Plaza Real Apartments, Praia Da Rocha, Portugal
Hotel Information
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Hotel Description:
The modern Plaza Real Apartments, built for summer 2002, occupy a quiet location within easy reach of the busier centres of Praia da Rocha and Portimao. The four blocks are centred around the pool area and offer spacious and comfortable accommodation. loading...
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Plaza Real Apartments Reviews
" Family group of 24 "
Submitted By: barbaraella
24 of us stayed here last year apartments are lovely and they have a brilliant supermarket about 10 min walk away everything you need is there. Well what else can i say about the plaza real nothing really the location to the beach is about 20min walk in the two weeks we stayed there they had kids club 3 times night entertainment for the kids once they have a miserable rep who is only happy when she is not being bothered . The staff are not very friendly either . Be aware of dodgey drug sellers on the main strip they don't care who you are or if you have children with you they still approach you. drinks are expensive at the appartments don't buy water there they charge 2.50 euros when it is only 19cents in the supermarket. there is not alot for the children at the apartments or even on the main strip would i go back def not.Another tip if you are making a big group booking make sure thomson has booked you all on the plane as we found out at the airport that 8 passenger's were not booked on the plane and 6 coming back home
Advice: not for familys with young children
Activities: taffy bar
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" Plaza Real Apartments, Portugal "
Submitted By: k_wood4@sky.com
We arrived at the Plaza Real at midday on 26th August to find full blown building works. They seem to be building a hotel on the site. I phoned the holiday helpline and they said the rep had to decide it was bad before we could be moved. Two days later we moved but at our own expense to a lower standard apartment. Prior to departure I gave Portland an opportunity to relocate me but they said the works were not bad. I only noticed there were works due to a holiday watchdog report they never advised us about the works, again this is not right. I have written to Portland and given them an opportunity to recompense us for our dissatisfaction but they refused. On that basis I will post this comment. After travelling with Portland for over 9 years this is the last time I will go with them. The whole experience was very dissapointing.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Portland Direct
" PLAZA REAL apts couldnt fault them... "
Submitted By: Mrs A Mccarthy
PLAZA REAL apts couldnt fault them clean bright and spacious (ab fab). Resort disapointing, hotel a bit far out but if you dont mind walking not a problem. One direction to the beach and opposite direction for the big supermarket. Once on the strip (as it is know) not a lot of varity. Bars, restaurants and loads of tacky giftshops (selling the same things.) There are only so many times you can walk it on a 2 week hol. One week would have been enough. Big Reds is a must for a fantastic meal little bit more expensive than most of the restaurants but worth it and Taffy's Bar is a must we were hooked Smithy (Lookalike from Gavin and Stacey) you welsh will no what I mean is hilarious and Sam the man is the best bar man in the resort nice one boys.
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We enjoyed our family holiday (Mum,... "
Submitted By: Mr P Tuplin
We enjoyed our family holiday (Mum, Dad, Daughter 15, Son 9) at Plaza Real. On arrival the apartment complex seemed smaller than expected, compared with the pictures in the brochure but it provided everything we needed for a nice relaxing holiday. We had a top floor apartment in Block A which had a balcony overlooking the pool. The apartment was very spacious and clean with a fully equipped kitchen, it was the best apartment we have had on a holiday of this type.
The complex itself was clean and tidy, the pool area being cleaned every night. The pool might of been a little bigger but it was nice enough and we used it every day. There were not enough sunbeds however and those that were there had towels on them by 07:00. We made use of a small grass area near the pool which was actually quite nice with a palm tree for shade. The complex was quiet after early evening with low key entertainment such as Karaoke or a quiz if you want.
The on site restaurant was OK, no dearer than those in the resort (@35 Euros for a main course and drinks for four) but the menu was not extensive.
The Beach was very nice, a pleasent 15 minute walk along the road. The supermarkets were 15 miuntes in the other direction (food and drink reasonably priced there).
The resort itself is not all that interesting except for the beach and marina, it is essentially a collection of concrete high rises and tower cranes but they have made an effort by scattering a few palm trees around the place.
There is currently some building work directly next to the pool area but it didn't cause any problems. There is some noise from it, mainly hammering but nothing major in fact it was interesting seeing the building progress juring our stay, its now up to the fourth floor. I don't think it will go much higher.
In all we enjoyed and would recommend Plaza Real.
The complex itself was clean and tidy, the pool area being cleaned every night. The pool might of been a little bigger but it was nice enough and we used it every day. There were not enough sunbeds however and those that were there had towels on them by 07:00. We made use of a small grass area near the pool which was actually quite nice with a palm tree for shade. The complex was quiet after early evening with low key entertainment such as Karaoke or a quiz if you want.
The on site restaurant was OK, no dearer than those in the resort (@35 Euros for a main course and drinks for four) but the menu was not extensive.
The Beach was very nice, a pleasent 15 minute walk along the road. The supermarkets were 15 miuntes in the other direction (food and drink reasonably priced there).
The resort itself is not all that interesting except for the beach and marina, it is essentially a collection of concrete high rises and tower cranes but they have made an effort by scattering a few palm trees around the place.
There is currently some building work directly next to the pool area but it didn't cause any problems. There is some noise from it, mainly hammering but nothing major in fact it was interesting seeing the building progress juring our stay, its now up to the fourth floor. I don't think it will go much higher.
In all we enjoyed and would recommend Plaza Real.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Portland Direct
" The apartments were lovely, the staff... "
Submitted By: Mrs A Hunt
The apartments were lovely, the staff worked very hard and were very nice, the building works did not effect us at all and we spent some days staying by the pool, the only downside was the size of the pool and the number of sun loungers around it. I would go back at any time. Could do with a wider variety of choice on the menu, Dont bother with the trip to the sands we only got 45 mins there and it is best to go in daylight so you can see the effect although it is great to see. My son who is 8 wants to book for next year for already
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" Having read the other reviews, I... "
Submitted By: Mr J Beattie
Having read the other reviews, I would say on the whole they were fair.
We got to the hotel an hour late as there was a delay on the tarmac before take-off due to staffing problems at Faro airport.
The walk to the beach/bars/souvenir shops is quite long, but there is a shortcut. I can't imagine anyone got mugged using the shortcut as the only part that is secluded is about ten metres long. There are a few dogs hanging around it but they don't move much; they just lay out in the sun - hardly a pack of wild wolves as others seem to have portrayed them.
The construction work is "on-site" (looks like another wing of the hotel being built) but the workers aren't particularly noisy and they don't really disturb you as you lay by the pool.
The food and drink in the hotel is VERY expensive (2.50 Euros for a post-mix COKE!!! 6.00 Euros for a filled jacket potato, 3.00 Euros for a hot dog without chips or salad for example), but unless you want to walk to the local shops and spend all day in Lidl or Aldi and buy a week's worth of shopping AND lug it all the way back (not to mention preparing/cooking/washing up etc - this is supposed to be a holiday after all) then you have to grit your teeth and hand over 25.00 Euros every lunchtime for 4 barely adequate meals with drinks.
The resort itself isn't very pretty, a sky full of cranes and scrubland all round - and for some reason there is a full size astroturf football pitch behind the hotel. The beach however is lovely and the main drag has enough bars and restaurants (beware - they don't take the heads off or gut the sardines!!!) and the prices are slightly more reasonable, although still borderline expensive.
The hotel staff aren't particularly friendly. The manager on reception is very grumpy, and one morning came out to the pool at 8.50am to shout at people in it that it wasn't open until 9.00am! One of the older women who works on the hotel bar looks like she'd die if she ever smiled.
The Thomson welcome meeting went on forever, and we left after 40 minutes. She hadn't even got to the excursions before we walked out.
Poolside is not kept very clean - we had the same Slush Puppy cup and Snickers wrapper under our sunbeds all week, and there are fag butts and general rubbish all round - and if you aren't down by the pool with your towels by 8am latest, you aren't getting a sunbed as there aren't enough to go round. Oh, and the pool is a tad on the small side.
Having said that, the apartments are plenty big enough, and are kept clean. The four of us had more than enough room to spare without feeling cramped. You may, however, want to keep your drinks in the freezer though as the fridge was rubbish and took 2 days to get a 1.5 litre bottle of water cold.
Our transfer back to Faro was scheduled for 14.10 for an 20.15 flight! I spent most of my last day on the 24-7 helpline trying to ascertain if this was correct, as I had paid for a late check out room in advance and didn't really want to spend £22 on a mere two hour extension to the room. In the end we were collected at 15.10 but this didn't prevent us standing in a queue for over an hour at check-in at Faro airport. Just think, I could have been in my room that I had paid for for an extra hour if they had picked me up later. This was presumably Thomson cutting costs as the journey took nearly two hours and had about 10 stops, which is far too long for a transfer. I will be putting this in writing as a complaint to Thomson. I had tried to talk to the rep in resort (Eileen) but she was more interested in flogging excursions than dealing with a complaint.
Anyway, the weather was outstanding and we spent everyday round the pool (I was up in time and got the towels down early).
On the whole it was a nice enough break, with the weather making a big difference. I didn't feel the need to complain about the construction as it wasn't really a problem. The walk to the beach and main strip was nice enough and the kids loved the pool.
I'm not sure I'll be over keen to go back, but it was pleasant enough for a week in the sun.
We got to the hotel an hour late as there was a delay on the tarmac before take-off due to staffing problems at Faro airport.
The walk to the beach/bars/souvenir shops is quite long, but there is a shortcut. I can't imagine anyone got mugged using the shortcut as the only part that is secluded is about ten metres long. There are a few dogs hanging around it but they don't move much; they just lay out in the sun - hardly a pack of wild wolves as others seem to have portrayed them.
The construction work is "on-site" (looks like another wing of the hotel being built) but the workers aren't particularly noisy and they don't really disturb you as you lay by the pool.
The food and drink in the hotel is VERY expensive (2.50 Euros for a post-mix COKE!!! 6.00 Euros for a filled jacket potato, 3.00 Euros for a hot dog without chips or salad for example), but unless you want to walk to the local shops and spend all day in Lidl or Aldi and buy a week's worth of shopping AND lug it all the way back (not to mention preparing/cooking/washing up etc - this is supposed to be a holiday after all) then you have to grit your teeth and hand over 25.00 Euros every lunchtime for 4 barely adequate meals with drinks.
The resort itself isn't very pretty, a sky full of cranes and scrubland all round - and for some reason there is a full size astroturf football pitch behind the hotel. The beach however is lovely and the main drag has enough bars and restaurants (beware - they don't take the heads off or gut the sardines!!!) and the prices are slightly more reasonable, although still borderline expensive.
The hotel staff aren't particularly friendly. The manager on reception is very grumpy, and one morning came out to the pool at 8.50am to shout at people in it that it wasn't open until 9.00am! One of the older women who works on the hotel bar looks like she'd die if she ever smiled.
The Thomson welcome meeting went on forever, and we left after 40 minutes. She hadn't even got to the excursions before we walked out.
Poolside is not kept very clean - we had the same Slush Puppy cup and Snickers wrapper under our sunbeds all week, and there are fag butts and general rubbish all round - and if you aren't down by the pool with your towels by 8am latest, you aren't getting a sunbed as there aren't enough to go round. Oh, and the pool is a tad on the small side.
Having said that, the apartments are plenty big enough, and are kept clean. The four of us had more than enough room to spare without feeling cramped. You may, however, want to keep your drinks in the freezer though as the fridge was rubbish and took 2 days to get a 1.5 litre bottle of water cold.
Our transfer back to Faro was scheduled for 14.10 for an 20.15 flight! I spent most of my last day on the 24-7 helpline trying to ascertain if this was correct, as I had paid for a late check out room in advance and didn't really want to spend £22 on a mere two hour extension to the room. In the end we were collected at 15.10 but this didn't prevent us standing in a queue for over an hour at check-in at Faro airport. Just think, I could have been in my room that I had paid for for an extra hour if they had picked me up later. This was presumably Thomson cutting costs as the journey took nearly two hours and had about 10 stops, which is far too long for a transfer. I will be putting this in writing as a complaint to Thomson. I had tried to talk to the rep in resort (Eileen) but she was more interested in flogging excursions than dealing with a complaint.
Anyway, the weather was outstanding and we spent everyday round the pool (I was up in time and got the towels down early).
On the whole it was a nice enough break, with the weather making a big difference. I didn't feel the need to complain about the construction as it wasn't really a problem. The walk to the beach and main strip was nice enough and the kids loved the pool.
I'm not sure I'll be over keen to go back, but it was pleasant enough for a week in the sun.
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" My sister and I have just returned... "
Submitted By: Mrs C Langdon
My sister and I have just returned from the Plaza Real apartments. We were notified of building works just 1 week before departure- I called Thompson to complain and they did offer a full refund although this was very little time to try and re arrange another holiday. We decided to take a chance and go ahead. The journey over and transfer could not be faulted and we arrived at our apartments shortly before midnight. The receptionist said we were not near the building work however when we woke up the next day we could not have been any nearer. Our balcony looked straight into a building site with a massive crane. On a positive note the apartment was excellent. Very clean, a massive kitchen and bathroom and an upstairs with 2 bedrooms. Free air con which was great. We actually felt lost in it, as there were only 2 of us.....
The builders started at 8am weekdays and were not there at weekends. It was quite noisy and we felt sorry for families who had no option but to stay by the pool. We were lucky and headed off to the beach most days (10 mins walk). There was also a lack of sun beds by the pool. People were reserving them as early as 7am although the rep had asked people not to. They definitely need another pool.
The taxi's were pretty cheap - 5/6 euros to the nearby villages of Alvor and Portimao. If you love fish particularly sardines these were the places to go to eat. Lovely tradional restaurants about 30 euros for a great meal with wine. We found it difficult to find a taxi home on 2 occasions from Portimao - there are very few around so we ended up getting a bus to Praia (the strip) and then getting a taxi to the apartments. You could walk but it was about 15 mins.
We did not think much of the Thompson boat trip, which cost nearly 50 euros. We would not bother again and found much better offers along the port in Alvor. The wine was awful and they served a horrid bit of chicken and tomato mix at 11.30am for lunch. Much too early.
We did enjoy our holiday; we found the people lovely and friendly, beautiful beaches and the area extremely clean. We could not fault the food and wine.
We would definitely go back but only when the building works is finished.
Location of apartments good.
If you have small children and like staying by a pool it would be worth asking for a transfer. I really think it's unfair that Thompson only tell you about the building work 1 week before departure.
The builders started at 8am weekdays and were not there at weekends. It was quite noisy and we felt sorry for families who had no option but to stay by the pool. We were lucky and headed off to the beach most days (10 mins walk). There was also a lack of sun beds by the pool. People were reserving them as early as 7am although the rep had asked people not to. They definitely need another pool.
The taxi's were pretty cheap - 5/6 euros to the nearby villages of Alvor and Portimao. If you love fish particularly sardines these were the places to go to eat. Lovely tradional restaurants about 30 euros for a great meal with wine. We found it difficult to find a taxi home on 2 occasions from Portimao - there are very few around so we ended up getting a bus to Praia (the strip) and then getting a taxi to the apartments. You could walk but it was about 15 mins.
We did not think much of the Thompson boat trip, which cost nearly 50 euros. We would not bother again and found much better offers along the port in Alvor. The wine was awful and they served a horrid bit of chicken and tomato mix at 11.30am for lunch. Much too early.
We did enjoy our holiday; we found the people lovely and friendly, beautiful beaches and the area extremely clean. We could not fault the food and wine.
We would definitely go back but only when the building works is finished.
Location of apartments good.
If you have small children and like staying by a pool it would be worth asking for a transfer. I really think it's unfair that Thompson only tell you about the building work 1 week before departure.
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We have just returned from a weeks... "
Submitted By: Mrs N Henshall
We have just returned from a weeks holiday at the Plaza Real, Praia Da Rocha and had a fantastic time. My partner and I took our daughter and her friend (both 16) and found this resort ideal for all of us. On arrival we found the receptionist friendly and the 2 bedroom apartment clean and ABSOLUTELY HUGE! The apartment was on two levels complete with balcony, well equipped kitchen, a bathroom the size of a small country and shutter blinds and air conditioning to keep it nice and cool. Best apartment we have stayed in. The weather was gorgeous every day (approx 27-28 degrees) with the lovely Portugese/Atlantic breeze. If you have had a letter and read the reviews about the building work then do not worry. Yes, it is there. Yes, there is a crane but the noise levels are minimal, they don't work at weekends and the digging and foundation works are complete. It really didn't bother us at all. The food in the restaurant is lovely, drinks a bit expensive and minimal entertainment but we like to go out in the evening anyway. My one criticism is that the pool is a bit small for the size of the apartments and the week we were there if you hadn't got your towel on a sunbed by 8am then forget it. Not enough to go around. The apartments are a good 15-20 min walk to the main resort and beach by the main road or 10 mins along a dirt track. This is fine by day but very dark at night so we always came back the main road way just to be on the safe side. Would suggest the 10min walk to Continente Supermarket for your shopping needs - this is the size of Tesco's and is MUCH cheaper than the local ones. Costs are similar to England in most things but can be much more expensive if you don't choose wisely.
The beach of Praia Da Rocha is fantastic as is the resort. The girls felt safe wandering around and there are plenty of bars and restaurants without losing it's charm. The marina is definitely worth a wander. Stunning. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming. We took excursions to Zoomarine and Slide & Splash which were both great days out. We didn't want to come home and would definitely return!
The beach of Praia Da Rocha is fantastic as is the resort. The girls felt safe wandering around and there are plenty of bars and restaurants without losing it's charm. The marina is definitely worth a wander. Stunning. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming. We took excursions to Zoomarine and Slide & Splash which were both great days out. We didn't want to come home and would definitely return!
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Portland Direct
" Only stayed 4 hours as we were woke... "
Submitted By: Mr Noel Hynes
Only stayed 4 hours as we were woke up by sound of a grinder from the building work next door and opened balcony door to hear and see a full construction site 50 feet "yes 50 feet" away from the kids pool.
Not for us so we requested an immediatte transfer and decided to take a walk to the beach. The area that the hotel is situated in is heavily under construction and probably will look well when finished didnt give us a good feel for resort as it was also very high rise and if your looking a resort pretty to the eye then this "is not"
Got transfer within 4 hours by Thompsons how were efficient and helpful to there best young girl called Rhian which i believe this was her first season and she was very well She got us moved to Villabranca in Lagos which was brilliant a low rise area pleasing the eye and very spacious. Lagos old town really nice and good restaurants. But dont try the Chinese from hell called "Dynasty" in the main street unless you like deep fried Cr%p and imaginative main dishes. On our last day we met people who had stayed a week in Plaza real and got moved to Villabranca like us they said the noise got progressivly worse and they had to leave.
Not for us so we requested an immediatte transfer and decided to take a walk to the beach. The area that the hotel is situated in is heavily under construction and probably will look well when finished didnt give us a good feel for resort as it was also very high rise and if your looking a resort pretty to the eye then this "is not"
Got transfer within 4 hours by Thompsons how were efficient and helpful to there best young girl called Rhian which i believe this was her first season and she was very well She got us moved to Villabranca in Lagos which was brilliant a low rise area pleasing the eye and very spacious. Lagos old town really nice and good restaurants. But dont try the Chinese from hell called "Dynasty" in the main street unless you like deep fried Cr%p and imaginative main dishes. On our last day we met people who had stayed a week in Plaza real and got moved to Villabranca like us they said the noise got progressivly worse and they had to leave.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We have just come back from two weeks... "
Submitted By: Mr J Bell
We have just come back from two weeks at the Plaza Real (26/6/08), pretty much the same as previous reviews, but going later found the building work more of an issue..
On the positive side the apartments were large, clean, well furnished and free air conditioning. All the staff and other residents were very friendly and the Kids Club reps were first rate. Pool was cleaned daily and we never had a problem getting a sun bed each. Food was competitively priced and good quality. Weather was superb and didn’t see a cloud for 10 days in a row.
On the negative side the location is out of resort and does take about 15-20 mins to walk. There is a dirt track / path that reduces the time but was advised by the rep not to take it at night, we heard unconfirmed reports of muggings and packs of wild dogs so avoided even in the day. A taxi back in the evening is 4 euros.
The biggest negative is the building work taking place adjacent. This clearly is going to be an extension of the hotel. In the first week there was not much noise and if you can stand the odd shadow being cast by the overhead crane whilst you are sun bathing by the pool not a problem. However in week two the noise seemed to increase daily. There was a lot of unrest amongst our fellow holiday makers and some requested transfers to other hotels. Apparently Thompson’s policy is that they would undertake this providing a complaint was received within 24 hours of arrival.
Would I recommend Plaza Real? Yes but only when building work is complete and you have no walking difficulties or have a few extra euros for taxi rides.
Finally we recommend Zoomarine for a good day out and Safari / Red’s Rib Shack as excellent restaurants.
On the positive side the apartments were large, clean, well furnished and free air conditioning. All the staff and other residents were very friendly and the Kids Club reps were first rate. Pool was cleaned daily and we never had a problem getting a sun bed each. Food was competitively priced and good quality. Weather was superb and didn’t see a cloud for 10 days in a row.
On the negative side the location is out of resort and does take about 15-20 mins to walk. There is a dirt track / path that reduces the time but was advised by the rep not to take it at night, we heard unconfirmed reports of muggings and packs of wild dogs so avoided even in the day. A taxi back in the evening is 4 euros.
The biggest negative is the building work taking place adjacent. This clearly is going to be an extension of the hotel. In the first week there was not much noise and if you can stand the odd shadow being cast by the overhead crane whilst you are sun bathing by the pool not a problem. However in week two the noise seemed to increase daily. There was a lot of unrest amongst our fellow holiday makers and some requested transfers to other hotels. Apparently Thompson’s policy is that they would undertake this providing a complaint was received within 24 hours of arrival.
Would I recommend Plaza Real? Yes but only when building work is complete and you have no walking difficulties or have a few extra euros for taxi rides.
Finally we recommend Zoomarine for a good day out and Safari / Red’s Rib Shack as excellent restaurants.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We have just stayed at the Plaza Real... "
Submitted By: Mr AN Other
We have just stayed at the Plaza Real Apartments June 2008.
I concur with previous reviews, we had a ground floor room which are very noisy due to the concrete and tile combination. If you have early risers above then as soon as their awake so are you.
The hotel is fine, maid service is good five days a week and linen changed once a week with towels twice weekly. It is clean and spacious but does feel cramped if you have two children who are staying in the living room with the fold out bed from the settee and you dont put it back each morning.
The pool area is also fine, although the water hadnt warmed up while we were there.
Thankfully no Germans for the sunbeds means you'll get one and people werent out towels till breakfast time. :-)
The bar is fine, nice staff although you are paying 3 euros a beer which is roughly double compared to Rocha.
The food in the bar area of the apartments is also fine to good. We got there late on our first night and needed something decent which we gladly received.
Food in the area on a whole is fair to pricey, we paid generally for me and one child (other is an infant) 40 to 50 euros including a bottle of local wine.
There are no other bars really located nearby so expect a twenty or so minute walk to Rocha centre.
A tip is not to use the short cut through the waste land, the reps warned us as people have been mugged using it. So if you make sure your in a group and not alone and not on a night. This adds a good time walking around back to the hotel up the hill which is a pain with a buggy on the cobbled paths.
A tip if your staying in the area is to go to the local Lidl, their prices are fair cheaper then the Supermarket opposite, the locals go there.
For example all their 5 litre water bottles at 0.19 Euro compared to say 1E at the supermarket as just a simple comparison or 2.50 euro for 1.5 litres from the hotel.
The distance is a little longer then people say to get there, maybe fifteen to twenty minutes and coming back is all up hill with the bags.
Changing travelers cheques can be done at the hotel but is subject to 5% charge. We tried to find elsewhere but the reps would only recommend the hotel. :-(
It soon adds up. Thats £80 out of £800 you get changed. Take the cash and use the safe.
Entertainment is poor, the kids clubs are only for a few hours for each age group.
They have three acts on an evening per week, bingo, parrot show and a singer. Bingo and the parrot show last for half an hour at most and the singer a little longer.
So once the pool is gone not a lot for the kids in the hotel or locally. There is no where really for them to play if you want a drink in the bar, the car park is straight outside and busy usually with taxis dropping off.
Karaoke is on the other nights but no one used it while we were there.
The trips can be purchased from Rocha centre shops for at least 5 euros per person less then the reps offer you.
We did make plenty of trips out, Splash and slide is well worth a visit for around 17 euros from Rocha tourist shops. The bus picks you up on the roundabout just outside the hotel and works well. Great day and the facilities within are great without being expensive.
Rocha centre at night does attract the street life, we were often offered drugs (cannabis and coke) and then the usual followers to a handbag on the pram made us nervous at times.
While we were there many people including us had a problem with the mosquitoes, we were all bit frequently even using the repellent.
One last thing is that currently they are building next door, we found out the day before we went. No option to move was given as they were only excavating. Thankfully noise was at a reasonable level while we were there, but it is rubbish Thompson only just have found out, the amount they have excavated must have took a month or so. They are currently building the reinforcement and pouring concrete (mid June 2008).
Overall a great base if your willing to travel, taxis are cheap enough as you will get sick of walking everywhere up and down hills with it being fairly away from Rocha.
The cobbled paths don't help with a child in a pram though which are standard in Portugal.
I concur with previous reviews, we had a ground floor room which are very noisy due to the concrete and tile combination. If you have early risers above then as soon as their awake so are you.
The hotel is fine, maid service is good five days a week and linen changed once a week with towels twice weekly. It is clean and spacious but does feel cramped if you have two children who are staying in the living room with the fold out bed from the settee and you dont put it back each morning.
The pool area is also fine, although the water hadnt warmed up while we were there.
Thankfully no Germans for the sunbeds means you'll get one and people werent out towels till breakfast time. :-)
The bar is fine, nice staff although you are paying 3 euros a beer which is roughly double compared to Rocha.
The food in the bar area of the apartments is also fine to good. We got there late on our first night and needed something decent which we gladly received.
Food in the area on a whole is fair to pricey, we paid generally for me and one child (other is an infant) 40 to 50 euros including a bottle of local wine.
There are no other bars really located nearby so expect a twenty or so minute walk to Rocha centre.
A tip is not to use the short cut through the waste land, the reps warned us as people have been mugged using it. So if you make sure your in a group and not alone and not on a night. This adds a good time walking around back to the hotel up the hill which is a pain with a buggy on the cobbled paths.
A tip if your staying in the area is to go to the local Lidl, their prices are fair cheaper then the Supermarket opposite, the locals go there.
For example all their 5 litre water bottles at 0.19 Euro compared to say 1E at the supermarket as just a simple comparison or 2.50 euro for 1.5 litres from the hotel.
The distance is a little longer then people say to get there, maybe fifteen to twenty minutes and coming back is all up hill with the bags.
Changing travelers cheques can be done at the hotel but is subject to 5% charge. We tried to find elsewhere but the reps would only recommend the hotel. :-(
It soon adds up. Thats £80 out of £800 you get changed. Take the cash and use the safe.
Entertainment is poor, the kids clubs are only for a few hours for each age group.
They have three acts on an evening per week, bingo, parrot show and a singer. Bingo and the parrot show last for half an hour at most and the singer a little longer.
So once the pool is gone not a lot for the kids in the hotel or locally. There is no where really for them to play if you want a drink in the bar, the car park is straight outside and busy usually with taxis dropping off.
Karaoke is on the other nights but no one used it while we were there.
The trips can be purchased from Rocha centre shops for at least 5 euros per person less then the reps offer you.
We did make plenty of trips out, Splash and slide is well worth a visit for around 17 euros from Rocha tourist shops. The bus picks you up on the roundabout just outside the hotel and works well. Great day and the facilities within are great without being expensive.
Rocha centre at night does attract the street life, we were often offered drugs (cannabis and coke) and then the usual followers to a handbag on the pram made us nervous at times.
While we were there many people including us had a problem with the mosquitoes, we were all bit frequently even using the repellent.
One last thing is that currently they are building next door, we found out the day before we went. No option to move was given as they were only excavating. Thankfully noise was at a reasonable level while we were there, but it is rubbish Thompson only just have found out, the amount they have excavated must have took a month or so. They are currently building the reinforcement and pouring concrete (mid June 2008).
Overall a great base if your willing to travel, taxis are cheap enough as you will get sick of walking everywhere up and down hills with it being fairly away from Rocha.
The cobbled paths don't help with a child in a pram though which are standard in Portugal.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" Me, husband and son (5) just got back... "
Submitted By: Mrs T Oliver
Me, husband and son (5) just got back from 2 weeks at these apartments. Firstly, good tip for when you arrive at the airport ladies, try and use the loo on the plane before you get off, 5 planes landed at the same time when we arrived and we only found 2 ladies toilets as you can imagine the queue was massive! Transfer time to resort approx 1 hour. We had a 2 bed apartment and it was huge! Really good sized kitchen with 4 rings, oven, microwave, toaster, kettle and full sized fridge freezer. Lovely sitting room and balconies. Toilet downstairs with full bathroom upstairs too. 2 good sized bedrooms with comfy beds. Best apartment I have stayed in.
Facilites at hotel are ok but not much entertainment. None at all in day by pool and evening entertainment was 1 night we had bingo and 3 nights karaoke, the only extra was a parrot show. The pool was ok, a bit cold but was fine once you got in. If you have had the letter regarding the building work going on next door then don't worry, it really is ok, we hardly heard them. Laziest bunch of builders I have even seen!! And they don't work on weekends either.
My son used the kids club for the 5 days a week it was on, and really enjoyed himself, they did craft, face painting, games etc and the reps were good fun too.
Biggest supermarket is about 15 mins walk called Continente, turn right out the hotel, right at the roundabout and keep going. Best tip is stock up on all the heavy stuff (5l of water is 80cents, hotel super market is nearly 2 euro) and then get a taxi back. Rank is just outside supermarket and it cost 4.85 euro to get back, well worth it.
Trips - we did zoomarine and had the best day out, it has funfair, animals, swimming pool, splash zone, seal and sealion show, parrot show and the most amazing dolphin show.
Local area - farthest point of resort and is a 10 - 15 minute trek to the beach/shops/bars etc. All down hill so a bit of a pain on the way home every night but not to bad I guess. Short cut down is turn left from the hotel, looks like waste ground but there is a short track down. The reps will advise you not to use it but we used it every day going and coming back and so did lots of others and we had no problems with any locals. If you go the way the reps send you it takes about half hour especially with a buggy, all uphill and quite a drag.
Restaurants - good ones we found were, Bulli and Pupe Italian, Claires, Taj Palace, Eat as much as you like Chinese (can't remember name but you can't miss it), and the shacks on the beach are reasonably priced if you walk slightly further down the beach along the wooden boardwalk.
There is a little road train that takes you round the resort, takes about 25 mins, and costs 3.50 euros each. Buy tickets from a little shop on the left as you walk down amongst the bars - sigh outside shows picture of 'Funny train'.
We found that in the evening, there is not much to do for kids in the resort. In other places such as Majorca, you get bouncy castles, go-karts, pony rides etc but there was none of this at all and so after our meal our son was a little bored.
Overall, good beach, sea a bit cold (atlantic), apartment fab, hotel ok but could have done more in terms of entertainment day and evening, and not the best location.
We would probaby come back to portugal again but would stay somewhere else.
Hope this helps you if you are going or planning to go.
Facilites at hotel are ok but not much entertainment. None at all in day by pool and evening entertainment was 1 night we had bingo and 3 nights karaoke, the only extra was a parrot show. The pool was ok, a bit cold but was fine once you got in. If you have had the letter regarding the building work going on next door then don't worry, it really is ok, we hardly heard them. Laziest bunch of builders I have even seen!! And they don't work on weekends either.
My son used the kids club for the 5 days a week it was on, and really enjoyed himself, they did craft, face painting, games etc and the reps were good fun too.
Biggest supermarket is about 15 mins walk called Continente, turn right out the hotel, right at the roundabout and keep going. Best tip is stock up on all the heavy stuff (5l of water is 80cents, hotel super market is nearly 2 euro) and then get a taxi back. Rank is just outside supermarket and it cost 4.85 euro to get back, well worth it.
Trips - we did zoomarine and had the best day out, it has funfair, animals, swimming pool, splash zone, seal and sealion show, parrot show and the most amazing dolphin show.
Local area - farthest point of resort and is a 10 - 15 minute trek to the beach/shops/bars etc. All down hill so a bit of a pain on the way home every night but not to bad I guess. Short cut down is turn left from the hotel, looks like waste ground but there is a short track down. The reps will advise you not to use it but we used it every day going and coming back and so did lots of others and we had no problems with any locals. If you go the way the reps send you it takes about half hour especially with a buggy, all uphill and quite a drag.
Restaurants - good ones we found were, Bulli and Pupe Italian, Claires, Taj Palace, Eat as much as you like Chinese (can't remember name but you can't miss it), and the shacks on the beach are reasonably priced if you walk slightly further down the beach along the wooden boardwalk.
There is a little road train that takes you round the resort, takes about 25 mins, and costs 3.50 euros each. Buy tickets from a little shop on the left as you walk down amongst the bars - sigh outside shows picture of 'Funny train'.
We found that in the evening, there is not much to do for kids in the resort. In other places such as Majorca, you get bouncy castles, go-karts, pony rides etc but there was none of this at all and so after our meal our son was a little bored.
Overall, good beach, sea a bit cold (atlantic), apartment fab, hotel ok but could have done more in terms of entertainment day and evening, and not the best location.
We would probaby come back to portugal again but would stay somewhere else.
Hope this helps you if you are going or planning to go.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" Apartments large and clean, although... "
Submitted By: Mr T Burrell
Apartments large and clean, although looking a bit tired. We were on the top floor and had no noise. most things in the apartment from a oven, microwave to a toaster.Maid came in 4 days out of 7 and changed towels and not the bedding,but then we wouldnt change them at home twice a week would we!! Weather not to good, so cant really comment on the pool, although on the times the sun came out, got a bed easily enough. Would think at peak times, getting a bed could be an issue. Only had one meal at the restaurant for lunch and was OK for the price.Evening entertaiment a bit dire, but if you like Karajokey and the like maybe its for you.There is shop next to the apartments, but "Very expensive" (Got a captive market)Walk down the main road to the shopping centre and youve got Aldi, Lidles and in the shopping centre some kind of Portugese Tescos.Evenings spent on the Seafront in the many bars and restaurants.Every one has Plasma tv showing sport. Not to expensive, even a british fish and chip shop if thats what you want. Other than that, large choice from Italian to Chinese and Indian. Beaches very clean, although due to weather not really used.
Would recommend these apartments if you have kids as its safe away from traffic, but may not be for the "Older generation" although it is quiet enough to relax. probably wont go back, but thats because I wont be going back to the Algarve.
Nearly forgot, daytime entertainment was the digger next door, making lots of noise. Would keep kids entertained, but not for us. May be gone now, but be aware of the building work going on. In fact Pria de Rocha is a strange mix of new build and large empty derelict apartments. strange?
All in all these apartments are good, clean and in a quiet location, but more for families than couples.
Enjoy.
Would recommend these apartments if you have kids as its safe away from traffic, but may not be for the "Older generation" although it is quiet enough to relax. probably wont go back, but thats because I wont be going back to the Algarve.
Nearly forgot, daytime entertainment was the digger next door, making lots of noise. Would keep kids entertained, but not for us. May be gone now, but be aware of the building work going on. In fact Pria de Rocha is a strange mix of new build and large empty derelict apartments. strange?
All in all these apartments are good, clean and in a quiet location, but more for families than couples.
Enjoy.
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- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" me, my husband and 2 girls have just... "
Submitted By: Mrs D Farmer
me, my husband and 2 girls have just got back from the plaza real apartments, what great apartments could`nt believe the size of them they are so spacious and spotlessly clean would highly recommend them. Try the Asia chinese for a great meal we didn`t find anywhere that beat the standard of food served there at only 22 euros upwards for set meals for 2 great value as well as quality. Breakfast, and snacks served at the plaza real apartments were great value for money as well stayed 1 night for an evening meal was`nt as impressive as the daytime meals {change of staff}
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- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Thomson
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The pool area was very clean and tidied every night. However you did have to get up early if you wanted a sunbed as towels were out by 7.30am.
We had major concerns about building noise because it had been mentioned in reviews we had read but for the full fortnight that we stayed there was barely any disturbance until our last full day. Then it was very noisy and carried on the next day when we were leaving. Having said that it looks like the new hotel over the road is almost finished.
We found all the hotel staff friendly enough but the Thomson Rep (Eileen) was outstanding. She was always there to help even when off duty and always checked that you were ok.
Unfortunately we werent prepared for the cold breeze at night, so ladies, make sure you take some cardigans or jackets cos youre gonna need them. The sea was also very cold but the beach was absolutely stunning and the sun shone for the whole fortnight we were there.
10 min walk to the beach, not too bad but many steps down to it which was exhausting coming back up in the heat.
Shortcut to the strip was ok. A lot of gift shops but all selling the same thing. Claires restaurant was good value for money and the Chinese Restaurant Asia was really good (5 course banquet for 10.95 euros)
Trip to Alvor was good (approx 7 euros in taxi) for traditional fish restaurants. Slide and Splash waterpark was great day out (kids loved it). Only about 20 minutes away from apartments
Good for: Beach