PESTANA ALVOR PRAIA

We chose Alvor and the hotel based on recommendations from friends. We were not disappointed. Our 2 girls aged 8 and 11 were on half term a week before most other schools so the resort was relatively quiet and the kids club was not open. This was not a problem for us though. Most of the guests were over 60 with a few young families. Again not a problem for us. There was a good mixture of nationalities and everyone was very friendly. When we arrived there was a problem with the room and we ended up moving rooms twice. Whilst this was a bit of a pain the staff could not have been more helpful and accommodating. The room we eventually stayed in was essentially two interconnecting rooms so ideal for families whilst offering some privacy for the adults. The girls had inflatable mattresses to sleep on which were actually pretty comfortable and stable enough even for our 11 year old who is big for her age. Some reviewers have said that the hotel is not 5 star and I do think it depends which room you stay in. We saw at least 3 different rooms and the standard was quite different. I highly recommend booking a room with a sea view because if you don't there is every chance you could be overlooking the car park. Or the bins. Some of the rooms particularly the bathrooms could do with some refurbishment but on the whole we found it a very nice place to stay. The breakfast buffet was excellent with everything you could possibly want including freshly cooked omelettes to order, freshly made pancakes and waffles. The hotel location was perfect with direct access to the stunning beach and an incredible view. There is a boardwalk which leads directly into Alvor and takes about 30-40 minutes if you have children. A fast walking adult could do it in about 20 minutes. There are other Pestana hotels located along the boardwalk which are closer to Alvor town but from what we could see, the Alvor Praia hotel is the nicest. Worth being a bit further out in my opinion. There are many good restaurants next to the beach so you don't even need to go into Alvor but it's definitely worth seeing. As we were slightly out of season the town was relatively quiet but had enough life around for a good atmosphere. We were able to get seats at the best restaurants without booking but in high season you would definitely need to book. There is lots to do - boat trips, Zoomarine etc or you can do nothing. We were in Lagos in August two years ago and it was so hot and so busy that we decided to come earlier and the weather was just right. We will be booking again for next year!

We had (have) a Seaview room which is nice but missing the small important things you would expect fro a "5 Star Resort" No coffee/tea making facility or Wine Glasses. When I asked at reception I was told it was not possible unless I paid 15€ room service levy! Also a laundry facility would be good the only option is to pay per garment which is ridiculous. Some waiters also come across with some attitude. Great location.

We stayed in this hotel for 4 nights this week. The setting of this hotel on the clifftop above a beautiful beach is stunning. We loved the huge swimming pool and also the lift to the beach.The staff at the hotel were all charming. The hotel was very full. Very good breakfast. We liked sitting outdoors with lovely views. We had a Superior Sea Facing Room on level 4. It had a beautiful balcony overlooking the lovely bay. We had a very bad first night as the pillows were too big. We got smaller pillows the next day.The beds were quite soft but comfortable. The bathrooms were fine but the showers were cramped. We called Reception this morning at 7.15am with a request from Housekeeping to be told that no one could come to our room until 8.30am - 9am. In the end no one came. We appreciated the hotel design which was spacious and could be a set of a James Bond movie. The free shaded parking and free WiFi worked well. We were disappointed in this hotel as it was expensive and is more like a 3 star hotel. It is still the best situated hotel in the area.

Stayed here for one week in April. Hotel life is not really our thing but we enjoyed the atmosphere in this hotel. The room was very good, recently refurbished. The balcony is excellent and ours overlooked the sea which was fab. The balcony had quite comfy chairs and table but the best bit was a concrete in-built ledge covered with cushions for lying out on. Great! We only had breakfast here but found it was just OK. The only hotel we can compare it to is Hotel Adeje Gran in Tenerife as we don' t really do hotels. There the breakfasts were superb. Here we just couldn't put our finger on what was missing. Drinks in the bar seemed expensive, so was the lunch menu at the poolside. There did not seem to be any policy regarding booking loungers at the poolside (compared to Adeje) and some were covered in towels all day despite no one being there. Not good. The location is great. You can walk into town in around 25 minutes via the boardwalk. Plenty of bars and restaurants. A great resort and good hotel.

We love the private Residence at the Pestana Alvor Praia. We stay in a two bed two bath apartment with living room dining room kitchen and three balconies all with direct beach views. The hotel facilities are right there to be used, choose from the pool side overlooking the sea, the indoor pool and spa (fab treatments available), the unspoiled beach that stretches for miles or go to the well equipped gym. The food is excellent too, but local restaurants are plentiful both beach side and further into Alvor itself. There is nothing more relaxing than sleeping with the balcony doors open listening to the sound of the waves falling onto golden sands. You will love this resort but if you can go for the Residence for extra special accommodation.