Iberotel Praia De Monte Gordo

On the 16th of March my wife and i were looking forward to a luxury holiday to relax and celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. After spending over eight hours in airports and buses we arrived in the hotel which looks impressive from the outside, but inside the furnature in the reception and bar was grubby and had holes in the arms. as soon as we checked in we were going to eat in and relax after all the travelling, the restaurant was closed, and all there was to eat were nuts from the bar. we had gone half board, so next morning we went for breakfast, which was exactly the same for two weeks. the evening dinner was no better. For two weeks for breakfast there was the choice of eggs, bacon, beans, cerials or a thick mass which i believe was porridge, the dinners did not fare any better, pork for twelve nights, roast beef for two nights the same fish for twelve nights. This hotel has no variety or presentation. The receptionists when asked to connect the film channel, I was informed that they had technical difficulties by three different staff, told it worked by two staff and the technical supervisor, then at the end of the stay they tried to charge for items from the mini bar and three film channels which had never worked. this was supposed to be a four star hotel, but in my opinion 1-2strs would be more appropiate.

Recently returned from hotel, room fine, balcony nice and big. Was advised for a safe, which we used. Staff were indifferent.most waitors unable to speak english, food unrecongnisible in the evening, ate out most evenings. Chinese and indian restaurants very good. Entertainment bad. Full of local children, running riot. Hotel opposite has good entertainment on some evenings. Beach good, pay for a umbrella ont he beach beacuse there are insufficient umbrellas around the swimming pools. Indoor swiming pool you have to buy a swimming hat to use, along with the jacuzzi. Would not go back to this hotel.

We stayed here for 1 week, and we really enjoyed it. We arrived at 12.00 but couldn't check in until 3.00 but that didn't matter we just had a wander around until our room was ready. We were not disappointed with our room - it was huge! And we had a good sea view too. The hotel in general was nice and clean and tidy, although our towels in the room could have been changed a bit more often! The food was not great the 1st half of the week but turned out great the 2nd half of the week, we were even having seconds!! The bonus was all soft drinks, wine and beers were free with your meal! The entertainment was a bit sad really and could have been a lot better, we stood it for 3 nights but then found a nice little irish bar on the sea front which we had a brill night there. There was no problem with security but I made sure that everything was locked up securely, and that we didn't leave personal belongings lying around. All in all we had a good holiday, and would probably return!

I have just returned from Iberotel Praia Monte Gordo stayed 18th June to 2nd of July and loved it. I don't know what the deal is with security because my boyfriend and i kept all our money in our suitcases and nothing went missing, we even left euros and loose change out for the maid which was never taken. We found the staff to be very friendly and polite always. Ok Food, it wasn't great after a few days it got boring and depending on how late you go down for food it was not always hot! However there was unlimited white and red wine with evening meal also there was unlimited beer and fizzy pop. Monte Gordo is a quiet lovely little part of Algarve. The beaches are a lot bigger and nicer than other holidays i have been on including Cyprus and Mexico. There are some lovely restraunts with friendly staff, a personal favourite was the chinese restraunts. I was worried about going to this hotel after the reviews i read so i was relieved when i finaly got there and everything was great. I would defiantely go back to the hotel i would go back when i have children its very child friendly! Enjoy!

Spent Christmas there, but how disappointing. The hotel itself was okay in that it was well furnished and clean, but the food was uninteresting and worst of all hardly warm - I eventually used the microwave in the dining room to warm my meals. The entertainment over the Christmas period was abysmal - nothing at all for two nights and when I spoke to the Entertainments Manager, he reminded me it was Christmas, but hotels nearby all had entertainment. I would not return. Eileen, West Yorkshire

Just returned from a seven day holiday at the Iberotel, Montegordo. This hotel is very centrally situated and just across the road from a glorious sandy beach. The hotel appeared to be very clean, although our particular room was not made up each day until approx 4pm each afternoon which we did think was not at all satisfactory, but this may have been to the size of the hotel. The hotel was buffet style meals, and these were a "free for All" with children of all sizes running about during the meals the staff were excellent and worked extremely hard clearing the tables. The hotel was full of children and they took preference in this hotel even the evening entertainment was taken over with children of all ages until at least midnight, and at one stage playing football in the lounge. There were no quiet areas to sit and relax and even the pool side had speakers with music belting out all day long. The food was a bit repeditive and OK and the plus was that free wine, soft drinks and beer was available with lunch and evening meals. Staff were friendly and very helpful. Montegordo is a lovely place to holiday, but not the Iberotel, this hotel is fine if you have children but horrendous if you haven't and you just want to have a relaxing holiday.

Look at the nice photos on Iberotel's website, they are all real! Yes, its a lovely building with nice large bedrooms, mostly with balconies of varying sizes. The lounges etc are also quite smart. Now the bad news:- Monte Gordo is a quiet little town with miles of beautiful sandy beach but not much else. If you are looking for a bit of peace and quiet, no problem. Hire the room safe, security is poor and the bedroom doors are easily forced which is why ours was very poorly patched up. The hotel is on 15 floors and the lifts are inadequate. Around meal times you can wait 10 minutes or so to get in one. The lifts are supposed to carry up to 530Kg but at about 400Kg alarms sound and they go nowhere. Rather embarrassing for bloaters like me! Unless the weather is very warm you will not be using the unheated outdoor pool which is also rather exposed to the wind. During 5 days over Easter I saw the pool used only once, that guy was probably used to swimming in iceholes in Norway. If you want to use the rather boring indoor pool you must wear a hideous rubber cap which costs 3 euros. Signs say you mustn't use room towels but they will kindly sell you an Iberotel branded swimming towel for 35 euros. Thanks guys! The jacuzzis cost another 4 euros per person for 15 minutes. I saw nobody in them either. Mealtimes are a nightmare. The hotel is mainly full of young Scandinavian athletes who attend the 'Training Camp' which seems to be based at the hotel. Bearing in mind the meals are all 'buffet style' this means you are in trouble. These youngsters are fast, strong and as hungry as horses. Mike Tyson would struggle to get a look in. The restaurant (there is only one) is very poorly managed. Firstly, you must be there early for the start of meals or you will find the place looking like a war zone and any decent food running out. So, hope you enjoy having dinner at 18.30 sharp. Food you would expect to eat hot will be luke warm at best, as will items such as wine, water and milk because fridges do not appear to be used. You will queue for everything including the toaster which requires 4 goes if you want yours brown. A previous Advisor compared it to a canteen - I think that is a bit unfair on canteens. Ironically, the food itself is not so bad but everything conspires to stop you enjoying it. In summary, this hotel has 4-5 star bedrooms but everything else is 2 star - stay 'Room Only' if at all.

This was a last minute holiday, staying half board at the Iberotel in Monte Gordo. The hotel was excellent, very comfortable with a good pool and other activities. Monte Gordo itself was very small and quiet, with easy access to the |Spanish border and other small towns.

We stayed two weeks in Iberotel Praia Monte Gordo in oktober. Well equipped room and nice big balcony. But very dirty room also after 3 complaints, making beds and room did never last more than 5 minutes a day. After some days we could write our names in de dust. We cleaned it ourselves. The dirt and dust on the floor in the corridor near our room stayed there the whole two weeks. The restaurant is like a cantine in an English factory with every morning exactly the items to choose from, all two weeks. It should be a 4 star hotel, but in fact it's not more than 2,5 stars. We think they need a new, good management.

In March 2003, we visited the Algarve, and found the area to be very quaint and interesting. We rented a car and traveled the entire coast - from Cabo St. Vincent on the west to Vila Real on the east. We also included some side trips to Seville and the the southern coast of Spain. Our base was the area of Monte Gordo, and we stayed at the Iberotel. While walking on the beach across the street from the hotel, our room was burglarized, and all of our valuables were stolen. Our cameras, jewelry, airline tickets, cell phone, cosmetics, and some articles of clothing were taken. A travel bag was taken as well, and one of our suitcases was smashed open. The worst loss was that of all of our film, which contained pictures of our travels throughout Portugal. It should be noted that our room safe was not working! The hotel management complimented our room, which came to approximately $300. Other than that, we have received nothing. They filed a claim with their insurance company, saying "we will let you know if we hear anything." We have contacted the hotel on several occasions, and have received only that response. Since this experience, we learned that the hotel across the street from ours - the Vasco Da Gama had been burglarized six times, and we learned that the Iberotel had been burglarized again. Unfortunately, although we loved the country of Portugal, and the Algarve resorts in particular, we feel that this area is just too unsafe! We travel extensively, and this was the first time that anything like this happened. I can only suggest that it is a good area to stay away from - and I would not recommend the Iberotel due to the fact that we were not compensated adequately for our personal losses and spoiled vacation.