Vila Valverde Design Country Hotel

“A hidden gem not to be missed”

Our last five days in Portugal was spent at this lovely hotel just a short drive from Lagos. From the moment we drove up the alley leading to the hotel we felt that this was going to be special, and indeed it was. The reception/lobby area is adorned with artwork and modern furniture, the rooms are… more

Our last five days in Portugal was spent at this lovely hotel just a short drive from Lagos. From the moment we drove up the alley leading to the hotel we felt that this was going to be special, and indeed it was. The reception/lobby area is adorned with artwork and modern furniture, the rooms are big (from 29 sq m), tastefully furnished and spotlessly clean, and the whole building is extremely well maintained. Breakfast is included, beautifully presented and really tasteful. There is an indoor (heated) and outdoor pool, free parking and the huge garden/parkland (5 ha) surrounding the hotel and only 15 rooms ensures that it is all very quiet and peaceful. So far so good, but what about the staff? They were all very helpful and service-minded, and always in good spirit. Fabian, the walking encyclopedia, deserves a special mention as he was our waiter at dinner each evening. He went out of his way to suggest food and wine pairing, tastefully prepared by chefs Eduardo and later Joāo. To sum it up we could not have made a better hotel choice in the Lagos/Western Algarve area, and we have already decided to come back next year.

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“Excellent even in the low season”

Low season and still excellent. Wonderful service. Particularly good supper at the restaurant on our first night. higHly recommended

“A must stay in Lagos!”

A beautiful and tranquil location. Amazing design and beautifully appointed. Spacious room with a private deck for enjoying the sun or relaxing in the evening. Very quiet and relaxing. We had dinner outside twice and the food was exceptional with Fabian providing us excellent service. Highly r… more

A beautiful and tranquil location. Amazing design and beautifully appointed. Spacious room with a private deck for enjoying the sun or relaxing in the evening. Very quiet and relaxing. We had dinner outside twice and the food was exceptional with Fabian providing us excellent service. Highly recommend this location for its beauty and high level of hospitality.

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“Luxurious quiet short break”

Modern and sleek design hotel with quirky decorative elements, the internal communal areas felt a little too “designer-ish” and staged, therefore not particularly welcoming or comfortable. Bedroom large and light with sliding doors onto small paved terrace with gardens and views beyond. The two … more

Modern and sleek design hotel with quirky decorative elements, the internal communal areas felt a little too “designer-ish” and staged, therefore not particularly welcoming or comfortable. Bedroom large and light with sliding doors onto small paved terrace with gardens and views beyond. The two terrace deckchairs were uncomfortable, sunloungers would be preferable and a small patio table would be useful. Comfortable big bed, and large bathroom with excellent shower and spotless throughout. Outdoor pool located a long way away, strange place to put it when it could be an attractive feature closer to the hotel complex. Continental breakfast presented on a slate with mini selection of sweet and savoury items. Excellent fruit platter and optional eggs in various forms. We would have preferred a self-service buffet rather than being presented with various items we didn’t choose or want. Having said that, the food was excellent. Only had dinner in the hotel on the first night, impression was that it had to be booked well in advance to alert the chef that residents were dining, otherwise there was little choice. Only one member of staff available to handle all requirements - dinner service, drinks orders, check ins, reception and queries. First night around 2am the fire alarm went off, the hotel was fully occupied, however no staff or security onsite after 11pm until 6.30am! Guests were unsure if it was an actual emergency or if it was a faulty alarm, unclear if the alarm was monitored, or if the staff or fire service would attend to rectify it. Eventually an emergency telephone number was located which raised a member of staff at their home. She came to turn the alarm off after 40 mins of constant alarm disturbance. My travelling companions in a separate room slept through the whole incident, which in itself was worrying if there had been a genuine emergency. As there were no staff onsite, there was no one responsible for guests’ safety. The expectation for a 5* hotel is for 24/7 cover and someone on reception at all times in case of emergencies. We enjoyed our 5 days at the hotel and would recommend on the basis of excellent staff, good food, outstanding facilities and large, comfortable room. Staff were excellent, in particular Fabien and Melanie, who bent over backwards for us and made us feel welcome and valued. Our impression was that the hotel is perhaps a case of style leading substance, it seems to be run more like a B&B facility rather than a 5* hotel.

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