Pestana Alvor Praia Beach and Golf Hotel

Although the communal areas of the hotel were pleasant and the staff were helpful and accommodating, we were unfortunately very disappointed with our room.

I chose this hotel partly because of its 4*+ rating, and therefore expected the accommodation to reflect that standard. Sadly, in my opinion, our room was nowhere near 4* quality and was in need of considerable maintenance and refurbishment. I have attached photos to illustrate some of the issues.

Our room was classified as a “Garden View” room and was on the ground floor. It had a small outdoor area, but this was largely taken up by a huge, unattractive bush, approximately 6ft high and 6ft wide. There was no grass, and very little in the way of attractive planting. The area was enclosed by a flimsy fence which was in poor condition. The gate had a bolt that didn’t work, meaning that in windy weather it repeatedly swung open and our privacy was compromised. The gate was also directly next to reception, so anyone coming in and out of the hotel could potentially see straight into our “garden”. This happened on most days.

The room itself was spacious, as was the bathroom, but unfortunately the space was poorly designed and, for three people, simply wasn’t fit for purpose. The storage for clothing was particularly inadequate: there were just eight coat hangers between the three of us, two drawers and very little shelving. Given the amount of space available, I think the room could have been designed much more effectively, perhaps incorporating a small kitchenette area to make better use of the space. There was only a kettle provided, and although 3 of us, it seems children don’t need a glass or a mug, just 2 of each were provided.

There were also a number of maintenance issues. The hot water in the bathroom sink took around 10 minutes to come through, and the water pressure in both the sink and shower was poor. We also experienced an unpleasant drain smell in the bathroom on most days.

Overall, the room looked shabby, worn and unloved. It really felt as though it had been overlooked in terms of maintenance and upkeep.

We did try to change rooms within the first 20 minutes of arriving. Initially, we were asked to return to reception half an hour later. We were then given a note under our door offering us the same room type on the third floor. As we assumed this would have the same layout, age and condition, we decided not to pursue the move and simply made the best of the room we had.

The other significant issue was the air conditioning. For the size of the room, it was not particularly effective and the room remained too warm overnight. The temperature could only be set as low as 19°C, but it felt considerably warmer than that.

It is worth saying that the pool, facilities and communal areas, including the bar, restaurant and gym, were all very pleasant, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, the room really let the hotel down.

For a holiday costing over £4,000 for three people, I feel the accommodation should have been of a much higher standard. We ended up treating the room as somewhere to sleep rather than somewhere to relax, and spent far less time there than we would normally have done because it was such a depressing space.

Perhaps other rooms are in much better condition, so my advice would be to choose your room carefully and, if possible, ask about its location and condition before arriving. I can only comment on the room we were allocated, but that particular room was certainly in need of significant maintenance and refurbishment.

Lovely hotel. Staff extremely friendly and helpful. Rooms comfortable and clean. Dining area has views of pool and beach. A little busy at times while waiting to be seated for breakfast which resulted in a queue at the desk. Great selection of hot and cold foods at breakfast buffet - lots of fresh fruits and vegetables which are constantly replenished. Toasters a bit tricky and more needed. Outdoor area very nice - lots of loungers and plenty of room for everyone. You can walk down to the beautiful beach from the hotel in 5 minutes. Lovely walk along the boardwalk all the way into Alvor which takes approx. 20/25 minutes. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this hotel.