Vidamar Resorts Algarve

We have just returned from a 4 night stay at Wine & Books - 31 Jul - 4 Aug. When we arrived we received a warm and friendly welcome The reception is impressive and a lovely place to sit and relax in the evenings. A couple of the evenings there was live music.

We arrived early on our day of arrival so our room wasn't ready but we were invited to use the hotel's facilities. We were given a pass and pool towel coupons. After sitting by the pool for a short period of time it wasn't long before we received a phone call to say our room was ready.

The room suited us perfectly (4th Floor facing the road). We figured that we hardly spend anytime in our room so never booked a sea view. There was plenty of room for the four of us and our luggage. The downside was that the air con wasn't quite to our liking as we prefer rooms to be much cooler. We raised this with reception and they asked the maintenance team to look at it. They did manage to adjust it but it was still on the warm side. Beds are comfortable with lots of pillows. Our children were on the sofa beds - they were happy enough.

The room was cleaned daily - fresh towels and complimentary water. The room has a coffee machine (it's not Nespresso). Bath robes and flip flops are provided.

We booked half board. The Breakfast was perfect. Lots of selection - the egg/pancake station was a hit my children - the restaurant gets busy and it has a good buzz - food & juices are constantly refreshed certainly no shortage of choice or quantity. However the dinner buffet was a bit hit and miss. There is lots of selection but not always to our taste. Sometimes food was lukewarm - I appreciate that serving a buffet is not an easy task for so many people. We preferred to sit outside as the large restaurant felt quite clinical in the evening - bright lights, not overly busy so not much atmosphere.

The staff work hard and are really friendly. Sometimes there was a bit of confusion over our drinks orders but everything was always rectified. They are quick to clear away plates.

The swimming pools are gorgeous - a bit on the cool side but so big and plenty of room for everyone. We never had a problem getting a sunbed either. In the afternoon music is played which we really enjoyed. However on are 3rd day we noticed that the water went from being blue to having a slight green/cloudy appearance - we never established the reason why. Unfortunately since returning home both my son and husband have nasty ear infections and are now on antibiotics - not sure if it related but something to bear in mind if you are prone to swimmer's ear

Overall we had a lovely time. Would we return - I'm not sure.

Prior to our holiday, I was quite apprehensive after reading the mixed reviews of this hotel on TripAdvisor. However, those concerns proved to be unfounded, and we ended up having a thoroughly enjoyable family holiday.

We had booked two rooms and, without even requesting it, one of them was upgraded so that our rooms were next to each other, which was extremely convenient. The rooms were spacious, comfortable, and immaculately clean, with balconies overlooking the nearby golf course. The only minor things I felt were missing were a kettle (only a coffee pod machine was provided) and a full-length mirror.

The hotel grounds are beautifully maintained, and the large outdoor pool never felt overcrowded. There were always plenty of sun loungers available, regardless of the time of day.

Access to the beach was easy via a flat, decked walkway, and we made the most of it by watching the sunset there every evening after dinner.

We stayed on a half-board basis, and I am pleased we did. While there are restaurants nearby, most would require a taxi or Uber unless you are happy with a fairly long walk. There is, however, a convenience store around a 10-minute walk from the hotel.

Breakfast offered the usual mix of cooked and continental options, with plenty of choice and regular replenishment throughout the service. There was certainly something for everyone. Dinner for half-board guests was served buffet-style, although there are several additional restaurants on site if you wish to pay separately for more variety. The buffet changed each evening and always included a salad bar and a chef-prepared speciality dish cooked to order. I enjoyed the majority of the food, although I found some dishes a little salty for my personal taste.

We used the gym daily and also took advantage of the indoor pool when we wanted a break from the sun. Both facilities were exceptionally clean, well maintained, and spacious, so they never felt crowded.

I had read some negative comments about the staff before arriving, but I honestly cannot understand those criticisms. Every member of staff we encountered was courteous, welcoming, and friendly.

Overall, I would happily recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a relaxing holiday. We had a wonderful stay and would not hesitate to return.

We spent a week here last minute end July. The hotel was part of the Vida Mar brand, but has been taken over by new management and has been beautifully refurbished to a high standard and is kept spotlessly clean. It is impressive, near the beach, which you can walk to across a boardwalk with other top notch hotels near by. We had two deluxe resort view double rooms which had adjoining doors with two separate balconies adjacent to the pool, but set back so quiet with part garden views. The rooms were fairly sized and well laid out. The rooms were quiet with black out curtains, comfy bed and pillows. Great showers. Air con wasn’t so good, and if you sit on balcony with doors open, it goes off, but we weren’t made aware of this. Breakfast was excellent, usual buffet style, pancake and egg station, lovely fresh fruit and pastries, some tables not clean at busy times and wait for coffee etc, so why not have a tea and coffee station so guests can get their own? Some language barriers which meant that there was some confusion when I asked for dairy alternative milk which could be a concern. Staff were clearly new and inexperienced, but friendly and tried their best . The pool is fabulous. We didn’t bother going to the adults only section as there was an additional charge. I didn’t like the fact we had to pay for water everyday by the pool, and this was in plastic bottles. You should be able to top up water from water stations - surely we need to be more sustainable ? You could have own branded bottles to sell. We did use the spa, and had a treatment, which was lovely and quiet and relaxing.Some great restaurants on site, food generally pretty good, and we did leave the resort by uber for 11eu a couple of nights to eat out for a change. Some nice restaurants on the edge of old town, such as Atipico, but old town and new town a bit too much 18-30 for us! We went to relax and we did just that. Plenty of gorgeous Portuguese wine. Thank you!