Courtney Jarvest
Hotel, first appearances look great, the Reception area was modern, clean and looked quite new so was great at first impressions. We were then given our all inclusive wristbands which was also our room key, what a genius idea!
First impressions of the room, very big! On entry, if you went to the right you had a lounge area with TV, dining table and mini fridge. There was also a wardrobe so I'm presuming the sofa turned into a sofa bed, this lead out to a balcony. The seating on the balcony was practical to keep clean but uncomfortable to sit on. Then if you went left to the entrance there was a bathroom with a shower, toilet and sink. You then headed through another door into the bedroom with a massive bed and another balcony. The wardrobe space was unreal, I've never stayed in a Hotel with so much wardrobe space and hangers, it was great. Then into the main bathroom which had a double sink, toilet, bath with a shower over it. The rooms were looking a little tired and need of TLC in quite a few aspects but not the worse I've seen. However to sell yourself as 5 star, you need to have some better maintenance. We also had a problem with the air con, if you left the air con on overnight, which you needed to it started making a dripping noise, to the point it sounded like a big leak and there was going to be a flood so often woke you up. We never mentioned to Reception as we couldn't be bothered to pack up and move rooms but we did mention it on departure so i hope they fixed it as it wasn't good.
The dining room, although they had 2 restaurants plus the pool bar, you could only use the buffet restaurant if you were all inclusive. The tapas bar was at an additional cost but it was always empty so maybe that's something you need to look at going forward as staff must be so bored! Even if you offered one night to all inclusive guests in there, that would be something. The buffet restaurant was rather welcoming, modern and looked recently refurbished so maybe the bedrooms are due to get an upgrade next? Breakfast was the standard you would expect. We found the best meal of the day was lunch, compared to evening. Lunch, there was always something exciting and tasty, whereas dinner seemed to fall a bit flat so we used to fill up at lunch. There was always something to eat though, you wouldn't go hungry. Drinks are limited when in the restaurant, water is readily available, then you have the choice of soft drinks, lager or house wine. We found you would struggle to get more than one drink, but we always used to dine outside so maybe that was why. However, this is not a problem as we didn't used to sit and ponder over food, we just used to eat and go so you can get whatever you want from the bar next door.
The pools are great, we preferred the bottom pool nearest to the pool bar as this had the better sunbeds, we tried the top pool one day and the sunbeds were all stretched and very uncomfortable. The top pool is a lot deeper than the bottom pool, there is also a kids pool in between. There is one female and male toilet outside but aren't attended to enough so often out of toilet paper and end up in a bit of a mess. Another downside is the pool bar where the food is served, it isn't overly clean on the floor area. The decking could do with a good jet wash as it wasn't very pleasant but as long as you have your shoes on you're ok. It wouldn't take much to tidy it up.
3 days before we were due to leave, an influx of kids arrived which totally changed the feel of the Hotel for various reasons, I feel if this would have been the case for the whole holiday, we'd have spent far less time in the Hotel.
Overall a great stay, don't think we'd return as we've seen other Hotels we'd like to try like The Kimpton or The W.
Don't let the bad reviews put you off, I would say it's more of a 4 star than a 5 star but it still has plenty going for it providing you get it at a price that reflects that which we did.
Jeffanell Hall
I chose to stay at this hotel expecting a true five-star experience, but unfortunately, it fell short in many areas.
First Impressions
First impressions matter, and while we were greeted warmly by the reception staff and check-in was smooth, the property itself quickly showed signs of age. The lobby is decent and makes an effort to look inviting, but it doesn’t live up to what you’d expect from a genuine five-star property. I tried to reserve judgment until I saw the rest of the hotel and our room.
The Property & Room
The biggest disappointment was how different the hotel looked compared to the photos online. The images give the impression of a modern, fresh property, but in person, the building’s age is very apparent. Lobby furniture is basic and dated, and the same can be said for the rooms.
Our room was spacious, and the bed was reasonably comfortable—probably the only true highlight. We travelled as a group of three (two adults and one child), but instead of providing a large bed and a proper single bed, the hotel gave us a small cot for the third person. For the price we paid, this simply wasn’t acceptable.
On the surface, the room and bathroom looked clean, but closer inspection told a different story—mould on some bathroom walls, limescale build-up in the shower, and a general lack of detailed cleaning.
Housekeeping Issues
Housekeeping was another major let down. After returning from a beach and boat excursion, our sheets were sandy and marked with makeup. The following day, we came back to find the bed made, but the same dirty sheets still on it. I understand that many hotels don’t change sheets daily, but visibly dirty sheets should always be replaced.
We called housekeeping, but the staff member who arrived seemed visibly annoyed. She initially dismissed my request until I pulled back the duvet to show the stains, at which point she reluctantly changed the sheets. This happened on 12th July in room 105. A few days later, we had to strip the bed ourselves just to ensure fresh sheets were provided.
Dining Experience
The buffet was fine—nothing exceptional. The standout was the chef who prepared fresh pasta every evening. He was friendly and engaging, which made dinners more enjoyable. The rest of the kitchen and dining staff were hardworking, polite, and kept tables cleared promptly.
However, a major concern was the flies around the pastries and salad areas of the buffet. This was a daily occurrence, and there didn’t seem to be any noticeable effort to prevent it. It’s not something you’d expect to see in a property claiming five stars.
Facilities & Entertainment
Entertainment was inconsistent. The hotel advertised a kids’ club, but in the six nights we stayed, I didn’t see anything happening for children. The indoor pool had a €15 fee to use, which was disappointing given the already high price of the stay. The outdoor pool was colder than expected for July. At a genuine five-star hotel, I would expect the indoor pool to be complimentary.
Overall
This hotel was a let down in many ways—dated facilities, subpar housekeeping, underwhelming entertainment, and hygiene issues at the buffet. While some staff members were lovely and clearly tried their best, the overall experience did not match the standards or value promised by the five-star rating.
Maria Tsarkova
I booked this hotel specifically because it’s advertised as dog-friendly, and I was traveling with my dog. They clearly promote their pet policy on the website as if it’s a core part of their values. However, the reality turned out to be very different.
Pet Policy – Misleading and Poorly Managed
• First, although I was paying extra for bringing my dog, I had to remind the staff to provide any pet-related amenities. Nothing was prepared in advance – no bowls, no bed, nothing.
• Second, I was initially allowed to dine with my dog on the terrace during lunch. But during dinner, they suddenly changed the rules without explanation, and I was told I could no longer stay with my dog in the same area.
• When I asked the staff why this changed, I was met with rude and completely unprofessional behavior. No one could give me a clear reason – just confusion and attitude.
So much for their “hospitality.” It’s clear their pet-friendliness is more of a marketing gimmick than a real commitment.
Other Issues
• Food was mediocre at best – nothing memorable.
• Rooms were not very clean, and felt like they hadn’t been properly maintained.
• Basic requests like an extra towel were denied, which is honestly ridiculous.
Bottom Line
If you’re considering this hotel, especially as a pet owner, look elsewhere. There are plenty of better-managed places nearby where your expectations are more likely to be met.
Jade Naaman
The good: rooms were clean, spacious (we picked this one due to spacious rooms), parking was easy to come by and free. Check-in was fast and easy.
They also had good toiletries, like l'occitane en provence. Mini fridge was spacious.
The bartenders by the pool were very nice and knowledgeable.
The bad: overpriced, a bit weird on some etiquette. Examples:
1. We got in, the AC was off in the room. I've never checked in anywhere where the hotel/resort expected us where the AC was off. Waited 1.5 hours for the room to cool down.
2. The first two days, we were able to switch the beach/pool towels during the day. On the third day and on, they decided to change the policy, and you'd only get one towel a day per person. Considering how dirty the pool area chairs are, this was a disgusting experience having to stress over keeping dirty towels all day. I've never seen a resort limit swimming towels to one a day. NEVER! This took us by surprise.
3. The hotel listing says "bottle water included". They meant just one, on the first day. Good thing there was a Lidl and an ALDI within driving distance
4. A lot of damage in the room: bed, issues in the closet (photos available if anyone is interested), and they cleanly do not clean the headboards, that had hand signs from someone before us getting it on. But the rest of the room was kept really clean on a daily basis
5. They said "sea view". Well, true if you consider a small bit of sea view from miles/kilometers away from the sea.
6. The food was subpar: selection was very limited for a buffet, quality was iffy (even Italian food was not impressive, and it's hard to mess up Italian food), there was only one restaurant, it was often unclean (chairs, floors) that when I asked my 5 year old to not make a mess, even he noticed the filthy surroundings and told me "it's already very messy".
7. Not a single other restaurant we tried in Algarve, whether nice or fast food, had food that didn't taste better than this buffet (except for things prepared elsewhere, like jams, some breads, bottled foods (like yoghurt drinks). We did not try their a la carte restaurant cause they failed to woo us with the buffet
8. There were flies and mosquitoes everywhere, including in the restaurant, on food, pool side snack bar, everywhere. Maybe hard to avoid outdoors, but I was hoping better control indoors
9. No Kleenex/tissues/similar anywhere in the room, on any of the days we were there. We had to buy our own from the mini markets nearby
In brief, we go to resorts 1 to 2 times a year, and it was the first time in years we were not impressed.
Save your money and go to Spain (e.g. Balearic islands) or Greece (any island really). Much more generous and accommodating.
Janet Fisher
Save your money and book somewhere else. It's definitely not a 5* hotel. The outside staff and front desk staff were good. The buffet room young staff were bad. Tables not set properly, long waits for ordered drinks. Greeted with "what" whenever we asked a question. Toilets need locks on doors including the disabled one.
Wardrobe doors stick on the floor and are difficult to open. Seating on balcony very low and cheap.
Main restaurant more like a sports bar with TV's does not look inviting and indeed was mainly empty when we were there.
The music played at the outside bar was on a loop and very loud, you couldn't have a quiet conversation.