Reviews of Dunas Do Alvor Apartments, Alvor, Portugal

Great Place

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

penthor

Comments:

OK, so it's not perhaps the best hotel in the world. But we had a great week. If I went back to the Algarve, I would want to go back to that hotel. It was clean, tidy, recently refurbished, but otherwise nothing to write home about. Nothing to complain about either.

We had a room overlooking the road, and to be honest, it was prefereable to looking toward the pool. We used to sit out on the balcony, looking towards the lights of Lagos. Yes, the dogs barked a bit, and yes the odd car went past, and yes, sometimes, a group got a little loud in one of the local bars. But it did not spoil the holiday.

The great thing about the hotel, and the one reason why I would go back was its location. It is so close to Alvor centre that you have a great choice of snack bars and restaurants. However, you are also walking distance to the beach, and its miles of sand. The pool was too cold to use, and so there was not a lot to do with the kids at the hotel. Having the beach nearby to tire them out was just what was needed.

I think Alvor is great. I love the choice of food on offer, and would recommned Ze Morgadinho Tebarna on the habour front. Sardines are fantastic, cataplanas are wonderful (although one would do between three, not the sugested two).

We drove through Portimao, Praia da Rocha, and Albufeira, and they were not as nice as Alvor; there were so many more hotels. Alvor is not perfect, and there are some parts of the hotel zone that look, to be honest, like a bombsite. However, the UK is not much better.

I would certainly recommend the hotel, and would like to go back, not so much as for the hotel itself, but where it was. It was a great holiday.

this is the 3rd time i have...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2008

Tour Operator:

Flyglobespan

Submitted By:

Miss Sj Hobson

Comments:

this is the 3rd time i have visited portugal this year and staying the dunas apartments each time i love the complex it is quite and really good for families i have been with my family and also my friend and loved each holiday and the place alvor more each time i go gutted the season is coming to an end and that means i wont be going until next year. The apartmens are basic but they have got all the basic amenties that you will need the maids come in most days to clean and make your beds.



Now found that the pic-nic bar food wasn't very nice a bit greasy for my liking but i did find another little gem it's called marco's which is owned by mark and jackie and i would recommend it to anyone the food is gorgeous and the people who own marco's are so friendly nothing is too much trouble it is a gorgeous little resturant but make sure you book because they can get quite busy. especially in the high seansons



Another little bar is the cactos bar it is a lovely place next to the pic-nic bar were it has got mark singing everynight and he is very good i would recommend you visit it. It is a friendly place and they make you feel at home mark and his wife ali are lovely and make you feel welcome from the firt mintue you get there.

these apartments were spacious...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mr W Lyon

Comments:

these apartments were spacious and clean, staff pleasant, pool very good(apart from putting towels down at 09.00)bars and restraunts downstairs were great for all you need for poolside, food very good from pic-nic bar and cactus 2 bar,

mark and ali in the cactus 2 bar were great, really friendly and help you as much as they can, unfortunately we witnessed a person having a heart attack, ali was absolutely brilliant,from sprinting to alert reception, to going with the husband to hospital and being their for him, she also taxied the husband around for a couple of days after it happenned till all was confirmed she was good and well.(more medical grounds coverded i won't go into)well done ali.

mark, ali's husband was a great entertainer, he would work his shift during the day then don his guitar and vocal chord at night from 9.15ish, the songs and patter from him from the off were just what you needed on holiday, he makes all-comers into the bar part of the entertainment with hilariuous results, I must add mark is very good on vocals and guitar, very repetitive, but hey, very good entetainment, cactus 2 bar does a mean pint of super bock(in a frozen glass)aahhh.

mark recommended a few restraunts to us and all were great, one we found, mister alvor's, round the corner from the dunas, absolutely one not to miss.

will definately return to dunas and enjoy another relaxed and entertaining holiday.

Mr Stirling(drummer)

my wife and myself have...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mr T CRANE

Comments:

my wife and myself have stayed at these apartments for the last 6 years

they are a great base to explore the area ie just a few minutes from the beach and the village.

they are cleaned every day except tuesdays no heating if it is cold but we dont worry as we only sleep there

we would not stay anywhere else we have made a lot of friends in the area.

please try them by the way the staff at reception are great nothing is to much trouble

Apartments were lovely
...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Direct Holidays

Submitted By:

Other K & C Layton/Haywood

Comments:

Apartments were lovely



The evening entertainment at the cactos 2 bar was fantastic, mark and ali were great and very friendly. And the bar staff were excellent, would definately recommend people to go there who are coming to portugal.



All take care from the leeds lot.

What can I say about the Dunas...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

ivisteddunas

Comments:

What can I say about the Dunas complex, when you first arrive off the coach you see a set of stairs leading up to the main front doors, there is a ramp for those of a disabled nature however its a bit steep rising from ground level to about 4ft over a length of about 23ft, if your a wheel chair user better get working those arms out your going to need it, it also gets quite slippy when wet.



The reception area is nice and clean with 2 internet points charging 1 euro for 10 minutes (there is other places with better offers in the complex), the staff are quite friendly and helpful, most speak relativley good English so no worries about communications.



We initially got a room overlooking the pool complex, this was a long trek from the lift and the complex has several sets of stairs and elevators, we found these a bit confusing at first, the room was a funny shape being on the corner, it featured a wall on the right as you came in that went in a diagonal down to the back of the apartment and the facing wall was straight, this gave the room a wedge of cheese type shape, the balcony was, due to the nature of the room and its shape, very small about 8ft long.



The room consisted of the main room 1 bedroom (listen it has single beds not doubles despite what the tour people might say) a bathroom with Bath/Shower, sink and Bidet, the kitchen was just a 4 ring electric burner, no microwave, a toaster, and a fridge, cutlery, pans,cups etc included. the rooms are clean and have tiled floor (as most do, however a slip danger for the elderly and the young when they get wet) seats were a table and 4 chairs and a rather uncomfortable bed settee unit, there is no air conditioning however the apartment manged to stay quite cool, we spent the time in the apartment in the bedroom as this was the comfiest place to sit, a TV with channels, some english some portuguese made up the rest of the room. Plenty of space for clothes. the view from the balcony included the pool and the snack bar and was directly above the cactusII bar, on the first night we found out that the resident owner (Mark) likes the sound of his own voice and played until the early hours, however being tired from being up for over 36 hours we fell asleep and god himself wouldnt have woken us.



We changed rooms on the second day due to the housemartins that resided in a nest outside on the balcony and spent the day dive bombong you whilst you tried to get a bit of fresh air on the balcony, it was novel at first until you finally got sick of ducking every 20 seconds whilst having a drink on the balcony, the new room was on the back of the complex and to be honest even though it was next to a mainroad (traffic is laid back just the odd scooter and car going past nothing to noisy we even slept with the windows open due to the heat at night) the room itself was a proper oblong shape this gave it a bigger floor space and a bigger balcony, and the view... well it was breathtakinginly beautiful, I have included some pictures of the view from room 325 and if you want a peaceful balcony with a great view this is room to go for, I would most definately have that room again should I return.



The resort itself whilst clean and tidy is im sorry to say starting to look like a rundown council housing estate, the majority of the retail section based around the resort are closed down, there is in order, a supermarket (relativly cheap for some things) marco's bar and restaurant (more later about this) a snack bar,Catcus ll Bar (already mentioned that earlier but its sole entertainment is Mark singing to you, alright for some but bloomin irratating after the first time) there is a charity shop which is a veritable gold mine for the book worm, and at the front another snack bar, you are however blessed with a pharmacy just outside the complex, great for those who get ill, bitten or just sunburnt. The complex is large and tidy on the whole and very nice to the eye and is a mere 3 minute walk to the main town of Alvor, the walk to the beach however takes about 15 minutes and takes you across a couple of main roads, not great if you have kids or are movement restricted in anyway, however once there the scenery is great and the beach nice if a little shaley (shaley..small fine stones I think thats the term I may be wrong)



Like all complexes the Dunas has a Pool, for some reason though they are always cold water filled, however on a hot day they are quite a relief once you get over the initial shock of the water, kids dont seem to mind though just the adults found it cold, it has a shallow end leading down to the deep end which is suitable for diving into due its depth of about 8ft, if you really want some fun go to the supermarket on the camp and buy one of the blow up boats (the owner will blow it up for you as well) and then lie in it and sunbathe on the pool, there is nothing nicer than just lying in the sun whilst floating on a pool with your feel dangling in the water (dont forget the sunlotion though !!), I spent a few days doing this and it is a great way to unwind and relax. The pool has the usual loungers made of plastic however you get charged 1 euro for a padded mat for the day, be aware of this and dont do what i did and just take one, or you get the sunlounger man being rude to you...



Now onto Marco's.. the place is run by Jackie and Marco and it has to be said that they are without 2 of the nicest people you are ever going to meet whilst on holiday here, they go out of their way to make any meal with them a pleasure, we celebrated out wedding anniversary whilst away and with the help of them I planned a romantic 3 course meal for the two of us, it was without doubt one of the best meals I have ever eaten in a restaurant, everything was hand made from the mulligatawny soup to the meat and veg dinner, finished off with spotted dick and sticky jam sponge, and all for a reasonable 51 euros, we ate their several times whilst away and signed the guest book before we left.



The Dunas is located as i said about 3 minutes from the main town of ALvor, the town has a lot to see and plenty of places to eat, my recommendations are this, if you want a steak dinner, try the Pyramid steak house just up the hill and to the right from the taxi rank only 10 euros for what is basically half a cow with a great sauce, avoid the Kashmere indian, its food is awful and over priced, a curry there is not like you would find in an Indian restaurant in England, the Atlantico is another great place to eat, large meals for a small price my wife had the steak special, this was a steak with fried egg a cheesy sauce with sliced round potatoes chip style around the edge, mine was a cheeseburger and chips, like I said good food and a good price.



Alvor itself is a pretty town and needs time to be explored properly, the harbour is nice and the main beach is a treat for those wanting to relax, its about 2 miles or so from one end to the other and is enclosed by the harbour wall at one end and a rock outcrop at the other end, there are plenty of shops for all those last minute gifts you need to buy before returning home, pubs are plentiful as are the karaoke pubs, if this is your thing then go sing. A taxi rank is situated in the main town and costs vary from driver to driver, heres a hint, ask the driver how much to your destination this traps them into a price they cant go past, as some add a tariff charge some dont be canny with them or they take the michael slightly, towns to visit include Portimau and its harbour, Pria do Vau and Pria do rocha, each town boasts its own heritage and things to see.



We ended the week with a boat ride on the Santa Barbera pirate ship, dont worry you wont be expected to hoist the main sails or scrub the decks, instead for 50 euros per person you get a full day out on the boat and a beach BBQ on a secluded private beach accessible only by boat whilst the crew cook the food and supply you with a choice of drinks from wine to soft drinks, its an unmissable experience and the boat and crew are first rate, it was the perfect end to the week.



Now for the marks out of 10

Portugal/Alvor 10 out of 10 for being a beautiful place.

Dunas apartments 7 out of 10 points lost for the run down appearance and its lack of entertainment.

Thomas cook itself and its rep's 10 out of 10 for their helpful manner.



Pictures will be uploaded shortly.

Just returned from a week at...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mr C Heald

Comments:

Just returned from a week at Dunas apartments and our only complaint was the lack of sun - but that can't be attributed to the complex staff or tour operator! It did, however, mean that we (2 adults & 10yr old) were looking for things to do other than sunbathe and that's where these apartments and this resort are a bit lacking.



Apartment was clean, large and reasonably well equipped for the price. Overlooked the road (not too busy) and had a partial (very partial on 1st floor) sea view past some smart apartment blocks. I can understand that apartments overlooking the courtyards may have been more prone to noise at night but we weren't too bad (apart from a local dog barking). Staff friendly, pool enormous and very clean - to say it was cold is an exaggeration but it was unheated and very refreshing (the wife even got wet once).



All bars on complex were good, friendly and English run. Mark and Ali in Cactos II are brilliant and really welcoming to all. Let them know where you come from and they'll introduce you to everyone else - sounds intrusive but it's done in a really friendly way.



Beaches were amazingly large and, on the whole, empty. We walked over to Praia de Vau (just behind the Pestana complex towards Praia de Rocha) and found some more secluded beaches and coves more suitable for snorkelling. In the middle of the Pestana (We called it the Piranha complex) there is a cliff side lift (free) to a beach bar and secluded beach just like in James Bond which is a bit different. Carried on walking to Praia de Rocha, which has two more enormous empty beaches and a lovely marina.



Alvor town is compact with a wide variety of restaurants, bars and gift shops. We can recommend a few we tried - Vagabondo steak house has a lovely roof top terrace with orange trees; next door the Rio a Vista also has a roof top terrace and they serve an amazing 'sizzling stone' steak; Indian Hut lower down on same side was the best Indian meal I have tasted in a while and very reasonably priced (set meal for 2).



A bus trip to Lagos (pronounced La-gosh) is worthwhile at 3.35 euros each single. On a previous visit we did the Zoomarine and Jeep safaris which are both worth doing if you haven't been before.



In summary - good for families who want a base to explore from. You get what you pay for which is reasonably good value for money (we paid £225 each for a half-term week).

Having just returned from the...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs J Townsend

Comments:

Having just returned from the Dunas I have to say how disppointed we were. I read the reviews in detail before going and was pleased by what I read. We arrived after the 2 hour transfer stopping off at 4 resorts before we were the last drop off. The room we were given overlooked the square near the cactus bar. The room was small and cramped, balcony couldnt fit four people on, no bedding and dirty. We were moved the next morning to a room facing the road which was far better, large room and balcony, nice bathroom but still very basic and quite dirty. The floor was never cleaned even before we used the room, had to wear shoes all week, kitchen facilities very basic and inadequate, didnt bother using them as just didnt seem clean, kettle took 1 hour to boil every morning. Constantly having power cuts and having to put them right ourself and no hot water!! Bedding and towels were changed often which was good. Pool was lovely but cold, kept very clean and lots of sunbeds. Large grass area for kids to play on. Marcos bar was friendly and good value but menu not extensive and irems quite often not availiable so we went to the picnic bar which was alot better. Breakfast were large and to die for! Visited the cactus bar on a few occasions, friendly people, only problem is parents sit and drink of an evening and let the kids run riot round the square unitl the early hours. This is a problem if you have a room facing the square as we did on the first night, we have 2 young children who just couldnt stay up until the early hours. Good entertainment in the cactus if you like the same thing night after night, we went into Alvor town of an evening which was a delight. One suggestion to the owners of the Dunas to mention the noise in the description of the apartments, this way families may avoid coming if they want to get any sleep on thier holiday. I know this dosent bother some people but if this is mentioned then this will stop people being disappointed. maybe the cactus could take heed of this also!



Alvor town was charming and lovely eateries/bars to explore, very friendly locals, went out of their way to welcome you. The sportsbar was a lovely place to have a drink, kids were welcomed and the cocktails out of this world. Albar snack bar on the corner was nice, try the portugese steak, lovely. Also the pizziera on the front with the roof terrace was amazing but pricey but worth it for one night anyway. The beach was vast and empty, this was probably due to the weather which wasnt good at all, nice snack bars on the beach though. One downside though was the walk across the waste land to the beach from the Dunas, only took 10 mins but was strewn with dog mess, constantly dodging it!! There are alot of stray dogs roaming and these ventured onto the beach and wouldnt leave you alone.



As the weather was so bad we have to find things to do so one day we paid to use the swimming pool on the front which was immaculately clean and warm, worth it if weather bad.



To sum it up, Alvor was lovely and I would return but not to these apartments.

Have just returned from a weeks...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss JENNY EVANS

Comments:

Have just returned from a weeks holiday, staying in the Dunas apartments with my boyf. The apartments were very spacious ( we had a 1 bedroom ) and were well equiped. The maid service was great, with them visiting every day which meant the place was spotless. Within the courtyard, Marcos was a lovely place to eat ( right by the steps down to the pool). They did a lovely breakfast and was quite reasonably priced too. Also pop into the Cactos 2 for a drink with Mark n Ali - a really nice couple. Mark spends most evenings serenading the gang with his guitar ( I dont think the poor guy ever gets a night off! ) Always gave everyone the best of welcome, taking time to have a chat and ask where your from. Alvor was a lovely area to stay, though I must say it was very much for couples or families. Go down by the harbour for a peek at the fish restaurants ( as someone who doesnt like seafood, I cant comment but the boyf was happy! ) We had a fantastic meal on 2 occassions in the ALBAR snack place, which doesnt look much from the outside, but the food was lush and the service was good too. Also, well worth visiting is the Hang Zhou chinese restaurant which did an all you can eat buffet for 9 euros. Fab value for money. Also, make one visit to the Venue to see Elvis ( Hes still alive you know!!!) A good night, though take a rain check on the Ricky Martin tribute. Its like Eurovision, but worse! I really loved Alvor as a holiday base, and the Dunas apartments. We would hope to go back there some time in the future.

Nerys and myself have just...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2008

Tour Operator:

MyTravel

Submitted By:

grandma wales

Comments:

Nerys and myself have just returned from a wonderful two weeks at the dunas, this is our fourth year and we love being there. The apartments are spacious and clean and the receptionists were wonderful especially Annabella and Christina.



Listen up folks there is a new snack bar and bar on the complex called Chill out and run by Lionel and Andrea and the food is fantastic, just try the toasties there, they are huge and I defy any one or two to eat a whole one, they are just fantastic , and what a way to have a night cap and a chat with the other people staying at the dunas, great place to meet people and have a chat. We met a load of people from all over the country.

I have to say the Dunas do Alvor...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mr R.S Bowden

Comments:

I have to say the Dunas do Alvor hotel is absolutely amazing. I went with two of my mates, we were all 18 and not into the clubbing scene so this holiday was perfect for us. Just to relax by the pool and have nice food and drink and just enjoy.



The Bar (Cactos) was absolutely fantastic. It was so much fun and so entertaining. I’m looking for a holiday for next July for myself and my girlfriend and would love to book this resort. There is absolutely nothing bad about this place.



It's very close to all the bars and restaurants and if you want a more lively night out it's not far from Praia da Rocha, say 5-10 min in a taxi. Very amazing place, nice helpful staff and a great atmosphere. Therefore I highly recommend this holiday.

Visited Alvor with 3 friends,...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Mr T J Heinrich

Comments:

Visited Alvor with 3 friends, one of my friends family and his family’s friends.



Have to admit I enjoyed it very much. The nightlife was very good however as me and my friends are only 18 there didn’t seem to be many people our age, so we got a few funny looks when we got loud after a few drinks. Every night we visited the karaoke bar and the Molly that runs it was very good, after each song she got everyone chanting with a chorus. She also loved us coming in because there wasn’t a night when we didn’t get up and sing. The Sports bar was also a very good atmosphere, as we were lucky to have two Englands’ game on while we were there.



As for the people; met some very nice people over there, however most of them were English but the Portuguese people we did speak to were very polite and spoke very good English and always had a good laugh.



The apartments were very clean and the bedding was changed every Tuesday or Wednesday, I can’t remember properly! The hotel staff was very polite and also spoke very good English. You didn't have to walk far to get something to eat as there was restaurants and bars as soon as you walked out of the apartments. Marco's was a place we often visited for a breakfast in the morning, it was run by English people and always cheered us up in the morning even if we had a bad hangover. As for walking far to get a drink that wasn’t a problem either, if you didn’t fancy walking 5 minutes away into the strip there was the Cactus bar with live music and entertainment all night.



The pool was very clean but very quiet; don't know if this was because of the time of year.



The first choice hotel rep was also very good, always helpful and often sat there and had a chat about anything.



Overall, I do recommend Dunas D'Alvor apartments to couples and couples with younger kids but if you have teenagers I recommend you go earlier in the year when school and college is out.

It is very nice love to come...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomsonvery good complex

Submitted By:

Mr J M Mccabe

Comments:

It is very nice love to come here again lovely room. If anyone is coming to Alvor come to the Dunas do apartments. They are the best!



There is a little pub in the complex call the cactos bar it is very lively every night and it is a pleasure to have a drink there and to stay in the complex so if you’re staying in Alvor choose the Dunas do apartments.

I really enjoyed my stay at...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Miss J.i Greig

Comments:

I really enjoyed my stay at Portugal, the highlight of my stay was the Catos 2 bar owned by Mark and Ali morton. Mark would provide the entertainment by singing all night but you would get the choice of what he sang as long as it didn’t break one of his rules.



He calls you by your home town so every time we went in he would shout good evening East Kilbride.



I wish I could stay another week so I could turn green with the crazy frogs!

I stayed at the Alvor apartments...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs S Sharpe

Comments:

I stayed at the Alvor apartments with my family for a short 4 day break.



The complex was fabulous for my small children. The swimming pool was very clean and safe and they thought it was great as they could use their lilos, balls, and other toys in the pool. Something that is rare in all other hotels we have stayed in.



The picnic bar was lovely for a daytime snack, as was Marco’s. We rarely had to venture very far outside the complex as it was such good quality.



Of an evening we visited the Cactus Bar. All the staff were very friendly and welcomed us openly. The entertainment was brilliant and definitely worth a visit, the guy singing, (Mark, I think!) was great and there was a very good holiday atmosphere.



Def going to go back there next year.