Pestana Palm Gardens

“Wonderful Stay at a Peaceful Retreat”

We had an awesome stay at the Pestana Palm Gardens in February 2026 for 6 nights. It's located about 20 - 30 minute walk from town and about 20 minutes from the beach. We're slow walkers and in much of Portugal, the slopes are pretty steep. Needless to say, we drove to most places. 1. We stayed i… more

We had an awesome stay at the Pestana Palm Gardens in February 2026 for 6 nights. It's located about 20 - 30 minute walk from town and about 20 minutes from the beach. We're slow walkers and in much of Portugal, the slopes are pretty steep. Needless to say, we drove to most places. 1. We stayed in room 28 so we have the upgraded 2 bedroom with premium view. I wish the weather was better so we could have used the upstairs balcony with a wonderful view of the ocean. We did get to enjoy it for a couple of days that were sunny during our stay. 2. I definitely recommend getting a massage with Carla Sophia, the onsite massage therapist. She was absolutely wonderful! After walking around the steep terrain, a foot massage is definitely in order. 3. Everyone we encountered were very helpful. Housekeeping came every day to empty the garbage. They change the towels about every other day. They were clear that the sheets would get changed once a week. I'm okay with that as long as it was clean when I got there. We did not set up the couch bed properly and without being asked, Housekeeping fixed it for us and made the bed. I liked the initiative. 4. At night, it was super quiet but I do not know if this is because we were there during off-season or if the apartments are super insulated. Either way, we slept peacefully. 5. We added breakfast to our reservation. It included egg, ham, cereal, etc. Unfortunately, it was not a very good value nor did it vary by day. If I had to do it again, I may just do the hotel breakfast once or twice for convenience then go into town for breakfast for variety. 6. On multiple nights, we had dinner at the on-site restaurant, Sal and Tal, so we didn't have to drive at night. They were some of the best meals we had! Every dinner we had here was good. Definitely recommend the seared tuna and any of the pasta dishes. Overall, we got to enjoy the natural beauty of the cliffs and got the rest we needed. We would absolutely stay here again!

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“A repeat of a nice stay.”

We’ve stayed at the Palm Gardens before and found it to be good again. We’d booked a one bedroom but we’re given a two bedroom for the same price - a nice touch. The beds were fine, it also was quiet. On the very short list of complaints, the maid service was a bit unpredictable, there was no do… more

We’ve stayed at the Palm Gardens before and found it to be good again. We’d booked a one bedroom but we’re given a two bedroom for the same price - a nice touch. The beds were fine, it also was quiet. On the very short list of complaints, the maid service was a bit unpredictable, there was no doormat outside and the kitchen window could use curtains or a shade for privacy. Otherwise, we heartily recommend it.

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“Good value apartment but in need of some maintenance”

For the price, by Australian standards, this apartment was excellent value. It is in a good location in a peaceful area with views of the ocean and handy to several coastal walks and a short drive into Carvoeiro. We had a two bedroom apartment and having a bathroom upstairs as well as downstairs wa… more

For the price, by Australian standards, this apartment was excellent value. It is in a good location in a peaceful area with views of the ocean and handy to several coastal walks and a short drive into Carvoeiro. We had a two bedroom apartment and having a bathroom upstairs as well as downstairs was a bonus especially with a walk-in shower downstairs. The kitchen was well equipped including a dishwasher and washing machine. The bed was very comfortable and it was nice to fall asleep to the sound of the sea. While it was too cold (and wet part of the time) to use the facilities the pool area looked nice and there is a spa, tennis courts and highly rated restaurant. The apartment, however, was tired and in need of some renovations. The upstairs sliding screens were broken and would not slide so we couldn't get out onto the upstairs balcony and the lock was difficult. Downstairs ones were also "sticky" but were just left open. Car parking was a free-for-all with no marked bays so it wasn't always possible to park outside your block of units or fit the number of cars in that should fit if parked with appropriate spacing. Not so bad at our time of year but I imagine frustrating in peak season. Also, though not a consideration for us, no real playground for younger children that we could see.

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