materials, offers a striking commentary on overconsumption.

Inside, warm earth tones, greenery and comfortable seating create a stylish residential atmosphere rather than a traditional hotel lobby. Contemporary Portuguese artwork reinforces the design-forward aesthetic.

Murals by artist Kruella d’Enfer decorate each of the building’s 19 elevator lobbies. Together, they form a single work, The Sea, The Sky and Everything in Between, progressing from underwater imagery on the lower floors to landscapes and finally expansive skies above.

The hotel’s restaurant, Terrace, is bright and airy, with floor-to-ceiling windows, hanging plants and an outdoor lounge overlooking the gardens. Another Bordalo II installation, Lighted Koala, made from repurposed neon, rope and hoses, dominates one wall.

The menu blends Portuguese ingredients with Middle Eastern, Japanese and South Asian influences. Standout dishes include bluefin tuna tataki, Korean-style black pork ribs and black cod with miso, followed by a decadent chocolate brownie with salted caramel and pistachio ice cream. Terrace also hosts Friday sushi nights with a DJ, Sunday brunch and an extensive breakfast buffet with à la carte options.

Amenities include indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, gym, private workspaces, a supervised kids’ club and a family lounge equipped with ping pong, pool, board games and PS5 consoles.

The spacious apartments reinforce the home-away-from-home feeling with full kitchens featuring Smeg appliances, Portuguese porcelain tableware, dishwashers, washer-dryers and separate living areas with smart controls for lighting and curtains. Even the VOYA seaweed-based bath products became a family favorite thanks to their fresh citrus scent.

Martinhal Lisbon Chiado

Martinhal Lisbon Chiado offers a different experience. Set across two restored 19th-century buildings connected by an interior hallway, it features just 37 luxury studios and apartments, creating a more intimate atmosphere.

Adjacent to reception are complimentary kids’ clubs for infants aged six months to three years and children aged three to nine. In the evenings, the Pajama Club entertains older children, allowing parents to enjoy dinner or drinks nearby. A “baby concierge” service highlights the hotel’s commitment to travelling families, while a vintage-style BMW Isetta display at the entrance delights young visitors.

Built in 1855, the property is also home to Bar 1855 Gin Garden, which serves breakfast for guests, all-day brunch, light meals and an impressive selection of gins and cocktails.

Like Oriente, the apartments are designed with families in mind, offering kitchenettes, dishwashers and washer-dryers. Our spacious two-level apartment featured a comfortable living room accented with bright orange and green furnishings.

The thoughtful family touches stood out. A safety gate separated the upstairs bedroom from the main living area, electrical outlets were covered, children’s dishes accompanied the standard tableware and a high chair was provided. Families can also pre-book baby essentials, including sterilizers and baby baths, through the baby concierge.

The verdict

Luxury family travel often asks parents to compromise either comfort or convenience. Martinhal manages to deliver both.

Its properties combine sophisticated design, excellent dining, contemporary art and attentive service with exceptional childcare and family programming. The result is a rare kind of luxury resort—one that feels welcoming, unpretentious and genuinely designed so every member of the family can enjoy the vacation.