Hilton Vilamoura, Wellness & Spa Hotel of the Year 2026

Claudia Fernandes, Spa Manager of 7 Seven Spa, representing Hilton Vilamoura © European Hotel Awards 2026

Wellness excellence begins with facilities, but it comes to life through people. At the European Hotel Awards 2026, Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Golf Resort & Spa received the distinction Wellness & Spa Hotel of the Year 2026 for the coherence of its resort-wide approach to wellbeing. The hotel was represented during the ceremony by Claudia Fernandes, the experienced Spa Manager of its 7 Seven Spa, whose commitment and human qualities offer a compelling reflection of the distinction’s deeper meaning.

The distinction was presented during the eighth edition of the European Hotel Awards, held on 28 September 2026 at the Grand Hotel del Mare Resort & Spa in Bordighera, Italy. Under the leadership of Miguel Afonso dos Santos, Hilton Vilamoura combines the spa, accommodation, pools, dining, outdoor surroundings and guest service into a coherent resort experience. The Award recognises the establishment and the professionals whose daily work makes that experience possible.

Claudia Fernandes: experience, conviction and a remarkable human presence

Hilton Vilamoura was represented in Bordighera by an exceptional hospitality professional: Claudia Fernandes. Her presence brought a personal and deeply human dimension to the presentation of the Award. Warmth, authenticity, confidence and an unmistakable charismatic presence accompanied the professional experience she represents.

Claudia joined the 7 Seven Spa team in 2007 and has served as Spa Manager since June 2010. Such continuity reflects not only extensive experience in wellness operations, but also the long-term commitment required to lead teams, maintain standards, encourage professional development and respond to changing guest expectations.

Her professional outlook brings together passion for wellbeing, ongoing learning, operational discipline, innovation, guest contact and the motivation of colleagues. What makes this journey particularly meaningful is the understanding that a spa cannot deliver an outstanding experience through equipment or treatment menus alone. Its identity is shaped by the people who welcome guests, provide treatments and care for every detail of the experience.

Beyond her professional achievements, Claudia Fernandes stands out for the human dimension of her leadership and the warmth of her personality. Her charismatic presence during the ceremony was a reminder that the hospitality industry is built not only on exceptional properties, but also on individuals whose dedication, generosity of spirit and ability to bring people together give those properties their distinctive character.

The Algarve: a natural setting for a holistic resort experience

Southern Portugal provides a particularly attractive setting for restorative travel. Light, outdoor living, the coastline, golf and the measured rhythm of the Algarve all help create the conditions for a stay centred on comfort and renewal. Hilton Vilamoura draws on this environment rather than treating it as a simple geographic selling point.

A successful wellness resort links its destination with the spaces and services experienced by guests. Gardens, pools, relaxation areas and the broader atmosphere of the property provide a natural continuity between organised treatments and the quieter pleasures of time, climate and space.

Outdoor pool at Hilton Vilamoura © Courtesy of Hilton Vilamoura

Wellness beyond the treatment room

What distinguishes a true wellness resort from a hotel with a spa is the degree to which wellbeing informs the entire stay. At Hilton Vilamoura, relaxation areas, swimming pools, natural light, accommodation, dining and attentive service contribute to a shared atmosphere rather than functioning as disconnected products.

Guests seeking wellbeing expect more than impressive facilities. They seek reassurance, comfort, consistency and the freedom to find their own rhythm. The challenge for the resort and its teams is to make these different dimensions feel naturally connected.

Spa hydrotherapy facilities at Hilton Vilamoura © Courtesy of Hilton Vilamoura

7 Seven Spa: facilities guided by professional expertise

The 7 Seven Spa plays a defining role in the hotel’s wellness identity. Its aquatic spaces, treatment environments and relaxation areas create a dedicated setting for rest and personal care. Yet the value of such facilities ultimately depends on the skill and attention of the professionals who manage and operate them.

This is where Claudia Fernandes and her teams take on particular significance. A Spa Manager must reconcile demanding operational responsibilities with a sensitivity to guests, the quality of treatments and the wellbeing of colleagues. Professional standards, staff development, attentive service and a welcoming atmosphere all belong to the same mission.

Her many years of experience within 7 Seven Spa demonstrate the value of sustained leadership, familiarity with the operation and strong relationships with the team.

Relaxation area at Hilton Vilamoura © Courtesy of Hilton Vilamoura

Every department contributes to the guest experience

Wellness is a collective achievement. Therapists, reception staff and spa specialists interact directly with guests. Housekeeping, laundry, maintenance, kitchens, security, administrative teams and technical services often work away from the spotlight, although the quality of the stay depends just as much on their precision and commitment.

Their contribution may be less visible, but it is never less essential. Every clean room, every carefully maintained space, every thoughtful service interaction and every smooth operational detail supports the guest’s sense of comfort. Together, these efforts allow a resort’s promise of wellbeing to become a lived experience.

For the European Hotel Awards, this human dimension is fundamental. An Award may carry the name of an establishment, but the distinction also pays tribute to the entire community of professionals who make its standards possible day after day.

Resort life, golf and the freedom to choose a pace

Hilton Vilamoura also serves guests with different expectations of leisure. Some seek quiet spa treatments; others favour golf, swimming, dining or an active holiday. The resort’s task is to make these choices feel like complementary expressions of one hospitality identity.

That versatility requires consistency across public areas, rooms, pools, dining facilities and guest services. The idea of wellbeing must remain present even when the guest is not in the spa.

Hilton Vilamoura lobby © Courtesy of Hilton Vilamoura

Food and beverage as part of wellbeing

The dining experience is another part of this continuity. Breakfast, a relaxed lunch or an evening meal can reinforce the sense of ease created elsewhere in the resort. Appropriate rhythm, attentive service and the quality of the surroundings matter as much as the range of choices offered.

Wellness does not require every meal to be presented as a treatment. Instead, the aim is to maintain a comfortable, coherent and rewarding hospitality experience throughout the guest’s stay.

Dining at Hilton Vilamoura © Courtesy of Hilton Vilamoura

Why the European Hotel Awards Board selected Hilton Vilamoura

The European Hotel Awards Board selected Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Golf Resort & Spa for the distinction Wellness & Spa Hotel of the Year 2026 because wellbeing is integrated into the resort’s hospitality offering rather than presented merely as a decorative or marketing concept.

The decision recognises the coherence between spa facilities, aquatic and relaxation spaces, the Algarve resort environment, the quality of the installations, the overall atmosphere and the integration of wellbeing throughout the guest experience. It also acknowledges the importance of professional teams in translating these qualities into consistent service.

Under the general leadership of Miguel Afonso dos Santos, the hotel’s overall vision brings together accommodation, recreation, service and wellness. Within that wider context, Claudia Fernandes, Spa Manager of 7 Seven Spa, personifies the specialised expertise, continuity and human commitment behind the spa experience.

The Award is therefore neither a distinction bestowed on one individual nor recognition of facilities alone. It honours a property whose wellness proposition is supported by a coherent resort environment and by the people responsible for delivering it.

Guest accommodation at Hilton Vilamoura © Courtesy of Hilton Vilamoura

Claudia Fernandes in Bordighera: the human face of the distinction

During the European Hotel Awards ceremony on 28 September 2026, Claudia Fernandes represented Hilton Vilamoura and received the recognition on behalf of the resort. Her presence was especially meaningful for an Award devoted to wellness: caring for guests begins with people who genuinely care about their profession and about others.

Her experience, professional conviction, natural elegance and warm charisma offered a particularly memorable illustration of this philosophy. The occasion also provided an opportunity to recognise the colleagues who work alongside her and the departments across the resort whose contributions, whether seen or unseen, support the quality of the guest experience.

Great wellness hospitality is not simply what guests see; it is how they feel, and the care of every professional who makes that feeling possible.

Warm congratulations to Claudia Fernandes, Miguel Afonso dos Santos and all the teams of Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Golf Resort & Spa.

European Hotel Awards 2026 Partners

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