Hotel Quinta do Lago to Host Orient-Express Hotels Amateur Golf Challenge

August 19, 2002 - Hotel Quinta do Lago and its enviable stature as one of the premier golf destinations in Europe will be on display when the resort hosts the 7th Annual Orient-Express Hotels Amateur Golf Challenge November 2-9. The resort, located in Portugal's Algarve, offers guests the opportunity to play several of the finest and most popular courses on the Continent.

The 141-room luxury Hotel Quinto do Lago offers three on-site championship courses, including the 7,091-yard, par-72 Quinta do Lago, an extraordinary course that winds through undulating hills and pine forest and has been the site of seven Portuguese Open tournaments. Ria Formosa, a 6,558-yard, par-72 course named after the adjacent natural park, offers large and rolling greens, characteristic of all Quinta do Lago's facilities. Pinheiros Altos is a 6,732-yard, par-72 course uniquely blending two nine-hole courses of contrasting character. The outward nine, "The Pines," is the longer of the two and meanders through typical Algarvian pinewoods. The back nine, aptly known as "The Lakes," present watery perimeters that surround the greens. Seven additional golf courses are located within a 15-minute drive from the hotel, including the 6,777-yard, par-72 Vilamoura Millennium which opened in 2001.

The Orient-Express Amateur Challenge, open to all guests whose handicaps are 28 or less (men) or 36 (women), will feature three rounds of tournament play (plus a day of practice) as well as a special Algarvian Buffet with entertainment, a gala black-tie awards dinner with cocktails and several leisure excursions, ranging from guided tours to such landmarks as the historic city of Faro, the pottery factories of Porches and Silves, the Moorish capital of the Algarve. There will also be a champagne breakfast before the tournament and evening receptions. The seven-night Amateur Challenge program is priced at 1,330 Euros per person based on double occupancy.

For Hotel Quinta do Lago guests during other times of the year, the resort offers a variety of "Golf a la Carte" packages representing outstanding values for some of the best golf in Europe. Golf also can be combined with a broad range of other leisure activities, including tennis, horseback riding and water sports and fit nicely with extra-value accommodations packages. Given the excellent dollar exchange rate and Portugal's reputation for being one of the least expensive countries in Europe, Hotel Quinto do Lago's "Golf a la Carte" represents one of the great bargains for American vacationers.

The "Golf a la Carte" program combines play on any or all of the area courses. The Eagle Passport package, for example, features five rounds of 18-hole play at a choice of five courses; the Birdie Passport includes three rounds. In both packages, guests also receive a rental car for their length of stay. Golfers who wish to concentrate on learning and practicing the game may want to take advantage of one of two programs at Quinta do Lago's renowned Golf Academy, including lessons from Resident P.G.A. Golf Professional Kenny Fairbairn. The hotel's Beginner Academy Golf School will appeal to first time golfers, while the Intermediate Golf Program is tailored especially for the golfer that already has a handicap, but wants to improve with lessons. Non-golfing activities include tennis (two courts lit for night play), bicycling, swimming (heated indoor and outdoor pools), horseback riding, and a wide range of water sports along miles of magnificent beach located near the property.

The hotel, surrounded by almost 2,000 acres of rolling hills and pine woodlands overlooking the estuary of the Ria Formosa, features two restaurants (the Ca d'Oro with Venetian specialties and the Navegadores serving a selection of Portuguese and international cuisine), a gymnasium, sauna, solarium and beauty salon. All guestrooms were completely refurbished in December 1999. The prestigious hotel is part of the international portfolio of luxury Orient-Express Hotels, cruises and trains around the world.

Based in London and founded in 1976, Orient-Express Hotels (OEH) owns and operates 29 highly individual deluxe hotels worldwide, six tourist trains, a river cruise ship and two restaurants around the world including the recently acquired Maroma Resort and Spa in Mexico, La Residencia in Deià, Mallorca and partnership with Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons in Oxfordshire, Great Britain. Each OEH entity, famous in its own right, offers a distinctive style and heritage, and is known for an unparalleled commitment to luxurious accommodation, personalized service and award-winning cuisine. In addition to Hotel Cipriani and Palazzo Vendramin - Venice Italy, the European Collection of Orient-Express Hotels include: Hotel Splendido & Splendido Mare - Portofino, Italy; Villa San Michele - Florence, Italy; Reid's Palace - Madeira, Portugal; Quinta do Lago - The Algarve, Portugal; Lapa Palace - Lisbon, Portugal and Hotel de la Cite - Carcassonne, France.

For more information or reservations, call The Leading Hotels of the World at 800-223-6800. Additional information can also be found at Quinta do Lago's website, located at www.quintadolagohotel.com.