lai Jelly
This was our first all-inclusive holiday with my parents-in-law and our three young children, and overall we had a wonderful time.
Although the food selection wasn't extensive, the quality was consistently good, and we enjoyed every meal. The staff were friendly, welcoming, and always willing to help, which made our stay even more enjoyable.
The location was quite convenient. The marina was only about a 5-minute drive away, and the Old Town could be reached in around 20 minutes, making it easy to explore the area.
The only areas that could be improved are the hotel facilities and overall cleanliness. Some parts of the property felt a little worn and could benefit from better maintenance and housekeeping.
Despite these minor issues, our whole family really enjoyed the holiday and created many wonderful memories together. We would definitely consider returning in the future.
Diana
I was extremely satisfied with my stay at Nau São Rafael. The hotel has a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere, making it the perfect place to unwind.
I stayed in a garden-facing room, which was exceptionally quiet and allowed me to enjoy a great night's sleep every night. One of the highlights of my stay was definitely the bed – it was incredibly comfortable. The breakfast was also excellent, with a wide variety of options and high-quality products.
The location is another great advantage. São Rafael Beach is just a short walk away, making it very convenient to enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches in the area without needing a car.
As a suggestion for improvement, some of the room furniture could be updated to give the rooms a more modern feel, and having a microwave in the room would be a useful addition for guests.
Overall, I had a fantastic experience and would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for comfort, tranquillity, and a great location.
Alisa Kotlova
We stayed at the hotel in February 2026, staying with a family of two adults and one child.
It's a 5-star hotel, but the rooms are very tired, including linens (bed linens with blood stains, towels which are simply unpleasant to use), and furniture with stains.
Breakfasts are good. We did not go to the hotel for lunch and dinner, although there is a lunch on the Swedish table system and a restaurant.
There are three outdoor pools and a spa (for an additional fee). The spa can get so crowded that there are no available sunbeds, and guests leave towels on the floor.
We spent 40 minutes trying to resolve the sunbed issue. It took the third employee to fix the problem, and they brought us sunbeds from outside. Did anyone wipe down the sunbeds? No.
The area is green and nice, there is a small playground.
In 10 minutes on foot, the coastline and the beach.
Unfortunately, the experience of staying at a hotel did not make us want to return or recommend it to friends.
R. O
I stayed at Rafael Suites in Portugal from Friday to Monday for my friend’s birthday. Overall, we had a nice stay and a really fun weekend.
We were given a complimentary upgrade, which was a lovely surprise and definitely appreciated for the birthday celebration.
A special shout-out to Lovepreet, who was so kind and helpful. After a long wait, he personally assisted us to our room with his team and made sure we were settled. That level of service really stood out.
The rooms are spacious with beautiful views, which we loved. However, they do feel slightly outdated in parts and could benefit from some modernisation also hair dryer didn't work.
There was a good variety of food and the flavours were nice. That said, pork was served on several days and as we don’t eat pork, our options were limited at times. It would be great if there was always a beef or alternative option available alongside pork dishes (for example, offering beef Bolognese as well).
The drinks were very good shout out to Esa for consistently making the best cocktails during our stay.
Also evening or night entertainment would go a long way such as games night, quiz and karaoke.
Justine Bonte
We did have a nice time overall thanks to the good company, but unfortunately this hotel is definitely not worthy of a 5-star rating.
The room was outdated and we found black mold (I have photos of this). There was also a persistent musty smell that we couldn’t get rid of. As someone with asthma, this was very unpleasant. In general, the building is no longer in good condition; in several places the walls are cracking and deteriorating.
The food was disappointing: often cold and with some strange combinations. It also seemed mainly focused on English guests, while not everyone staying there is from England. For example, I personally like to have a light breakfast/brunch with fresh vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, and a freshly prepared egg, but these options were not available. There were eggs, but fried eggs were just sitting under a heat lamp instead of being freshly prepared. For a 5-star hotel, we also expected live cooking, which was missing.
The service in the restaurant was also lacking. On multiple occasions, I had to set my own table because staff simply did not come to prepare it.
The selection of alcohol was very limited. You could only get the cheapest gin, which again does not match the expectations of a 5-star hotel.
The pool area also needs improvement. The sunbeds are old and clearly in need of replacement, and empty cups and straws from the previous day were still lying around and not cleaned up. There was also visible dirt in the pool and even slight algae growth, which clearly indicates that the pool is not properly cleaned.
We also found it unacceptable that after 10:30 PM you cannot get any food or drinks anymore, which is not what you expect from a 5-star hotel.
The hygiene in the public toilets in the lobby was very poor. At one point, the women’s restroom was completely flooded due to a broken tap (I have photos of this as well). There was a strong smell of urine, some toilets did not flush properly, and mirrors were cracked. In the men’s restroom there was even an area blocked off.
The service was also lacking. I called reception to request two extra blankets, but we had to wait almost an hour and I had to call twice before they arrived.
Another surprising issue: I lost my wristband on day 2, received a new one, and lost that one as well. After that, I was basically walking around without a wristband, yet no one seemed to care. I was still able to get drinks, breakfast, and lunch without any checks, which is quite concerning.
All in all, we would rate this hotel more as a 3- to 4-star property, but definitely not 5-star standard.
