Jess Raney
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/10)
Pine Cliffs Hotel exceeded all of our expectations and was one of the best resort experiences we've had. The property is beautiful, exceptionally clean, and offers everything you could want for a relaxing vacation without ever needing to leave the resort.
The variety of restaurants was fantastic, with plenty of options to suit different tastes throughout our stay. The spa was absolutely incredible and one of the highlights of the trip. The beach access is truly spectacular—the cliffs, views, and easy access to the beach make it a very special place.
The only disappointment was that several restaurants were closed during our stay, which limited some of the dining options we were looking forward to experiencing. Given the size and reputation of the resort, it would have been nice to have all venues available.
It's also worth noting that Pine Cliffs is definitely on the expensive side. Not only are the nightly room rates premium, but nearly everything on property comes with a higher price tag, including food, drinks, massages, and items from the markets and shops.
That said, you get a luxury experience that delivers on its promise. Between the beautiful grounds, outstanding amenities, amazing spa, excellent dining, and incredible beach access, Pine Cliffs is a truly special destination. Despite the higher costs and a few restaurant closures, we had an amazing stay and would happily return.
Shivani
Our stay at Pine Cliffs Resort was absolutely wonderful. The staff were amazing and made our anniversary celebration truly extra special. Every detail felt thoughtful and personal, which made the experience unforgettable. A special thank you to Carolina — she was incredibly kind and went above and beyond to do so much for us.
The resort itself is so big that you never run out of things to do, which made our stay even more enjoyable. Breakfast was also very good, with a wide variety of options to choose from each morning. We are so grateful for the exceptional service and can’t wait to return.
Michael Kavey
Summary: great place, tho service and facilities not as good/available this year. Come July or later.
Love this place, have gone 4 times with family. Wide variety of very fun stuff and also relaxing activities for adults and for kids with variety of good food. Gorgeous, gorgeous beach. Restaurant on beach is especially amazing tho closed this month due to damage from storm. Rooms have all you need. Friendly service.
This year we were disappointed to learn that a few things for kids (like rock climbing, air bungee) aren’t open till July, even though it’s summer (late June) and the hotel is obviously basically full and the facilities are set up and ready to use. It has also been harder to get a table at restaurants at times, and the concierge services are limited (they don’t answer phone consistently, they give inaccurate information, they can’t connect you directly to certain on-site service run by third parties). And at the tennis office, the staff member didn’t know anything about lesson availability because she needs the manager for that, and he had the day off. Table service at restaurants is also a tiny less attentive. Maybe they are still warming up for high season, but the guests are already here and summer has started. We’ll come back, but never before July.
sam hickson
We stayed at Pine Cliffs Hotel and whilst the resort itself is undeniably beautiful, the overall experience fell well short of what you would expect from a 5-star property, or even a strong 4-star.
For an early season stay, a heated outdoor pool would have made a noticeable difference and feels like a missed basic for a resort of this level.
Service was the biggest let-down. It was a rare occasion where we didn’t have to actively get the attention of staff, and even then, requests often felt like an inconvenience rather than part of the service. There was a clear lack of attentiveness and proactivity throughout the stay.
We’ve stayed in other 5-star resorts in the Algarve previously, so we had a fair benchmark, and Pine Cliffs unfortunately came nowhere near matching that standard, despite being in a very similar price bracket.
Communication before arrival set the tone. We struggled to get any response from the concierge ahead of our stay, and in hindsight that was an early warning sign of the service levels to come.
We also spoke with several other families during our stay, and it was telling that they shared very similar frustrations, so this doesn’t feel like an isolated experience.
There were moments that showed what the resort could be. The service at Piri Piri Steakhouse was genuinely excellent and exactly what you’d expect at this level. Unfortunately, that standard wasn’t reflected elsewhere across the resort.
Overall, a disappointing experience given the setting and price point, with clear gaps in service, communication, and attention to detail that need addressing.
Robert Zabihi
Rooms are great very good air con and swimming amenities.
Pool and beach all easily accessible. I went on a family holiday with wife and toddler they both loved it.
Restaurants on site are good but pricey.
The on site gym is the single best hotel gym I've ever been in. Equipment brand new and well looked after. As good arguably as a stand alone gym probably even better than alot of stand alone gyms. Has pretty much all machines you would need. And a free weight squat rack!
