Rr Alvor Baía Resort

“Lovely week in April”

Last evening here at the Alvor Baia, had a lovely week and we’ve enjoyed the hotel and local area- we would certainly return as overall it’s been an excellent experience, however there are a few things that could be improved or changed to make the experience even better. Positives- large clean an… more

Last evening here at the Alvor Baia, had a lovely week and we’ve enjoyed the hotel and local area- we would certainly return as overall it’s been an excellent experience, however there are a few things that could be improved or changed to make the experience even better. Positives- large clean and spacious rooms, cleaned daily and great for a family with older children due to separate sleeping areas. Space to store clothes but could benefit from extra hangers. We had to call housekeeping a couple of Times and each time they responded quickly. The food is one of the better AI we have experienced, lots of fresh fish (although some with bones, this seems common!) salads and rice/pasta every day, a good children’s selection. Although there was rarely pizza which is always a hit with children. I am vegetarian and always found plenty to eat. Breakfast and lunch are probably the better meals of the day. We didn’t really use the pool as it wasn’t ’pool weather’ but the pool side bar area was always clean and service was friendly. It’s a huge pool with a shallow end for little children. The location is great, 15-20 mins into Alvor which is a beautiful town And lovely base to explore from. There is a free shuttle bus to the beach frequently every day, which takes you to the boardwalks cliff side of the beach, this is stunning and only 15 minutes from the town. There are some lovely caves to explore with beachside cafes. Uber to travel further affield is very reasonable. To improve- the snack bar, limited opening times and not allowed to take Food out of the downstairs bar area. Meaning you had to sit in the bar and couldn’t take it to the pool or rooms, it was only open For 90 mins in a morning and 90 mins in the afternoon. This could be much improved by moving the units upstairs into the wasted paid-for bar which Is barely used yet takes up a lot of space in the foyer/pool bar area. There are also big queues in the snack bar due to the limited timings, and non self serve. The games room- when we booked it was advertised as having a pool table, there is now no pool table. A hotel this size could easily accommodate 2 or more pool tables as these are always a hit with Families. Again, the hotel could utilise space better and more provide a pool table area under cover outside or near the foyer. The spa- I paid for a 2 hour spot in the spa. The pool is cold and the jets/hydro facilities not working. A team member said they would switch them on and they didn’t. One of the saunas doesn’t work and the spa showers were just like normal showers. There is no peaceful element to the spa, but if viewed as an indoor pool just for a swim it is fine, however, this Shouldn’t come with a spa price tag. Overall this is a nice hotel and we would return, the area is lovely and the hotel provides everything a family can need for a week away.

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“Not a family hotel”

I stayed there for 6 nights with my 5 year old son and I won’t be coming back. This is advertised as a family hotel, however kids entertainment is nonexistent. Kids club is open between 10:30 to 12:00 and then between 14:00 to 18:00. There are almost no toys and the kids just come and go. Nobody ch… more

I stayed there for 6 nights with my 5 year old son and I won’t be coming back. This is advertised as a family hotel, however kids entertainment is nonexistent. Kids club is open between 10:30 to 12:00 and then between 14:00 to 18:00. There are almost no toys and the kids just come and go. Nobody checks if they are allowed to leave or not. My son was at the kids club for a day and a half when I found out that I needed to fill in a form with my details in case of an emergency. Kids disco starts at 21:30 so it is a miss if you have little ones. Nobody at the reception told us that the adult only spa has a family hour. I only found out after I asked our tour provider for suggestions. The spa family hour is bang on during dinner time from 18:00 to 19:00 and costs 16€ per adult. If you have young kids chances of enjoying it with them is quite slim. Don’t forget the gym is 5€ per day as well. Padel, basketball, tennis is at extra cost. Towels were 20€ deposit and you can only exchange them every 4 days or pay 2€ per towel for an early exchange. Balcony has no drying rack and they won’t give you an iron. They work with a laundrette, so you’ll need to pay if you want your clothes pressed. On the day of our arrival the pool area was filled with empty cups, no spare sun beds despite us being there during offseason. Can’t imagine what it is like during peak. There were crisps on the ground and no staff to tidy so guests were moving stuff around themselves which is not great when you’re on holiday. If you are caught by bad weather there is nothing to do in the hotel and they make no attempts to entertain guests. There are no games for children inside and generally nothing to do if it rains outside. The ‘game room’ - you would think it will have games for children. Filled with cheap arcades, some of which are out of service. They would be better off adding some toys for children and make it a nice free play area. Snack bar opens at 16:00 and you can’t even get your food. You need to queue for sandwiches, crisps, cakes or fruit. The food is average and warm, not hot. My son got a burger that was fried by a chef and when we cut the patty open it was completely raw in the middle. The staff just took it away when I said it’s raw and we’ve not had any apologies. (Check your meat) The hotel is quite far away from kids attractions, about 40 minutes to Krazyworld or Zoomarine, which will cost you if you are taking a taxi. The nearest big supermarket is about 20 minutes away. The one closest to the hotel has mouldy cakes so would not recommend unless you just need a sealed drink. On a positive note the area is beautiful, lots of outdoor walks and the town is nice. The hotel staff is friendly, rooms are spacious and clean and it was very quiet during nights. The playground is quite big, so it has plenty of space for everyone, and it’s right next to kids club, and the kids end of the pool, so you can enjoy yourself by the pool while keeping an eye on your children. The swimming pool is surrounded by a hill that shields you from wind which is a plus.

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