I stayed at the Ria Park Hotel and Spa for 6 days in August 2014. At first glance, this is a nice…read moreenough looking hotel. The lobby is very open, clean and inviting. I had arrived late in the evening, and the night staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. After checking in and looking around a bit more, you start to see some of the signs of age. This may have been a 5 star hotel in the 90's, but no longer. My room, while comfortable enough, was well overdue for an update. Another strange observation is that many doors don't stay closed without a good pull. The door to my bedroom, which I thought was secure (although I hadn't yet turned the deadbolt) popped open unexpectedly. The same with the men's bathroom on the ground level. That said, the price was very affordable, especially given the time of year with many people descending on the Algarve for holiday. The location, too, was quite good. Not far from the beach or the Vale do Lobo Tennis Academy (where I spent the week training; review forthcoming).
There's a very nice pool and sundeck area, as well as an adjacent indoor pool. Nearby is a bar and outdoor dining area for drinks and snacks which overlooks the outside pool. Be advised that although this is very much a family hotel, it's still Europe, so there may be some topless sunbathing happening.
Your room rate automatically includes the breakfast buffet from 7:30-10:30am. Do yourself a favor and go there early. By 9:30, it is overrun with people and challenging to get food when people don't adhere to the notion of a line or proper manners. Besides, it's quieter in the morning when the buffet first opens (promptly at 7:30; not a fraction of a minute sooner as I quickly discovered), allowing a more peaceful experience. The food itself is OK, but it's the same exact thing every day. In this case, eggs of different cooking methods (scrambled, fried, soft and hard boiled), bacon, sausage, fried potatoes, tomatoes and mushrooms...otherwise, all the makings for an English full breakfast. Rounding things out were various fruit, meats and cheeses and lots of different breads and pastries. Fresh juices, mineral water and sparkling wine are self-serve, while coffee is brought to your table.
The service is probably the most hit or miss aspect of this hotel. While I received some very warm and friendly service in some parts of the hotel or at certain times, in other cases the service given was cold, impersonal or just plain slow. On two occasions, after being out for 3-4 hours, I would come back in the afternoon to a room which hadn't been serviced. Even when the room was serviced, I never received enough towels or toiletries.
Free WiFi is available throughout the property, but it works so inconsistently that it's not even worth the bother. My connection would drop frequently while in my room. It was slightly more reliable in the lobby area. Even when connected, the data rate was so slow that even basic Web browsing was painful.
My most significant gripe for the week was the fact that they lost a pair of jeans that I sent to be laundered. They were picked up on a Tuesday and despite numerous inquiries, they seemed to have simply vanished. Although I was paid up through a Saturday (bookings are non-refundable by default, unless you pay more to have the luxury of cancelling...must be a European thing), I needed to cut my trip slightly short and leave on a Friday. I asked once again about the laundry, and was told they were still looking for it. I indicated that I had to leave that day, to which the response was, "But you are not supposed to leave until tomorrow." Yeah, well, plans change. For whatever reason, it took them 15 minutes to figure out how to check me out a day early. On the upside, they did reimburse me for the cost of the jeans, although they made an error (in their favor) on the current USD to Euro exchange rate and I am still out a pair of good jeans.
Should I decide to vacation in the Algarve again, I will probably find other accommodations.
