Cerro Mar

5 readers found this review helpful

We have just got back from portugal, staying at the ceromar appts . They were very clean, staff were very helpfull We are both in our fiftys and found that the hill we had to walk up plus the steps were a bit trying. but it didnt spoil our hols . We had a great time
The only problem now is the euro not as good on your pocket as it used to be.We did see lots of famillies on there hols and looked to be having a good time although the weather was really hot (mini heat wave) loads of places to eat and drink but some of the bars didnt know what to charge . There is lots of entertainment for the kids in the
square at night Try it it really is a nice resort.We just stayed for a week. Would come back again for another week. Many thanks Dave&Sue

3 readers found this review helpful

Myself, my husband and 2 young children have just returned from the Cerro Mar apartments. We were in the old block and they were absolutly fine - who needs a washing machine when your on holiday anyway! All the facilities of the new block were available but the outside pool in the older block was perfect (just a little cool!) The staff in the new block bar were excellent, the snack menu was ideal and the drinks were very cheap about 1.50 euros for a large glass of wine. I do feel that previous negative comments made about the Cerro Mar were made by someone who is not from the real world! The steps down to the old town were not a probelm for my seven year old or my 4 year old children. The shop next to the old block is very expensive so Lidls is a better option - there is also a market on Saturdays near Lidls which is definatly worth a visit.

3 readers found this review helpful

Absolutely amazing holiday!
We read the comments on here and had sleepless nights after! We were devastated, as we had paid alot of money for the three of us myself, my wife and my daughter, it was a last minute (2 weeks before) thing and we wanted a cheap holiday but ended up paying bundles, just for a week.
Flights were fine when we arrived at 5pm it was so hot, just how we like it! Trouble at the airport though they were on strike so we didn’t get our bags till 4 hours after, quite hard in the sweltering heat.
We weren’t satisfied with the transport to Cerro Mar, it was a bit rough, and we shared a mini bus with another couple and their 3 children. It was much better than a coach though.
When we got there it was obvious we were in the old part but it was fine, clean basic but still very nice. There are a few blocks of apartments with a road down the middle, but you can use any of the pools - we used the one with the swim up pool bar.
We were a bit confused how we didn’t end up in the nice part but it didn’t spoil our holiday, the second day we were there it was 36 degrees!
We had a fabulous week in Portugal, hoping to go back in the summer but for 2 weeks and this time we're staying in the new part!
I hope anyone going to Cerro Mar has a fabulous time!

1 reader found this review helpful

I’ve just returned from the Cerro Mar and am glad to be home! Booked this hotel after reading all the good reviews and was so disappointed when I got there.
Everyone else who reviewed this hotel were obviously staying in the new block, I got stuck in the old one and it is horrible, even though I thought I had booked an apartment in the new block (at least that’s what the booking agent told me!)
The Cerro Mar consists of 3 separate blocks, all divided by busy roads. All of the travel agents and booking agents use photographs of the new block to advertise this hotel but there is no guarantee that you will be staying in the new block and I can assure you that the old block is not of the same standard and it is ridiculous that they sell all the blocks at the same price.
Block 1 is ancient and in much need of refurbishment, it has a small outdoor pool with limited space for sun loungers. Block 2 only has an indoor pool and Block 3, the newest block, has a nice outdoor pool but no reception or kitchen, the waiters at the pool bar cook the snacks.
The limited snack menu is the same in all 3 blocks and consists of salads, burgers and toasties, which I consider a very poor menu for the size the Cerro Mar has grown to.
The staff are lazy and incompetent.
Because the blocks are all separated by busy roads you are issued with a key to get in and out of each block, which is useless when there are 4 of you and you only have 1 key. We used the pool at the new block each day but if one of us had to go back across the road to the apartment they had to take the key to get back into the other block but then nobody else could go anywhere until they got back as they wouldn’t have a key to get back in.
The reception closes at night and you need to enter the building by a little door further down the street, all internal doors are locked which means you need to use the old lift, which I think is a fire hazard.
They are now building another block, which is on the same side of the road as the old Block 1 and we had the pleasure of our balcony facing right onto it and being wakened very early each morning with the sound of the building site. We also had the pleasure of the noise of the building site while lying at the pool every day!
The apartment itself it fairly spacious, which is the only positive thing I can say about it. It doesn’t have any of the modern facilities the new block has, i.e. no dishwasher, washing machine etc. Our sheets were only changed once in the 2 weeks we were there, the towels were changed twice and one of these times was because I asked for clean ones.
The sockets were hanging out of the walls, there were plastic sheets on the mattress underneath the sheet and the sleeping arrangements in the lounge were the sofa and a camp bed, which was not what, was described in the hotel description.
Also, there are lots of stray dogs in the area and they bark constantly.
The resort itself wasn’t much better. We struggled to find a good restaurant, generally the food is awful. Particularly bad restaurants in the Old Town were O’Fernando and Oceans, bad restaurants on The Strip were Paella, Steak House (lots of flies and cockroaches at the bins downstairs), and we tried a Mexican Restaurant at the Marina called El Panchito, the food was stone cold, we sent it back and they microwaved it!
Also the Marina is dead, it’s like a ghost town, we couldn’t find a taxi to get back and had to go into a wee local café where they didn’t speak much English, and she gave us a taxi number to call from the payphone to get back to the Old Town.
OK restaurants at the Old Town were Bank and the best restaurant we found was Za Za at the Old Town, very good Thai/Japanese Noodle Bar, and Bravo had nice steaks and on the Strip Liza Pizza & Pasta was good but quite a limited menu.
The beach is nice but the sea is quite rough and by the afternoon the large waves cause a lot of seaweed to come in. The cost of 2 sun loungers and a parasol on the beach is 15 Euros.
This is the first holiday I’ve ever been on when I’ve wanted to come home before the end of my 2 weeks. I definitely won’t go back to Albufeira and would warn anyone against the Cerro Mar.
You’re taking a gamble with your money and if you’re lucky you could get a nice apartment in the new block but if you’re very unlucky you’ll be stuck in the old block which is a complete waste of money.

1 reader found this review helpful

The Cerro Mar is situated in an excellent position, only a five minute walk to Albufeira old town. However, it is up a huge hill and lots of steps so I wouldn't recommend this for older or less able people!
The apartments consist of a number of different buildings, and there is building work going on around the complex, where they are making more but there was never any noise or anything from that.
We were situated in the older building, the pool wasn't as great, but you can go to the other pool just across the road which is much nicer.
Rooms where spacious, clean and fully air conditioned (which you will be grateful of!).
The staff however weren't very friendly, and there isn't any entertainment or anything in the hotel itself.
However, with the old town only a walk away full of bustling bars and restaurants, hotel entertainment is not really needed.
The resort is ideal, something for everyone, the new town, (or the strip) is a little more livelier than the old town at night, and there are plenty of things to do during the day, slide, and splash, zoo marine etc.
Overall, had a really great time, would go back to the Cerro mar again.. but I recommend booking with Thomson as you would end up in the better building!

1 reader found this review helpful

We arrived to discover we were located on top of a mountain that we were not informed of.
Our room was actually across the road from the reception in a different building, which meant you had to walk over the road where JCB trucks etc were building to get to the swimming pool.
The beds were hard, apartment wasn't clean as we found an old babies bottle of mouldy milk behind the settee.
Staff were rude when you wanted information, and it was a long walk back up at least 100 steps from town late at night.
Awful site of building works wherever you turned.
Not much to do after dinner in the evening, and excursions such as Faro shopping were disappointing.
Overall pretty naff.

1 reader found this review helpful

Went to Albufeira Old Town in September 2006 had a really brill time.
The resort is great and is ideal for all age groups (we are in our 40's going on 18).
Stayed at the Cerro Mar Apps, which are really nice and very spacious with a fully fitted kitchen, large living area and big bedrooms. Our apartment was very modern, light and clean.
The pool and bar area is fantastic with great staff to accommodate. Our apartment, which are situated on a hill with only a 5mins walk down the steps to the main square. What can I say...? Full of fab and nice bars & restaurants.
You must try the restaurants on the beach front for the seafood, its great and as a bonus the red wine is not bad either! Many of the bars have live entertainment every night; where you able to site and have a nice quite drink.
You could head to 'TIME' for a really late night or early morning.
The beach is fantastic; however the sun beds can be very expensive. I recommend you buy a brolley and a mat, which will last you the holiday (£10.00).
All in all it’s a fantastic resort and would recommend this and the apartments.
One last word of warning do not travel with global late deals! Once they received payment I was not given confirmation (receipt) of holiday booking and flights. Took 17 (honestly) telephone calls to get any sense from them and when you do eventually (on hold 20 minutes) get through they are very rude!Please be warned.

On March 18 06, my family and some friends stayed at the Cerro Mar apartments.
The reception guy who met us on the Saturday night was a bit of moody guy, not very helpful, he took us too our apartments which were on the other side of the main block, bear in mind we had two buggies and plenty of suitcases, to get to our apartment we had to scale 3 sets of stairs, open and lock 3 doors and use a lift this was just to get to our apartment.
After our assault course ordeal we were very impressed with the ground floor apartment in block 2 rooms 104-105 clean and spacious and had every facility inc a dishwasher. Bathroom and front room were very spacious. The hotel has an indoor pool, sauna, steam room & Gym which was a life saver because the weather wasn't that brilliant. If you are considering taking children there isn't anything for them to do apart from swim.
The apartments are very isolated from any restaurants or bars (it does have one main bar / restaurant), to get to the 2 the old town the cerro mar do provide a courtesy bus every 2-3 hours, it was empty when we were there but i can imagine when they are busy you would not get a seat for love nor money. There are stairs down to the old town but they are a killer if you are not used to walking.
We found that taxis generally cost 4 Euros to the strip or in that general area, we went to the strip every night and ate out the food and service was fantastic except Lizas pizza they had a very slack attitude towards serving anyone.
We went with style holidays, avoid their excursions because they are extortionate prices for a load of rubbish, we paid 79 Euros to styles to go to zoo marine for two adults our daughter went free. if we would have taken a taxi it would have cost about 40 Euros, we took our children to the Zoo Marine and found half of the park was closed.
We also went to the Gypsy market in Quateria which was the biggest load of rubbish I have ever seen, its packed and full of begging little gypsy kids (avoidance is a must). To summarise our Holiday we had a great time, but avoid excursions and if you don’t like walking get apartments near the strip or closer to the busier parts.

We'd never visited Portugal but I, for one, had always wanted to go somewhere where the sea was warm, and I could happily immerse myself for hours on end. My husband was in RAF before we met and has been to Australia, the Maldives, Goa, Cyprus, etc, etc so he doesn't have the same longings!
So I trawled the internet and Expedia came up trumps with the Apartmentos de Cerro Mar costing around £634 for the two of us for 9 nights flying with Excel airways from Gatwick to Faro. I was able to choose from several options for airports and times of flights with the cost varying slightly with each option. There was also the option of paying for a mini bus or car to collect us from the airport and take us to the apartments and back to the airport at the end of the holiday. We decided to take a taxi, but if we went again we'd take the less expensive option of a pre-booked car, for around £13.00 each way. The taxi cost double!
We arrived at our apartment complex safely and in good spirits in the afternoon of 15th September. The weather was brilliant sunshine and the apartments were on the top of a hill above the old town of Albufeira. The complex had a communal entrance with a desk manned 24 hours by friendly, young English speaking personnel. We were given our room key and shown to the apartment which was on the ground floor, only a few yards away from the entrance hall. The whole place consisted of a basement floor, a ground floor and a first floor....we were in the middle but on the same level as the pool and bar. There was also a roof garden where the views were exceptional.
The apartment was amazing. I said "wow" several times as we entered. For such an inexpensive package I had expected a lot less. It had a long, wide entrance hall with a large kitchen off to the right, in which was a full size fridge with freezer compartment, an oven and microwave, cutlery, crockery, coffee maker, kettle, cleaning tools, dishcloths including a pack of tea, coffee and sugar to start us off.
The living room contained a dining table and four chairs, an armchair, a three seater sofa-bed and a coffee table. There was a TV and a large dresser containing glasses and crockery, with lots of cupboard space. There was also a large balcony with a table and chairs, a dryer for hanging wet swimming costumes and a wonderful view over the old town.
The bedroom had a double bed and huge French windows onto a smaller balcony, loads of wardrobe space with plenty of coat hangers and bedside cabinets. There was a big wall mirror and lights on both bedside tables as well as the main room light. Both the living room and bedroom had air conditioning which we used continually, although the tiled floors were satisfyingly cool in the evenings.
The bathroom was large with a bath, shower, toilet and bidet.
While we were there, we could choose not to be disturbed, but if we did not, the apartment was cleaned every day and loo paper and towels were replenished.
I didn't realise the first evening of our stay that you weren't supposed to drink the tap water, so I took my usual glass of water to bed, When we read the extensive package of paperwork left on the coffee table I realised that it wasn't recommended to drink the tap water, so we visited the general stores located literally just outside the main entrance of the complex, where you could buy everything from 5litre bottles of water to clothing and all the food and drink items you were ever likely to need. We bought a couple of huge containers of water and some basics to store in the fridge in case we felt peckish. We learned that fresh rolls were delivered early in the morning should we wish to prepare our own breakfast on the balcony. (Which we did at least once). We also purchased a bottle of vodka for nightcaps although this turned out to be a little more expensive than in the town, though still about half the UK price. Did I say I was impressed?
We visited the small bar in the complex that first evening (seconds away from our apartment) and were pleasantly surprised to find a small but interesting menu of evening meals and lunch snacks, as well as a breakfast menu, and all at very reasonable prices, and I'm talking two or three pounds here for a meal of, for example, pork cutlet in breadcrumbs with French fries and salad. They had quite a selection including Portuguese specialties and simple desserts. Hardly Cordon Bleu, but we got that in the town!
We both drank huge flagons of San Miguel from the tap that evening (on other nights I had a jug of Sangria though they had everything anyone could want) and discovered that we could order breakfast for around 9 euro each. This was more or less whatever we fancied to eat plus juice and coffee and we usually ordered the wonderfully tasty freshly baked rolls packed with crispy bacon. This was served from 9am and this was the only drawback as, on holiday we like to start early to pack in as much as possible.
The bar staff were all friendly and spoke excellent English, French and German. We met quite a few Germans, Dutch, English and Portuguese while we were there, but no French. We frequently tipped the staff because everything seemed to cost just a few Euros and it was easy to add another couple! There was a Sky TV and pool table available too in the room.
The bar had huge French doors which were usually open as the weather was so good. There were tables arranged outside, around the small pool which also had a stack of sun loungers should you wish to swim then sunbathe. There was a smaller kiddies pool also although there were few children there at the time. We were also given a card key to enable us to access the indoor pool in the sister complex across the road and this pool was in a large room with subdued lighting and heated water. There were lights in the water itself which gave the place a very intimate feel. When we tried it out, we were the only people in there. This place also had a sauna and gym which we didn't use but was available if we'd so desired.
On one of the evenings we were there, they held a barbecue on the rooftop. As I said before, the view from the rooftop was amazing, as we were on top of the hill overlooking the old town and the coastline. There were lights strung around the low walls and a huge iron barbecue stretched along one whole wall. We found a table where we could watch the lights of the town come on one by one as the warm evening grew darker.
It cost 15 Euro each and the food was varied and wonderfully cooked. There was a huge pot of broccoli soup to start with, which I found delicious (though Sam wouldn't even try it). I don't eat much meat, but the barbecued pork was delicious and there was a large selection of other carnivorous delights including chicken and sausages. The accompaniments were also plentiful and varied and there was a massive bowl of fresh fruit salad for desert. The drinks were included in the price and were flagons of local red or white wine or fruit juice. Unfortunately Sam prefers beer so he had to pay extra, but it was available and cheap. There were free local spirits like brandy and coffee too.
The music was the pits though! It consisted of a single middle aged man playing medleys on an organ. His sense of timing was appalling and well known tunes sounded so different we amused ourselves by playing "name that tune". This did not spoil the evening I have to say and as our room was only on the floor below, we were able to stagger there very easily afterwards.
This "do" was open to the public and we'd seen billboards advertising it, but it wasn't crowded and there were only enough people as there were tables, so all in all we had a great night for only 30Euros.
We were able to book lots of excursions to lots of different venues including Dolphins, crocodile wrestlers, water slides etc. These were booked at the front desk with the minimum of fuss and didn't break the bank either. We had to walk about 1/4 mile to just outside the local Lidle supermarket to pick up the bus to wherever we went and experienced an hour's delay on one occasion (the fault of the tour operator) and on another, we waited on the wrong side of the huge dual carriageway and watched the coach pull up across on the other side. I dashed madly across the bridge over the road to alert the driver whilst Sam came slowly after me. As it turned out, no one there did anything in a hurry and he'd been prepared to wait as long as it took for us to turn up!
As I said before, the apartments are situated on a hill, but then most things are in this part of the world. The walk down to the old town took 10 minutes and was picturesque as we meandered down stone steps through villas and cactus filled gardens. Even the plots of waste ground contained what, to us, were exotic and interesting plants, which I suppose were weeds and scrub to the Portuguese! We were soon in the centre of one of the loveliest old towns I have seen and the best beach I have ever been to. Suffice it to say that we returned twice to the beach and neither of us are "beach people". I experienced a wonderful, impromptu and very professional back massage from a very friendly young girl for 10Euro which lasted took two hours with a lot of pleasant conversation and I spent hours in what I consider to be warm sea (Sam didn't agree)...heavenly and now sorely missed.
We ate well at many really nice restaurants, some fairly expensive but really good quality and some very inexpensive but still tasty. We visited many bars, including English ones and sat through a surprisingly good Neil Diamond look-alike performance. We went to the old and the new towns. We took taxis back up the hill to the apartments because they only cost 2 Euros and taxi drivers allegedly don't expect tips. (That said, Sam always did tip them, having been a taxi driver himself briefly in a previous existence and knowing how much the tips meant!).
We visited Lidl and saw wine for less than 1/2 Euro a Litre. We ventured into the local surroundings and encountered local bars and fish/vegetable markets. I bought a designer dress and Sam bought me designer jewelry for my birthday. I won't dwell on these aspects of the holiday as this review is about the apartments, suffice it to say that the surrounding area was full of excitement and we didn't even go out late into the evening every night!
OK, here come the negatives, and there has to be some! There was a building site across the road..... but truly, it didn't spoil anything! When we sat on our balcony this was off to the right and within our peripheral only. It wasn't excessively noisy and didn't carry on at weekends or into the night. They were building a new set of apartments and it was interesting to watch the blocks being lifted to incredible heights by the crane. The men working were very laid back and there was no sense of mad rush as there is on British building sites. There wasn't any heavy machinery, so the noise wasn't excessive.
The worst negative for us may not be a negative for some people. On the fourth night a couple with children moved in upstairs. One of the children must have had a toy that you pull across the floor. The floors in the apartments were tiled. The noise happened early in the morning. Enough said.....if you have children, maybe you put up with this, if you don't, you complain although I like to think that when my children were young I taught them consideration towards others. This particular family also spent a considerable amount of time at night dragging furniture across the floor. We telephoned reception and they were quick to respond. They contacted the people upstairs and eventually the noise problem stopped.
So, all in all, I would recommend this place because you can't really go anywhere where there are other people without running the risk of some sort of noise pollution and nowadays you can't visit any resort that is expanding without seeing the building works. I'd say that the disabled would manage because taxis are plentiful and cheap, but it's very hilly if you want to walk. I loved the walk and though I'm not disabled, I am 58. Sam is 66 and not disabled, but he preferred taxis!