Cascais resort combines open-water swimming, cycling and running with athlete-focused nutrition, race support and post-training recover.
Kimpton Quinta da Marinha Cascais is putting training, performance and recovery at the centre of its wellness offering as it prepares to welcome athletes for IRONMAN Cascais-Portugal on October 17.
Part of the Onyria Group and the Official Race Hotel for IRONMAN Cascais-Portugal for nine years, the resort provides a base for competitors preparing for the event, while its location and facilities also lend themselves to training breaks throughout the year.
Cascais has become a well-established destination for endurance sport. Its Atlantic coastline, road cycling routes and mild climate provide varied conditions for swimming, cycling and running, while Lisbon Airport is within easy reach for athletes travelling from the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
At Kimpton Quinta da Marinha, the approach extends beyond providing accommodation for race week. Athletes can use the resort’s private swimmable lake for open-water training, alongside indoor swimming, sauna and spa facilities. Stretching, massage and mind-and-body treatments can also be incorporated into pre- and post-training recovery. As part of the investment behind the hotel’s reopening as Kimpton Quinta da Marinha Cascais, they have also created a brand-new, fully equipped gym, designed with both performance and recovery.
Over the years, the hotel has established itself as a favoured training destination for some of triathlon’s most celebrated athletes, welcoming names including: three-time Olympic medallist Jonny Brownlee, three-time IRONMAN World Champion Patrick Lange, Denmark’s Magnus Ditlev, Australia’s Cameron Wurf, and Portuguese Olympic medallist Vanessa Fernandes.
During IRONMAN week, the resort adapts its operation around the practical requirements of competitors. Early race-day breakfasts and athlete-focused menus are complemented by secure bike storage, professional bike support and maintenance services, race transfers and dedicated assistance from the hotel team.
Nutrition is treated as part of race preparation rather than simply a hotel dining requirement, with meals designed to accommodate athletes preparing for a long-distance event and the different demands before and after competition.
That understanding of endurance sport also exists within the Onyria team as several staff members compete in triathlons and marathons themselves, giving them first-hand experience of the preparation involved and the details that can make a difference during race week.
João Pinto Coelho, CCO of the Onyria Group, said: “Athletes travelling for an IRONMAN have very different requirements from a conventional hotel stay. They need to know where they can train, what and when they can eat, where their bike will be stored and how they are getting to the start. Recovery after training and racing is equally important.
“Several members of our team compete in triathlons and marathons themselves, so we understand those requirements from personal experience. Our aim is to take care of the practical details and give athletes the facilities they need to prepare properly, race and recover.”
The setting also makes it practical for athletes travelling with partners or families who are not competing. Kimpton Quinta da Marinha offers golf and spa facilities, while Cascais, Sintra and Lisbon provide options away from training and racing.
For UK athletes, Lisbon is served by direct flights from several UK airports, with Cascais located approximately 30km west of the Portuguese capital.