Pestana Alvor Praia Hotel

My wife, daughter and I stayed here for one week in early August. Overall opinion is that it's a very good hotel (four-star-plus, not five) with superb seaviews, a fantastic, if crowded, beach (it's not private, no matter what the brochures say) with big breakers and nice clear water, and excellent food (it's worth paying the extra for half board (we didn't) as it works out a lot more expensive if you don't). A lot of people complain that the sea water pool is too cold. It is cold but you get used to it and it's great to cool off in the 35C heat. A few words of advice, though: 1) Rooms advertised as superior seaview are just that - superior seaview. The one we were offered was far too small for the three of us. 2) The cheaper Classic Room (rm 168) we ended up in was much bigger, had a sea view, a large, private patio area and steps down to the gardens that overlook the beach. 3. We arrived at 11am. Rooms are not available till 2pm. We were given the Classic room to rest in because there was a problem with our Super Seaview Room. This room was eventually available at 7pm. Too small so asked to revert to the Classic which they agreed. Office manager was full of apologies and promised things 'in our room' through the holiday. Nothing materialised. If you have a problem at the start, make sure you are compensated immediately.

I booked this through last minuyte and read all of the Trip Advisors comments, after reading them I was worried about staying here and what I would find! We asked for an upgraded room and received a suite on the 5th floor with fantastic sea views and also a double bed on the balconcy for sunbathing / as fo all of the previous comments made from previous people who stayed is they must be really miserable people as we have had a wonderful time, room is great, location is superb lots of local restaurants to eat any seafood you ant. Staff are very friendly, So we were so pleased with the hotel.

After a whirlwind trip thru a few countries we landed at the Pestana for a week of relaxation. Overall the hotel was good - clean, a little retro but we were able to get chairs at the beautiful pool and the beach was absolutely stunning...our room was a bit small and unassuming for a 5 star hotel and we had a great view of the parking lot...haha. The breakfast was free and GREAT and the lunch place was also a treat...nice staff, helpful and friendly. We took a cab to Alvor - cute little town, quaint with great seafood and fish - good nightlife..and until we drove to both Lagos and Portomao and realized Alvor was much better...smaller and more "comfortable" ..pretty safe..and again, the beach and water was fantastic...gym sucked so went for a run outside - nice and quiet in the morning but a lot of random stray dogs...really nice people...

Booked seaview room, room did have view of sea but better view of large palm trees. Male receptionist very surly, preferring to answer phone than check us out. Hotel decor strange mix of antique, oriental and just plain dated. Our room was on ground floor and rooms on this corridor were being used for some kind of beauty/health treatments. signs posted requesting 'Quiet - treatments in progress',queues of people sitting on chairs waiting outside these rooms, therapists in white coats made me feel like I was in some kind of sanitarium. Not in easy walking distance to Alvor. Have stayed in nicer 3/4 star hotels

We booked an 11 night stay at the Alvor Praia and the first three days were excellent - rooms clean and reasonably large..pool area excellent and never overcrowded...excellent sea view from spacious balcony...most marvellous breakfasts etc. On the downside, the staff were not too friendly and Alvor was realistically a taxi ride away. However, on fourth day we were asked to curtail our stay and swap to a lower grade hotel as they had a corporate booking for 360 UK business guests and we were no longer welcome. We were given no option but to move hotels and they had no customer charter to deal with the situation. The alternative hotel was OK and nearer to Alvor, but not what we booked. So, beware...corporate guests are given vast priority over the run of the mill holidaymaker!

Visited Portugal for the first time Sept 2005 & after reading the reviews of Alvor & Alvor praia hotel went with mixed expectations. My wife & 9 month son & i were looking forward to a nice relaxing break in a quality hotel, upon arrival at the hotel i was pleasently surprized by the standard of decor & lanscaped gardens etc. But was dissapointed with our room. WE requested & paid for a sea view which we got but we were was located on the first floor so the view wasn't great. But not to be put off, the balcony was a nice size & comftable. The room though was a real let down, poorly decorated & small also the bathroom although completely tiled in marble look tired & smelt! On the plus side the staff were all very helpfull & made us feel welcome expecially on baby son which was nice. We stayed for 14 nights half board and i thought the food was of good quality & variation. Both the indoor & outdoor pools were nice and hardly used, acces to the beach was excelent via a lift but could not get a sun bed as they were all taken & covered with towels by 9.30 am. Alvor was a 20/25 min walk from the hotel not ideal unless you want the excersize and once there was really dissapointed, we expected some irish bars but didn't realize just how many there was, also if you need a lilo or comedy themed tee shirt you won't be dissapointed but if your looking for the quaint fishing village you need to explore further into Alvor where you will find further irish themed pubs but also a few local fish restuarants. In summary i think the hotel was probally the best Alvor had to offer, but Alvor didn't really offer that much. We tried to like the hotel & resort but came away feeling a bit dissapointed. Would we visit Alvor again? No but sure the Algarve has more to offer.

The Alvor Praia is a very good hotel in a stunning beach location near to the charming fishing village of Alvor on the Algarve. Overall the public areas are decorated in a sophisticated and classy style but the bed room decor is dated and the rooms are small in comparison with its 4* sister hotel The Delphin in the same grounds (but The Delphin is not of the same high quality as the Priah). The sea and garden views from the room however were exceptional and the hotel food very good. The breakfast selection was probably the best we have ever enjoyed and catered for all tastes. Due to the number of extremely good fish restaurants within walking distance we only dined in the hotel once but the selection and quality is exceptional and the prices although higher are not outrageous.On a negative point the pool area is poorly maintained, the tables were sticky and the sunbeds were not washed. We would also expect pool waiter service in a hotel of this quality. This is not available unless you order at the bar and request food or drinks to be brought to you. Overall we enjoyed our holiday at the Alvor Praia immensly and will probably return to this hotel in future.

Stayed at the Pestana Alvor Praia for a week from the 16th of August. The hotel is really pretty nice. The rooms were nicely decorated though the two singles making a double bed was a bit of a pain (we had to ask them to remake the bed so at least it had double sheets/blankets etc). Choccies with the turn down service and the room service all nice enough. The restaurant areas are pretty dated, and poorly lit making it a bit grim looking in the evenings, the bar area is also a bit dated but was still nice to hang out in of an evening. Food prices I felt were way too much, with a buffet evening meal for two of us, with a half bottle of house wine, coming to 93 euros and the food being this side of crap. Mains in the a la carte sections were over 20 euros each and so any meal under 100 was unlikely. Much better value outside. Pool area was brill, with enough sun loungers and no hassle finding a nice spot even though we were in peak season. A lift takes you down to a beautiful (if a little crowded) beach. Was nice to see so many Portuguese on their hols as well. An afternoon barbecue set up by the pool was by far the best food in the place, with lots of fish and meat on offer, all cooked well and reasonably priced. Drinks were a bit pricey though. Indoor pool though small was nice to chill in, and a bit heated, and the little fitness room was just right. Staff on the whole were great, only a couple of miserable gits serving at the barbecue but we just avoided them after the first encounter and they by no means put you off the place. The included brekky was nice enough with the full selection of treats as well as sparkling wine and a guy playing the piano (I liked this, the missus felt it was too much in the morning LOL). I would definitely go back to the hotel but for one thing, the area surrounding the hotel is just so dull. You have to have a car or get taxis to go anywhere half decent as Alvor is a bit tacky and dull. So, in all, if you're going to the Algarve, definitely go to the Alvor Praia, I'm just not going to go to the Algave again :o) Enjoy......

We booked last minute and luckily managed to get a sizeable discount to stay at the Alvor Praia. Having visited the Algarve once before - the glamorous Villamoura - we didn't know what to expect, as all reviews had celebrated the picturesque and quaint quality of Alvor. The hotel was lovely - if a little seventies / 007 in style. The staff were fantastic. They were really amenable and couldn't do enough to help (contrary to other reviews I'd read on Trip Advisor). Our room was suitably spacious with a garden / sea view. We went half board which I'm always a little dubious about - but the food was wonderfully fresh and very varied. So, why the 4/5 rating? Well, Alvor was a disappointment. The beaches were lovely but the town itself was crowded by Irish bars - unfortunately, a bit Brits abroad. I discovered very little of the quaint cobbled fishing village that had been so earnestly reviewed. Would I go back to the Alvor Praia? Yes, but I'd rent a car and visit the rest of the Algarve instead.

Have just returned from 7 nights in this great hotel. Hotel is in an absolutely perfect location for those wanting a truley relaxing holiday. Hotel itself is superb, maybe not a grand 5 star hotel but certainly the nicest hotel I have stayed in and is definately higher than a 4 star. The rooms are clean, spacious and modern and have great views, all have balconies. Would certainly recommend getting a sea view as the hotel overlooks a fantsic beach which has seculded coves and long sandy beaches, one of the nicest I have seen. The hotel has good restaurants and food is very nice (although expensive), the only downside I would say to this hotel is the staff. Some are very friendly, polite and smiley, however some maybe need some training in the smiling department. However this didnt detract from a wonderful holiday. The hotel has two great pools with plenty of sun loungers and the pool bar serves great food and drinks. The hotel is only 15 minutes walk to Alvor Harbor (or 4 Euros in a cab) and has some lovey restuarants which serve great sea food, you can get a 3 course meals for two with wine for around 40 to 50 euros. (You'll pay around double that in the hotel for the same thing) Alvor also has some nice bars which get busy in the evenings but during the day Alvor is lovely quiet harbour town with some great local shops and boat tours etc. This was my first holiday in the algarve and the Pestana Alvor Praia is certainly played a major part in making this a great holiday.