Clube Humbria by 3HB

We are currently holidaying here with our two daughters. The positives, there are many. The food is excellent and very good quality. The restaurant staff are friendly and efficient. The managers welcome us every time and the whole experience is great. The pool is great for everyone. Cleaned everyday. Getting a sunbed is tricky though and unfortunately you need to be up early to get a bed by the pool. The entertainment team are friendly and really create a fun positive vibe without being over the top. Rooms are great, very cool and cleaned really well. The downside for us was the bar staff, they really are so miserable. I smiled, tried to make conversation but they didn't want to know. Often they were rude and we ended up using the bar in the club in the evenings as the bartender there was friendlier and made nice drinks. I feel some customer service training in this area would be beneficial. Overall though a great holiday.

A Gluten-Free Gem ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We were really impressed with 3HB Clube Humbria and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, especially to anyone following a gluten-free diet.

The hotel itself is immaculate. The staff are constantly cleaning and maintaining the hotel, and it really shows. Everywhere is spotless, from the communal areas to the pool and dining areas.

The hotel is also in excellent condition. The communal spaces are bright, spacious and well maintained, and our one-bedroom apartment was large with very comfortable beds. If I had one suggestion, it would be to add more plug sockets and more storage for clothing, particularly for families of four sharing a one-bedroom apartment. I’d definitely recommend bringing a multi-plug extension.

The entertainment team deserve a special mention. They work incredibly hard, are full of energy and are fantastic with children, creating a really friendly atmosphere throughout the day and evening.

The food (especially for coeliacs):

The food was excellent, with a huge variety available at breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus snacks throughout the day.

There was an excellent drinks selection, including cocktails, branded spirits with very generous measures, soft drinks and juices.

As a coeliac, I genuinely didn’t struggle at all. Every dish has a full ingredient list displayed, making it easy to identify what is safe to eat. The restaurant staff were also wonderful. After a few days of asking about gluten-free options, they began offering them before I even needed to ask.

Available gluten-free options included:

• Fresh gluten-free bread and toast. • Gluten-free pancakes at breakfast. • Gluten-free cereal and granola. • Gluten-free pizza and pasta on request. • Most cooked breakfast items. • Plenty of salads, grilled vegetables, grilled chicken and fish, plus vegetable curry. • Two gluten-free cakes every day, along with one or two gluten-free mousse desserts. • Gluten-free ice cream pots available from the bar (the self-service dining room ice cream isn’t gluten-free).

A couple of suggestions:

These aren’t criticisms of the hotel, more ideas that could make an already excellent gluten-free offering even better.

A separate gluten-free station for cutlery would reduce the risk of cross-contamination. I often saw guests handling several pieces of cutlery before choosing one, which is unavoidable but not ideal for coeliacs.

Similarly, having the gluten-free cakes in their own dedicated area would help. I noticed non-gluten-free guests sometimes browsing them and not always using the serving utensils correctly.

I also chose not to have the gluten-free pasta because the serving spoon for the shared pasta sauce was frequently used on regular pasta before being returned to the sauce. Having a dedicated gluten-free pasta sauce in a separate area would completely remove that concern.

None of these issues are the hotel’s fault—they’re simply the result of guest behaviour—but small changes like these would make an excellent gluten-free experience even safer.

Location: The local beach, Olhos de Água, is only about a 10-minute walk away and is well worth visiting. There’s also a lovely little beach bar where the chips are cooked in a dedicated fryer, making them suitable for coeliacs.

Things to do: If you’re staying here, I’d recommend:

• Visiting Silves – the castle and archaeological museum are well worth seeing and it’s only around €20 in an Uber. • Stopping at Algarve Shopping on the way back for some great shops and bargains. • Booking a Benagil Caves boat trip. We went with Algarve Experience from Albufeira Marina and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Overall: This is one of the best all-inclusive hotels we’ve stayed in for gluten-free dining. The staff were knowledgeable, accommodating and genuinely wanted to help. We felt confident eating here throughout our stay.

If you’re a coeliac looking for a relaxing all-inclusive holiday in the Algarve, 3HB Clube Humbria is a very safe choice. Highly recommended.

We went with our daughter and family and our grand daughter who is nearly 5 The staff were friendly and helpful and all did a great job The hotel is kept very clean and tidy especially the pool and snack bar areas There is plenty of entertainment for kids ranging from the pool and water park to daily activities and kids club Our room was large and comfortable with a bedroom lounge and kitchen area. A kettle was supplied... but no tea coffee milk etc??? We always found a sunbed but not always beside the pool because as usual there are always the sad people who get up at stupid o'clock on holiday to grab the same sunbed in the same position every day The pool was good it had a shallow section for smaller kids and a deeper section for adults There was a good selection of food on offer in the restaurant and snack bar The drinks were pretty average and the beer was awful A thing that annoyed us was whether you were by the pool, in the snack bar, on the terrace or in the main show room your drinks are served in plastic glasses or paper cups if you have a hot drink I understand the reason for this in the daytime but it is poor practice in the evening and made the drinks unenjoyable Unfortunately there is very little outside the hotel worth venturing out for and the beach is quite a jaunt However we would recommend the hotel based on the staff and the excellent kids facilities