The first completely alcohol-free resort has been opened in Portugal – with the target market recovering addicts.

The new initiative, the first in Europe, has been unveiled by travel group Renovatio and will be christened “Sober Holidays”. Offering a uniquely tailored approach to recovery not found elsewhere, visitors to the resort are promised a safe and supportive environment for which to assist in the recovery process.

The resort itself is set in a 19th-century villa near Faro airport in the stunning Algarve region and will open its doors to its first guests this April. There are numerous activities to keep the guests’ minds off the drink, ranging from tennis to mountain biking and bird watching. The surrounding countryside also plays hosts to 14 golf courses.

Renovation will also offer non-compulsory counselling sessions, despite the resort not being tied into any other recovery organisation. Guests can also attend thrice-weekly AA meetings run by the English branch while Narcotics Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous also hold regular meetings that are open to all guests.

The concept is seen as a great idea by recovery spokespersons who have welcomed the new addition to the network, claiming that those in the early stages of recovery would benefit the greatest. The combination of idyllic environment and being surrounded with like-minded people means that past temptations can be kept at bay.

The resort is the property of owner-operator Andrew O’Loughlin, himself a recovering alcoholic. O’Loughlin has experienced first-hand the lack of suitable hotel or resort accommodation that is alcohol free, claiming that preventing one person from relapsing makes the concept worthwhile.