Club Med Da Balaia

We arrived after a very long journey to be met by a disinterested front desk staff. We were told that the rooms we booked were not available, and the rooms they showed us were totally unacceptable for a family. They told us we would have separate rooms and that as we have small children, one parent would have to stay in the room with each child, effectively separating us for the vacation. When we told them that this did not represent a family holiday, we were told that "we should have known that a parent would have to sleep in a room... more

This hotel is not bad at all. There is a large variety of food and snacks and drinks are available all day so watch out your waist line. This hotel mainly attracts golfers, families, and older couples. But it's a great place to relax. There are activities available, tennis, golf lessons, archery, etc. My room was comfortable and had a flat screen tv. The staff were always friendly. You also have a choice of excursions, which I thought were a little expensive. There are also buses passing in front of the hotel going to Albufeira.

I've been to Da Balaia many times, since 1998, and the place has never deluded me at all. The staff is very competent and friendly, the so called 'chef du village' is always helpful with guests and the food... well, it is the best you will ever find, I can guarantee. It is just amazing! The main language is French, but English, Portuguese and a little Italian are spoken too. I know, it's not so cheap, but it's worth it all. Book your trip to Da Balaia, you won't be disappointed! A faithful guest, Isabella

Stayed for a meeting with 18 others. Excellent service from the staff and very good food. Only there for 3 days but if you like the idea of a beach holiday with a pool & quality food and drink included then this hotel has a lot to offer. Loads of French folks plus other nationalities, most of the staff seem to speak English. A special mention for the lady who looked after our group, always at hand, in fact she never seemed to stop working.

We had a very relaxing week here. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. The head of the village was around everywhere making sure everything was perfect and chatting to the guests. The variety of the food was amazing and it changed every mealtime, with everything from black pudding and bacon through to frog legs and lobster. Everything was all inclusive with drinks and snacks available all day. The room was very clean and we had a wonderful sea view from the balcony. Our only criticism would be the price of the excurrsions.

We stayed in this Clubmed for a week last September and we were quite happy with the service. The food was great and the variety was impressive, especially when it was sea food evening. It is not a traditional clubmed villiage, it used to be adult only club, though now they accept children and provide childcare. All the usual activities are there - classes, small gym, spa, volleyball, tennis, golf. The beach is two minutes downhill walk from hotel and is beautiful. You could always get a place near the pool and on the beach. Overall, we... more

This was my third visit to this Club Med and I must say there is a big drop in service. There is a new Chef du Village and he never appeared. The previous CDV was always around, checking everything and talking to the guests. He had the staff on their toes. This year there was a definite lack of enthusiasm and we found the staff quite rude at times, making remarks when we asked for cocktails in the afternoon. It is all inclusive so drinks are available all day!!! However I will still go back as it is so convenient and the food is superb.... more

My fiancee and I visited for a week in August. We are in our late twenties and chose the place for the hassle free all inclusive option and to learn to play golf. Neither of us had been to a Club Med before and we were pleasantly surprised given that it is inexpensive. The rooms are very comfortable, up to a 4* hotel. The food is excellent and very varied. Some examples of the food served are lobster, foie gras and fresh oysters but there is a wide variety. With regard to the activities, they are mainly archery, tennis and... more

Before starting I've got to say that I only stayed in this hotel 2 days. Even so, it was enough to feel the dynamics of the resort. It is a family resort though you don't see many kids around. There are many activities available (golf practice, beach volley, pool, table tennis...). While I was there (June) the weather was great and the hotel didn't seem to be fully booked (though they asked us to leave our room earlier because they needed it). The room (in the Hotel du Golf - I dont know the rooms in the other building) was too... more

We had a terrible experience with this resort. The staff members (particularly at reception) were completely inattentive and unfriendly. The food was worse than mediocre (we also got food poisoning), excursions were overpriced and second-rate, the room was extemely noisy and uncomfortable and the entertainment was not only not entertaining, but often intrusive. We had asked for a room with one double bed, but got a room with 2 twin beds instead. When we asked to be switched, reception told us that there were no rooms with double beds on... more