Alto da Colina Apartments

Two adults and 2 kids (6 and 3). We didn't want to leave, and were sorry we hadn't booked for 2 weeks.
Great for young kids, with safe and secure crèche and 'Bugs Bunny Club'. First Choice reps worked very hard to keep adults and kiddies alike entertained.
Only drawback is a bit of a walk to The Strip, but with Taxis only costing €4, it really didn't make that much of a difference.
Zoo marine recommended for a day out with the kiddies.
Plenty of great restaurants in Albufeira and the Old Town. Food in the hotel itself is adequate for snacks etc.
Well recommended, especially if you want your kids entertained in a safe and fun environment, while you have an hour or two to yourself at the pool(s).
Brian.

We had the most amazing time at the Alto do Colino. Situated a few minutes’ drive from the "Strip", about 20 minutes walk.
Good location, great service, wonderful view! The higher the floor the better the view. We had a corner unit with views of the sea and the hills. It was simply fabulous.
The resort is about 3-4 years of age, situated high on a hill. It is across from their Sister Resort, the Afagar, which is next to the Santa Eulalia Beach resort and Spa. Minutes from the major highways.
We were there in April, so it was a bit quiet but apparently they do have nightly entertainment when things get busy. I would go back in a heartbeat!

A party of around 40 of us stayed at the Alto Da Colina between 31 August and 14th September. Ages ranged from 3 months to about 65 and as far as I know, we all thought it was fab!
Brochure says transfer's about 90 minutes but was only about 40 - I think this was because we were 2nd drop-off. Thursday's are always a busy day here - when most of the flights operate.
Reception managed to get us all checked in in about 10-15 minutes which was great. Deposits are 60 Euros per room (which you get back on departure) if you want the air con and TV remotes (air con won't work without remote and is great on a night). Also, be prepared to leave your party's passports at reception overnight - standard procedure and you get them back next day.
Rooms were fantastic - there were 4 adults in our room and we were really comfortable. Large, furnished balconies were great for a few early evening drinks (and at 1 euro for a bottle of wine from Old Town we had plenty of those!). Kitchens were very well equipped - we didn't use ours very much but there was everything from Spatulas to Sangria Jugs - as well as toaster, fridge, kettle, microwave and hoards of pots and pans! If you do a lot of cooking on holiday then you won't be disappointed!
Sofa bed and pull-out in the lounge area were very comfortable, more so than the twins pushed together in the bedroom so we thought. Ask at reception for extra key cards if available - means you have more freedom if you aren't together 24/7. Also, any kind of credit/debit card will work the electric - handy if you want to leave the air con on while you're out.
If you're going to phone home quite a bit then get a Redstone phone card from one of the reps (not the other ones that they sell at reception). They cost 10 Euros and you get £10 credit so bit of a saving there. They can be a bit tricky at first but there's easy to follow instructions at the table where the phone is. Do not use the phones in rooms, probably common sense really - doesn't everyone know you always get stung using hotel room phones?! Someone at reception even advised me to wait until the reps came to phone home as it cost so much from rooms - which proves that they aren't "just out to make money" as some people think!
Reception staff can be a little moody at times but are okay - I'm sure I wouldn't be sporting a cheesy grin every second of the day if I had to do their job! All staff are great here - the Portuguese are such lovely people it does make a difference. Bar staff are absolutely fantastic - Ishmael, Ricky, Alex and the rest! They seem to be there all day, everyday and really do work hard. They don't think twice about having a chat with the guests and really make you feel welcome.
A pint of 'Super Bock' lager was 3 Euros in the bar and is quite nice actually, soft drinks were about 1.50 Euros and spirits with mixers about 4 Euros - not too bad really. Bar food was pretty average, things like toasties for 3 Euros and Pizzas for 6 - fine if you didn't want to venture out. There is a restaurant at the hotel although we never went. There's a menu in the lift - was about 12 Euros a meal I think.
First Choice entertainment team were good. Always had a lunchtime quiz at around 12, and Water Polo or Volleyball later on in the afternoon - always good for a laugh! Mini Disco for the kids was good - although it can start grating on you to hear the same songs each night (I was singing 'Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' in my sleep the second week!), but it's a family property so what do you expect?! Bingo was okay too - prize was about 34 Euros which was handy for a couple of rounds! Different entertainment each night but nothing outstanding. Karaoke on a Saturday, Traditional dancers one night, reps did some pretty good stuff though - Mr/Miss Alto Da Colina contest and a Mr & Mrs contest too. Nat and Ant do a good job - especially for what they get paid! Would be a lot better if entertainment was outside but people with small kids go to bed quite early so not really fair on them.
Bar's meant to close at about 1am but we were there until about half 3 sometimes and as long as you keep the noise down they don't mind. And you can't hear the music from your rooms at all - not unless you sleep with the front and balcony doors open anyway!
The on-site supermarket is more expensive then others in the area, which we expected being on a complex - took the biscuit a bit that packets of Tetley’s with '79p' written on were marked up to 4 Euros but what can you do?! Staff in there are very miserable - bring the tone of the hotel down a bit, really wouldn't hurt them to smile once every year or so!
Pool area(s) in this hotel are great. Really large freeform pool with plenty of sunbeds to go round never saw anyone on grass. Not many umbrellas though which can be a problem in the scorching heat when there's no shade! There's also another small pool at the front part of the hotel - next to the playground and kids' splash area which are also great.
This hotel also had a gym, sauna, indoor pool, hot tub, Jacuzzi, hair & beauty salon, crèche, kids' clubs and multi-sports courts but to be honest we didn't really use these - had too much fun by main pool. Other reviews were spot-on with the comment about there being loads of inflatables on a Thursday, few on a Saturday too.
A few people have been moaning about the location of the Alto Da Colina but it does say in the brochure that it's in Balaia and states the right distances to beach, Strip, Old Town etc. Yes, the taxis are a pain but if you want to walk, walk! Reception charge 1 Euro for a taxi call and at most times they come straight away. Between about 6pm and 10pm there's always a queue - understandable because that's when everyone goes out. But usually if they tell you an hour it's never more than 15 minutes so make sure you wait outside for it! Taxis to the Strip are 3.90 Euros and about 5-6 for the Old Town. To come home wait at the taxi rank where you get dropped off.
The Strip is very much for younger people - mainly R n B music and free shots with drinks etc. We always started off at Tic Tac for lethal free shots and then make our way up to Green Bar (4 vodka plus mixer for 10 Euros) and then up to La Bamba and Garage etc. If you do go to Garage make sure you've already had a few because drinks are a bit pricey. Cafe Del Mar is always good for the last bar - cheap drinks, good music - next to taxi rank. We definitely favoured Old Town for nights out. Great little side streets with live music and street acts – the Rock Café was by far the best spot for nights out. Fantastic staff, happy hour with buy one get one free on all drinks, and the best entertainment in the area. Each night the music alternated between 2 great bands, with a disco afterwards until about 4. We didn’t really venture out much on daytimes but the times we did we visited the old town beach and shopped there too – everything from clothes shops to countless liquor shops!
Overall a great holiday – will definitely be returning!

Just come back from two weeks at the alto da colina, and what a great time we had. Our apartment was first class we couldn't fault it, it was clean and spacious, the maids came in 6 days a week and did a good job.
We had a ground floor apartment which was great when we were by the pool we could pop in at any time for drinks food etc. We also hired a car for a week which was great, it meant we could do alot more than we would of normally.
We went to 2 water parks which the kids loved, we also went to zoo marine which is a must if you don't do anything else go to zoo marine the dolphin show was fantastic, we all had a great day there. We went to krazy world as we had seen it on the internet and it looked really good but we were very disappointed with it, we thought it was a complete and utter waste of money. If you’re thinking of going to the castle at silves, I wouldn't bother as it is under construction.
The walk to the strip takes about half an hour but to be honest the taxis are really cheap, if your going on holiday with the kids then the alto da colina is ideal, the staff are all very helpful and the hotel is spot on. We had an absolute blast there and we would recommend it to anyone

My husband, myself our eldest son and his wife chose Alto da Colina because it ticked all the boxes for us. We also have a son of 16 and another of 11.
All of whom are sports fanatics. There is Astroturf for football, which all the boys play, tennis, pool tables, fruit machines, 6 swimming pools, gym and last but definitely not least Sky TV to watch the world cup games. The accommodation was excellent, roomy apartments. We found the whole complex extremely clean, staff friendly the Reps advised and were helpful on best restaurants etc, when we required their local knowledge.
The Reps did a quiz at lunch time, which we would always join in - yes we thoroughly enjoyed it and are presently in the process of re-booking.
If there is a criticism of the resort, the beach is a bit of a trek, about 60-70 steps going down - 160 coming back! Quite a steep reach to the beach, but if you go into the old town of Albufeira, there is a beautiful beach at the end of the town and taxis are cheap, and no steps to climb!
We asked one of the taxi drivers where an authentic Portuguese restaurant was, he told us, it was an excellent meal just as you enter the strip. Again, we would not have any hesitation going back to the complex, we had Chinese and Indian cuisine which were recommended by staff. And were local, staff from the Chinese Restaurant would pick you up from the apartment and take you back after the meal. I would not hesitate to go there again as it suited our lifestyle perfectly being as the boys are very sports orientated.

Just back from spending 2 week at the Alto da Colina, with my husband and two children - 10 and 7. On the whole it was very enjoyable. Agree with all the positive comments about the actual apartments - they are big and airy and the maids clean them 6 days a week. The same can be said for the common parts and the facilities. My kids loved the pools and the kids clubs, and although the entertainment was done mainly by Ant, Nat and Tina they worked blooming hard (even though Ant did throw a little strop one night when not enough people would volunteer to play a game!). The waiters in the bar were really friendly, didn't seem to have any time off during the day and still retained a smile. Yes, the supermarket was a little overpriced - as was the bar food - but then you can always walk / drive and find somewhere a little cheaper.
The only problem we found was with the location of our apartment - we had booked a sea view room - and the view was fantastic. However, it also looked out over the pool and bar area, which meant that it could be a little noisy with those enjoying the 'craic' into the wee small hours - and no, we are not party poopers! Our apt. also was the nearest on our floor to the atrium that gives out on to the main reception area - a bonus if you want to get to the lifts first, but not so good re: sound insulation from the children who seem to delight in using them in the evening to play chase games around the hotel! Advice - book a corner room, that way you get a sea view and are far enough away from the noise.
Other bits of advice to save you time and money:
Hire a car - the hotel is a good 20 min. walk from the main Strip in Albufeira and ~ 4 miles from the old town. There are a few restaurants a little closer - turn left at the bottom of the road, not right and walk for ~ 10 mins. And yes to the Three Marias who do a great 3 course meal inc wine for less than 10 euros (also have a kids menu). Also means that you are not dependant on booking all excursions via the reps, which can be a little over priced and restricts you as to when you go and how long you have to be at the destination for. We booked open tickets only to Zoomarine (great dolphin show and more) via the reps which was much cheaper than going on the organised excursion.
Do not buy a road map from the First Choice reps - they will tell you that you need one and sell it to you for 5 euros. It's very pretty, but also pretty useless as all the roads are one colour and it doesn't have the names of them on it. Reception sells maps for less that are far more useful.
If you get the opportunity, go on the Jeep safari (although probably not advisable for those with very young kids or weak backs). We did the Super Day, which included a boat trip and thought it was a brilliant day out - the drivers are brilliant, know their stuff and make the day as enjoyable for everyone concerned.
The nearest beach is not Santa Eulia, as you will be told at the welcome meeting, but in fact Maria Louisa. Turn left at the bottom of the road, walk for ~ 3 mins and then turn right at the signs for the beach and Club Med. It is a far easier beach to get to on foot and you don't have to negotiate a very steep, narrow staircase as you do to get to the Santa Eulia beach which can't be easy for those with pushchairs - otherwise it 's a 1.5 km walk to S. Eulia beach along the main road.
Do be prepared to part with ~ 80 euros when you arrive to cover the deposit on air con / TV controls and the safety deposit box (assuming a two week stay) - you will get 60 euros back when you leave. This is worth doing, especially at the height of the summer, but will eat into whatever euros you bring out with you.
If you are there for 2 weeks, and your kids are desperate for a variety of inflatable rafts, rings , crocodiles etc to use in the pool, wait until the following Thursday when a load of holiday makers go home and leave their already inflated rafts etc floating by the poolside. We bought our son a ring for the fist few days, but by the end of the holiday he and our daughter had a dingy, a crocodile, a body board... which of course we have passed on to the next wave of holiday makers!
Hope this helps. It really is a lovely place, and if you have kids and want a holiday with laid on entertainment through out the day, then this is one to go on - just remember to book yourself a corner room!

Very impressed with our first visit to the Algarve and have found some of the comments about this aparthotel a little harsh. 10 out of 10 for cleanliness, apartments very roomy with stunning views from the balcony, particularly if you were the opposite side of the pool.
4 swimming pools to choose from, all cleaned out each day, yes there was a problem with sun beds but this was caused by the residents sneaking down early which is a bit naughty.
Supermarket on site which was reasonable with competitive prices. Bar service was a little slow but that is the European way and is something that we have come to accept, but Ishmael the best barman was different class, always had time for a chat with guests. Didn't eat much at the aparthotel as the food did look average.
At the main junction you can turn left and walk for 10mins and there are 5 restaurants, 3 Maria’s and the Indian are the best. Turn right and walk towards the strip (20mins walk) and the best we found were O Poeta, Puerto Vinho, Royal Chines and Costa Rica, these are well worth a visit. Always took a taxi back from the strip only 4 euros.
Reps were pleasant and helpful, but we all grew a little tiresome of the "please fill in the excellent tick box" scenario, but then again they are only following orders.
Entertainment was poor, no acts flown in which is a bit rich when you have paid £2500, couldn't fault Anthony and his crew they tried their best.
2 beaches close by, Maria Luis, turn left at junction and Santa Eulalia, turn right at junction. Have a pop round the Balia Golf Village great views and a nice clubhouse.
Daytime entertainment was good as were the kids clubs.
Overall had a great time found the male Portuguese to be more friendly and obliging compared to some of the female staff. Would definitely recommend my friends to go and have found some of the negative remarks on this board a trifle too fussy.

What a rip-off! They catch you for every cent here. I made an evening call to Ireland for 11 minutes from my room and it cost 26.44!I wouldn't have used it only the phone card the reps sold me didn't work.
I paid the phone bill after I made the call but when I was checking out of apt. they tried to make me pay again saying the system didn't show that I had settled the bill. Luckily I had the receipt to prove it. This happened to other guests as well. Another guest was charged 3.60 for a broken bowl and another 1.50 for a cheap glass. They charge you 1euro to call a taxi and the queue in the evenings waiting for them is appalling. The average wait is 1 hour. The complex operates a mini bus but it only takes 8 and most evenings it doesn't run.
They also charge you 1euro each for this. As the complex is so far out it is vital that they have sufficient transport to the strip and old town but they certainly don’t. Then again I think the whole idea is to keep you in to spend your money there. The first choice reps are awful- really false with a permanent fixed grin. You know all they want is to extract money from you. Also don't expect any sleep as it is all one open area and the noise goes on all night. I felt like I was imprisoned for 2 weeks. Complex is nice to look at and soccer school is excellent but it is a manic rip-off. Worst holiday I ever had.
There are loads of gaming machines for children but they never seem to have any change for them. The shop is really expensive and very poor selection. The staff don't like it when you want to break a note and get very odd. Bar staff are pleasant but it is a days work trying to get served. My husband often ended up walking away. Severe shortage of sun beds and umbrellas.
The rep said they were getting more but they never materialized. We ended up buying our own umbrella and sticking it in the grass. Another rep, kept asking you to tick the excellent box for everything, saying the pen won't work in anything else which makes you want to do exactly the opposite. I wouldn't travel with Falcon again after this, at least not until the scars heal. There are many more things (bad) I could write but I would be here all day. Only go here if you want a holiday of waiting, queuing and being ripped-off.

First impression was total dismay. The entrance wasn't completed and when we entered the foyer we were totally shocked at the standard. We have been to many 4 star hotels and the common areas in this hotel were unfinished, sparse, down-market and utilitarian. There were no sofas and the area was dominated, in holiday camp fashion, by the First Choice desk.
Right next to the reception was an area with pool table and gaming machines so, consequently, it was always noisy and full of teenagers and mess and to get to the pools you had to pass through this area which had disgusting coir matting on the floor. This matting was on part of every level and it was badly stained in parts and very unhygienic. There were 2 lifts which were always grubby-looking and the stairwell was poorly lit and I had to ask for it to be cleaned after the same stains and coke cans had not been removed after 4 days. There was a distinct lack of regular cleaning in the public areas which added to the shabby appearance. The hotel is new but it was unfinished and poorly maintained outside. The paved paths looked makeshift and there were weeds growing through all paving around the pools. There were workmen on site regularly during our stay - building, painting and tiling.
We had hoped to make use of the tennis courts and the football pitch but the cost of tennis was prohibitive on a daily basis so we didn't play and there was a beautiful all-weather pitch but there was hardly any time allocated to teenagers. We went as two families with four teenage boys and they were extremely disappointed by this although they loved the pools and the gym.
We had a great holiday because we knew the area and had hired transport for the duration. There are fantastic beaches at Maria Luisa, Santa Eulalia, Falaesia and Oura which are close by and there is no shortage of restaurants at Oura and in the old town. Anna's in the old town is absolutely fantastic. We spent no time at the hotel in the evenings as the public areas were so poor and the bar was like a working man's pub with entertainment blaring out.
The First Choice Reps were helpful and polite although we had little to do with them. The reception staff were not particularly helpful as my son found out when he tried to use the extremely expensive internet access. The shop staff were often rude and miserable especially if you did not have the exact money.
The apartments were 4 star and were spacious, clean and well-equipped with stunning sea views and great balconies and the facilities were 4 star, if expensive but DO NOT GO if you want style, luxury, elegance or comfort from a hotel! I would rate the public areas more like 2 star.
I wish I had read a review like mine before booking because I would definitely NOT have gone to this aparthotel.

We had a really wonderful 2 week holiday with our 2 small children (2 and 4). The apartments were absolutely awesome, really spacious and accommodated for everything, we even had a coffee peculator. The balcony was huge; it was as if we had our own garden.
The pools were excellent, and the water fountains were hours of fun for the kids (and my husband). We didn't bother with the indoor pool but with 4 other pools we were spoilt for choice. The brochure doesn't do the resort justice at all.
The staff were really nice and friendly, but the reps were awful. They kept telling us to mark "Excellent" on the survey at the end of the holiday. Well, if they have to beg for it that says it all!! Maybe they should try working a bit harder to earn it.
Needless to say they got a "poor" from us. We asked them to recommend a boat trip for our family, and it was possibly one of the worst experiences of my life. Half the boat, including reps, were throwing up over the side of the boat.
The food was disgusting and the wine was not fit for human consumption. When we complained the rep said "well what did you expect with the Atlantic Ocean!!". What’s that supposed to mean, we wouldn't know what to expect would we? For 80 Euros it was the biggest con - don't do it.
My only criticism was that it was difficult to find a nice restaurant. We found some in the old town but that’s a way to go every night with two little ones.
Would definitely go back if they got some nice restaurants nearby.
Awesome holiday.