An exalted Relais & Château property in a beautifully restored hotel perched on the cliff's edge…read moreabove Rocha beach. The main building dates to 1918 and according to the staff was the first hotel on the beach. Surrounded on all sides by ugly aging high rises, this spot is literally an oasis with soaring views, a beautiful pool and a private walk down to the expansive golden beach. For beauty alone it almost merits 5 stars. B cause of the elegance and stature, I find I hold these types of places to a VERY HIGH standard. In addition to the historic building there are 24 rooms in a much newer wing just to the west and below and in back of the pool. Our room was 202 on the lower level and had a partial view of the ocean. What I liked: -whimsical nautical color scheme in the comfy modern room that was up to date in every way from power outlets to fixtures -outstanding service culture and helpful young man, Goncealo Rico who checked us in and showed us around and helped us out during our stay-even arranged to go up to the secret rooftop for a peak-great view -sumptuous breakfast buffet with all the typical European items and eggs cooked to order -views from the nice pool-the hotel is right in the center above the beach on a tall cliff -beach access from the hotel is very easy and the spa provides you with a beach bag to use during your visit with towels and water. -immaculate grounds and facilities-rooms very clean as well. -nice quiet A/C- got room nice and cool for sleeping What surprised/disappointed me given the caliber (and price) of the property and the newness of our room: -size of the shower-while the bath is a reasonable size despite a modest room size, the narrow tub/shower with half wall of glass just isn't my favorite making it not only tricky to get clean but also hard to keep from splashing water all over the bathroom floor-unfortunately these are common throughout Europe -not a fan of the €4 potato chips and €10 bottles of designer water-so many high-end places have eliminated these silly expenses-wish they would too. Despite my small annoyances this is a first class property with a strong service culture and a great staff. I wouldn't hesitate to return.

The property is beautiful but it's very poorly located. The management staff here was nasty and…read morerude to me today on multiple occasions and made the last day miserable. We're booked to stay here all week but looking to leave immediately based on the poor level of hospitality. It's kind of absurd to pay so much and be treated so outwardly rude. Stay anywhere else but here.

This place looks gorgeous! I didn't stay at this hotel... I wish! but I did eat some appetizers and…read moreI have to comment on how fancy everything looked and the most amazing view of the ocean! Super romantic! I just enjoyed a drink and some food and I can't wait to go back and stay here. Well worth it!

We ordered the seafood cataplana and octopus, and it was well worth the wait. The cataplana came…read morewith clams, shrimp, skate, tuna, and seabass. It was cooked in a rich tomato sauce with white wine, tarragon, and bay leaves. Everything was cooked to perfection. The tuna was tender, and the potatoes were soft and buttery. The taste was similar to an Italian Cioppino. The octopus had a nice grill to it, but unfortunately it was really overcooked; very chewy. We ordered the carob chocolate cake and hazelnut cake and they were moist and tasty, not too sweet. The service was great and the view of the beach was pretty.

Ate at Luca's Rooftop restaurant. It was really good. The whole family enjoyed the food. If you…read morewant good seafood come here.

Any hotel that offers you a complimentary Gin & Tonic during check in is ahmazzzing in my book. I…read morehonestly thought when she offered it we'd have to pay. The hotel has a style that reminds me of the SLS hotels. I was in love with how the place looked when we first walked in, the simple things that impress me sometimes. We were upgraded to a second floor with the pool view. Preppy mixed with bright colors of red, orange and yellow. Our room was nice, I always get a little worried with trendy lobby hotels, they always seem to skimp on the room. The bed was really comfortable and had soft sheets. We drove from Lisbon, so we wanted to be sure there was easy parking, some hotels didn't have parking available. There's a dedicated parking lot but you can also park along the side with no problem. Breakfast is included in your stay, with plenty of options, from sweets to healthy items such as special MTO eggs. Umm, they also offer free mimosas in your breakfast, I was so surprised and couldn't turn one down. Last but not least the hotel is located right on the beach. There are plenty of available beach chairs close to the hotel or you can take a 15 minutes walk to some amazing views. There's also a great path to do a morning run. Overall we had a wonderful experience! I'd definitely recommend this place!!

We spent two nights at this hotel. First, Alvor is a lovely…read moretown- there are beautiful beaches and a nice little area full of bars and restaurants. However it is much more quiet than Portimão, which I think makes it better for a beach vacation. Everything went smoothly at check in- everyone who worked at this hotel was kind and helpful! The room and bathroom was nice and clean- no complaints whatsoever. Breakfast was okay. It was included so I had no problem with it. My one serious problem was the noise level. People in the rooms around us were partying very loud ALL night (on the first night only-thank goodness!) and we woke up at 8AM to the sound of our neighbours vomiting -.-

NICE HOTEL ACROSS FROM THE MARINA IN LAGOS, PORTUGAL…read more========================================== I found this hotel on my own after doing some research because my son and his wife wanted to go to the Algarve for a few days. My husband's cousin who lives in Cascais and speaks Portuguese booked it for us. The price was very good. I think we paid about 650 euros for two rooms for two nights for my son, daughter-in-law and then my husband and I. I liked everything about this hotel except our view in the rear of the property from Room #207. Our balcony basically faced the bus station, but we were also on the end of the building so we had a peekaboo side view of the marina. It was a comfortable and quiet room at night, so that was good. I would highly recommend booking a room on the side that faces the marina in one of the upper floors. They have a great balcony spanning half of the hotel on the fourth floor. It's a great place to relax at the end of the day. Bring your own beverages and snacks. They also have a small pool area up some stairs overlooking the bus station. They have a small bar by reception and the prices are good. You can get towels for the pool or beach, but you need to leave them a 10 euro deposit per towel. That makes sense or people will forget to bring them back. Easy access to activities at the marina. We booked a boat/kayak tour Ponta da Piedade Caves which was a lot of fun through Days of Adventure. It was a short trip on the water which is nice because I get seasick. I did take some Dramamine which helped too.

Spotlessly clean, updated, and quiet!…read more The room is a ten minute walk from the railroad station, which is how we arrived and departed. Each room has a balcony with two chairs and a table. We chose a room on the west side to avoid the sun while enjoying a morning cup of coffee. It was fun to watch the beehive activity of the live market on Saturday morning. Although the bus terminal is behind the hotel, we couldn't hear anything from there with the door closed. In the evenings, we enjoyed the shade on the roof top patio. They had multiple seating areas, loungers, and a pool. The views were remarkable. Staff members were all respectful, kind, and friendly. The breakfast was complete, including pastries, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, beans, cheeses, cold cuts, juices, and coffee. We chose this hotel primarily because we took the train to Lagos, and didn't want to walk far. But it was also an easy walk to the old town and to the beach.

This place is just fantastic. The rooms are great with spectacular views. Super clean, and the…read morestaff are some of the nicest people I've ever met. When you check in, you'll find oranges and honey waiting for you in your room, which can be used with the electric juicer in the kitchenette for fresh OJ in the mornings. They have a rooftop indoor/outdoor patio with a spectacular ocean view. There isn't any food or drink service up there, but you can bring your own snacks and use the coffee maker. The location is fabulous too, as you're central to loads of great places to eat and drink. We decided to extend our stay there because we loved the area and the hotel so much. It is more B&B style, so you need to schedule your checkin/checkout, but they're super responsive, very friendly, and their English is excellent. I absolutely cannot recommend this place enough.

The rooms are old and dated. Smells like mold & sewage in my room. I can't believe I upgraded bc it…read morewent from bad to bad for 50$ per night. Have to take a bus to beach & pay for chairs and umbrellas. Bartenders are rude. Food is mediocre. Never again.

Steps, steps, steps. They do not describe that the standard room is really far away from the…read morereception and it is not renovated. Area smells mold. Building is old. Don't expect to have a coffee maker at the standard room. You will need to upgrade room and pay extra $10/ night for a coffee machine. Really? This is definitely ridiculous. Once I complained at the front desk, there was nothing that they could do. Be careful for booking in advance as well. I paid a lot more if I had reserved the day of my stay. Once I explained that this would compensate for the coffee maker, I was ignored. This NH hotel should be disqualified from their hotels.

This is a first rate hotel! The staff is very friendly and…read morehelpful. We included breakfast and it's a great buffet. They clean the rooms every day and are very thorough. All of Portugal is very Covid conscious. No wonder they're very safe!

With so many highs and lows at Vile Galé, I'm really torn with the star rating on this one. I'll…read moredescribe my experience below and let you decide, regardless of the stars given... The Good: * The lobby, pool, buffet, bar and spa area are super nice * Many of, if not all, the staff were multilingual * Excellent facilities. There was a beach volleyball court, tennis court, indoor/outdoor pools, kids pool area, adequate gym, spa, etc. * Room and in-room wifi were solid The Eh: * Beach was across a street, then across rr tracks :-/ * Pool was frigid * One pool towel given per room, which had to be picked up/returned at the spa * The room and hallway color scheme was odd for a beach resort. I know this is strange to say, but an all black hallway and then blood red accents is just weird. Check the pics. * Electricity would turn off when you left the room. Charging electronics and keeping the room cool didn't happen * Bit of an older crowd (avg age 50+) The Bad: * The food. Wow was this poor. The pool bar had some of the worst food of my vacation.. and I got a salad and a turkey wrap aka things that are tough to fudge up. Breakfast (included with my room) was OK, but things were grossly undercooked and the most plentiful items were lunch meats (weird). Lunch/dinner should be a hard pass unless you enjoy a nice mix of bland meats and rice * No free water anywhere. Not in the lobby, gym, by the pool... Nowhere. Dropping 3-5 euro each time you want water is nuts. Considering they warn you not to drink the tap water, there should be other options available besides bottled water. The beer and wine is actually cheaper * No small towels available at/for the gym. Though there's a big sign on the wall to wipe down after you use a machine, I was instructed to bring down a room towel to do so. Double weird considering the gym is in the spa, which is FULL of towels. * The mini bar shouldn't be called a bar. It's a little fridge with 3 waters in it. So, it's a mixed bag here. Many of the problems above are easy to fix, so maybe changes will be made soon. Overall, come here if you have a family and want an all-inclusive experience in the area and don't really care to try the local cuisine. Don't come here as a solo traveler who likes to explore.