Portobay Blue Ocean

“excellent hotel”

We stayed in the adults only area which has added bonus of room designated sunbeds and brolly.The hotel is in a stunning location with easy access to the town and beaches.It is very clean,all the staff from reception,bar,restaurant and cleaning were friendly,polite and efficient,we could not fault … more

We stayed in the adults only area which has added bonus of room designated sunbeds and brolly.The hotel is in a stunning location with easy access to the town and beaches.It is very clean,all the staff from reception,bar,restaurant and cleaning were friendly,polite and efficient,we could not fault them.Our time here was very relaxing.

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“Wonderful, relaxing, beautiful, welcoming stay”

I only have superlatives to describe my visit to the Porto Bay Blue. We just got home yesterday and everything about our stay was perfect. The room was spotless and we had a gorgeous ocean view over the sunset bar. Room service left the room immaculate each day. We had a bottle of water to welcome … more

I only have superlatives to describe my visit to the Porto Bay Blue. We just got home yesterday and everything about our stay was perfect. The room was spotless and we had a gorgeous ocean view over the sunset bar. Room service left the room immaculate each day. We had a bottle of water to welcome us and a kettle, tea and coffee and a huge TV in our room. Also a ceiling fan with a remote control. The balcony overlooked the ocean and had two comfy chairs and a table and a drying rack. The bathroom had a huge powerful shower and a lovely big sink with big mirrors, powerful hairdryer, loo and bidet. Also bathrobes and slippers were provided. There was a reading light by the bed and power sockets with phone charging sockets. There was a plug near the mirror for drying hair, and doing make up. The bars were lovely - we ate at the pool bar every day and shared a sandwich or a poke bowl, which are generously portioned. Drinks prices were reasonable. I didn’t feel taken advantage of. The pool bar service was wonderful, lovely waiters came by often, tray in hand, always smiling. The food in the buffet restaurant was themed each night and we ate there several times although we also went out to nearby restaurants which is a downhill walk. We ate in the A La Carte restaurant also - the food there was really excellent - I recommend the profiteroles! Beach towels were left in our rooms every day by the maids. The pools are lovely - the adults only pool was a perfect temperature and the pool was never too busy. The padded sun beds are so luxurious. I felt very spoilt indeed and got a lot of reading and sunbathing done in sumptuous comfort! The piano bar was so lovely with a pianist playing each evening, and the music in the sunset bar was unobtrusive and gently relaxing. Breakfasts were delicious, I had something different each day from pancakes to omelettes to bacon and egg to porridge to fresh fruit. And of course the oranges and orange juice are unbelievably amazing. The walk into town is down quite a steep hill, or there is a boardwalk to the beach which we took one evening, but you need to be fairly fit as there are a lot of steps. However the views are worth it and we saw Sardinian warblers and serins on our walk. I cannot praise this hotel highly enough. We were looked after so very, very well from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. Thank you for a wonderful stay. I loved every minute of it

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“Nearly There”

Staff super, especially our room lady. Asked for a high room twin beds and a sea view. Room 2046 double bed , balcony on the same level as the adults pool on the second floor. Sunbathers directly outside our balcony. No privacy. Asked for a room change and the young lady could only do that "tomo… more

Staff super, especially our room lady. Asked for a high room twin beds and a sea view. Room 2046 double bed , balcony on the same level as the adults pool on the second floor. Sunbathers directly outside our balcony. No privacy. Asked for a room change and the young lady could only do that "tomorrow" Went back later to find that we could move "Now" To a double balcony twin with full sea view. Hotel is stunning. Buffet is good but not up to the Porto Mare in Madeira. The speciality rest is VG but deafened on the Tuesday night by a "guitarist" and his plethora of electronics, Could not hear a word my wife was saying. All that was required was a real musician. No electronics. Indoor pool is a bit small. Jacuzzi. Steam room .etc all excellent . All in all a pleasant visit. I have good hearing so I do not need loud musical entertainment I believe that the volume is a cover for the less than good entertainers. Will stick to the Porto group in Porto/Lisbon/Madeira. The Algarve is becoming non Portugese. Will not visit the area again.

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“Beautiful location but lacks in several areas”

It’s a beautiful setting for a little resort and the staff were nothing but friendly. It’s also decently priced and I enjoyed the breakfast buffet. But some things that collectively lessened my experience. -everything amenity closes at 8pm. You visit the surrounding area and you come back befor… more

It’s a beautiful setting for a little resort and the staff were nothing but friendly. It’s also decently priced and I enjoyed the breakfast buffet. But some things that collectively lessened my experience. -everything amenity closes at 8pm. You visit the surrounding area and you come back before dinner and go grab a bite. Lost your chance to swim, sauna, hot tub, play tennis etc. everything is just dead. Not looking for a party but that’s really early to close access to everything it’s not even dark! -there’s only one small hot tub, only inside and it doesn’t work properly. The jets are wonky. I was kind of shocked to see there was no outside hot tub, which is far more enjoyable and would add to the experience. -the showers aren’t sealed properly and leak. Every time I had a shower no matter what I did the water leaked into a massive puddle on the bathroom floor -you can get free coffee for breakfast but no complimentary coffee afterwards, not even for dinner after you’ve paid for the buffet. They don’t even have the machines on. I thought Portugal was a coffee country and every little hotel or resort I’ve been before offers something like that. -when you pay for the buffet dinner you dont get water! You have to pay for the water separately. That is beyond absurd in my opinion and feels like you’re being price gouged. -I asked if the recreational activities are free and the person at the front said yes. So we book an hour of tennis. Turns out it’s 12 euros to actually use the court within the resort. Wouldnt that be inclusive with the resort price? I am not sure what the norm is but that again felt like a price gouge. -there’s only three bathrooms on the main floor to serve hundreds of dinner guests. I went to the bathroom and it wasn’t working. I go back the next morning and it’s still not working. How long does it take to fix a toilet when you already barely have any toilets. -not the resorts fault, but the beach access is far away, and you need to hurdle over rocks along the beach to even access a sandy part. That didn’t bother me but I can see how guests would be disappointed. Anyways, my overall experience was I paid for a scenic resort and was hoping to be treated like a valued customer where experience matters, but once you get there it feels like they’re trying to squeeze back every last dollar they sacrificed when they offered the original deal. I’ve been to tons of places and never write reviews unless they’re super positive, so to spend all this time writing this review must say something! It’s a beautiful setting and everyone was kind so please also take that into consideration, but my overall experience was dissatisfied. Maybe I came in with too high expectations on what a resort offers its customers.

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