For nearly three decades, the Praia d’El Rey Marriott Golf and Beach Resort has attracted golfers from all over the world to Portugal’s Silver Coast. Designed by American Cabell B. Robinson, the course is located on amazing land less than an hour north of Lisbon. Eight years ago, Praia d’El Rey had another course, opening several miles along the coast (West Cliffs Ocean & Golf Resort). Since its opening, few new European courses have received so much attention and praise.
GBN sat down with golf sales manager Tiago Monteiro, whose responsibilities cover both venues, discussing his role, the development of the two resorts, and the attractive propositions that make them a travel golfer.
GBN: You have worked with Praia d’El Rey and West Cliffs for seven years and have served as golf sales managers in the last three golf sales managers. Talk to us about your journey to this point.
Tiago Monteiro: I have been working in the tourism industry for my career. Before golf, I worked in the mouse space and leisure industry in Portugal. So I went through three major parts of the industry and I can tell you that golf is my favorite one so far!
I manage golf organizations from Praia d’El Rey and West Cliffs, take care of sales and manage the booking process of the entire stop, and then take the position as golf sales manager in 2022. Working as Golf Sales Manager in 2022 and overseeing and managing the Retention and Groups Department, I will also have business relationships with our partners (our partners) (continuously expanding).
What would you say is the biggest challenge for your character?
I think the biggest challenge, both today and in the future, is really ensuring that Praia d’El Rey and West Cliffs continue to take this path of success and improve all the great work done in the past seven years where possible and where possible. This hard work has made the resort the forefront of European golf, creating one of the most important golf destinations in Portugal and Europe.
For those who haven’t played Praia d’El Rey or West Cliffs, what do they expect from the course?
I think what makes our resort so popular is that not only do we have two incredible golf courses, but two golf courses that differ in design. Praia d’El Rey offers a mix of Parkland and Links style golf. This combination means we have inland tree-lined holes and open holes that extend between coastal dunes, taking advantage of the stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Berengas Islands.
On the West Cliff, these views become even more prominent. Cynthia Dye, the niece of decor designer Pete Dye, created a course in a 200 hectares of natural landscape, which includes rolling sand dunes and coastal vegetation. While Praia d’El Rey can be classified as your more typical resort course, West Cliffs certainly isn’t. It’s a great test for golfers – fairways may be widespread in some places, but willful games will be punished. In fact, you have to make sure to choose a wise serving option when starting the round.
As you mentioned, partnerships are an area where you are very proud of. You have recently partnered with R&A Sustainability Agriculture Services. What do you hope to achieve with this goal?
Sustainability has become a key aspect of golf course management over the past decade, and our status resort should bring tough states to the future of Portugal golf. Working with R&A ensures that.
We all know that golfers will enjoy these courses in the coming years, so we need to invest in the long-term health of our courses. We want to do everything we can to follow best practices and buy the right machinery and tools to enable our team to do this.
What are the main challenges you would say to attract travel golfers to the resort?
I think the biggest challenge we face is making sure golfers want to visit Portugal and stay in this fantastic area for longer. Many people arrive, play West Cliffs and Praia d’El Rey and then head to other places – whether it’s to Lisbon or the Algarve. The more we can spread Portugal’s Silver Coast is a golf destination with such quality and diverse courses and you can enjoy fantastic golf here for incredibly reasonable accommodation and prices, I think we’ll see more people choosing and consider traveling in the Algarve or Lisbon area.
You’ve talked about that, but is that why you work with the local resort Royal scenic resort and the Guardian Bom Sucesso Golf?
Of course, this is part of the reason. With four high-quality golf resorts and different features, just like our distance on the Silver Coast, it is certainly worth yelling.
We know that the best way to ensure more golfers discover this wonderful field is to come together collectively, and we are very excited about what this partnership can do not only for each of us, but also for the wider region. Our package allows visitors to choose which of the four courses they wish to take, and each resort is in four resorts during their stay at one of two five-star hotels, villas or apartment accommodations. We also organize transfers for free between resorts.
In a radius of only 10 miles you can find three of the top 20 golf courses in Portugal, or Bom Sucesso, which is a great route in itself. We found that many golfers like to add it to their journeys because the course is more toy-friendly for golfers with higher obstacles. Through close collaboration, we think we can establish the region as one of the best golf destinations on the continent.
For those who aren’t very familiar with this part of Portugal, what else can it offer from golf?
The magical silver coast of Portugal is a stunning land that moves from the hills of Serra da Estrela to the towns and beaches on the Atlantic coast of the country. The area is a true gem for travelers to explore and has long been popular for its surfing beaches. Whether you want fresh fish or traditional Portuguese pork dishes, you won’t be disappointed with the food here.
Our resorts are just one stone between each other, 40 minutes from Lisbon, close to the historic Peniche and Obidos. Both towns are worth exploring – Peniche is a traditional Portuguese fishing town, while the historic Obidos is on the top of the hill, with the main area of the town surrounded by castle walls. The town hosts many market festivals this year, including the International Chocolate Festival and the Middle Ages festivals.
If you haven’t visited the area yet, I certainly make sure it’s in your list of golf destinations to explore. Of course you won’t be disappointed!
For more information about Praia d’El Rey and West Cliffs, visit: www.praia-del-rey.com
