Paraiso de Albufeira Apartments

Just returned from a two week stay in a very disappointing hotel. First time in a 4 star and found it to be of a lower standard than all 3 stars we have stayed in all over Europe.
The hotel is clean the staff are very helpful but somewhere along the way we seem to have lost the 4th star. Very well situated between old and new towns, local bus stops nearby a few shops and the tourist noddy train.
Don't envy anyone going there self catering or half board as it is well over priced. Lunch from the snack bar for 2 adults and a 9 year old would have cost 20 euros, a soft drink 2 euros and a small beer 2 euros 50.
The rush for the sun beds began from 5am although I went down at 7am one morning and managed to get one bed between 3 of us then there is the queue at the hut for umbrellas which opens at 9am. You need to join the queue by 8.30 if you are in with a chance.
These are only free if you are all inclusive so turn left out of the hotel and go and buy your own for 4 euros from a shop.
The quality of the food was fine but there is not much variety and none at all for breakfast. The kids clubs are good but they charge 15 euros for some activities which is way over priced.
The local shops sell day trips much cheaper than the reps and coaches pick you up outside the hotel.
All in all we had a good time because holidays are what you make of them but personally I feel the hotel is over rated.

On arrival, we noticed the hotel looked exactly as it did in the brochure.
The reps were very friendly and there was nearly always someone there if you needed anything.
The rooms were a good size. The main disadvantage of the rooms were the sleeping arrangements. In the main bedroom there are two single beds stuck together and in the main lounge room there is a sofa with a bed which pulls out from underneath.
The food was nice but there wasn't a very wide range of food, it was quite similar each day.
The evening entertainment was a choice between the glam club downstairs which is in need of refurbishment and involves the hotel reps dressing up and singing and dancing or the bar adao which had a live singer in there each night and bingo on alternate days.
The hotel is definitely in the right area/resort because you could either go to the few shops around the hotel or a 15 minute uphill/downhill walk to the beach which is nice.
The bar by pool is okay but I wasn't happy the way it limited children to how much they had each time they went up.
By the pool, the battle for the sunloungers was the same as it was last year so it meant getting up at 7:00am to reserve the sunloungers and have breakfast.
We also booked two excursions with the reps to the quarteira gypsy market which I wouldn't recommend. We also went on the jeep safari which is a definite must for when you go on holiday as you get to see the sights a lot better.
Overall, we had an excellent holiday and I would visit the same hotel again.

Just back from a two week break at this hotel. This was a holiday I'd really looked forward to, having not been abroad for 10 years and it was a recommendation both from others and Thomas Cook (based on my spec at the time of booking).
I suppose we got off to a bad start as our flight to Portugal was delayed by four hours meaning nearly twelve hours wait altogether. Arriving at the hotel I found the outside exactly like the brochure; it looks very impressive indeed.
However the interior, for a four-star establishment, is not what I would expect. The place reeks of cigarette smoke and is in need of refurbishment (we found out during our stay that plans are in hand for this next season).
The Thomas Cook reps (not the entertainment guys) are simply hopeless. The big Scots lad is cheeky and clearly in the wrong job. Perhaps I had the wrong idea about what 'All Inclusive' means when I enquired about something to eat on our late arrival (Thomas Cook's fault, not mine).
The attitude was appalling. Sure, it's not the hotel's fault that our flight was delayed, but a little common sense from the reps who would have known about our late coming would not have gone amiss; coffee, tea and some sandwiches would have been a great gesture.
As it was, with three hungry boys, we were forced into the expensive hotel shop for bottles of overpriced water and tins of even more overpriced food.
The hotel is huge but it can't cope with the number of guests; the sun lounger policy is just a joke and getting up at 7am every day just to get a bed felt like I was still at work.
When we booked the holiday - in December 2006 - we asked for (and it stated same on our invoice) for a pool facing room. Needless to say this was ignored, and while the rooms we got was brilliant in terms of size, it was on the wrong side and above the staff entrance. Noisy and smelly. Representations to the reps just fell on deaf ears.
The food was adequate but it felt like school dinners, breakfast time being the worst. The trek to the evening meal past the filthy Glam Club proved to be a burden so much so we eat out for most of the second week.
Plus points? Location of the hotel is superb, pool area clean and the daytime entertainments team are simply brilliant. There is though not a lot of adult stuff at night time, with at one point the Chef doubling up as the act in the alleged adult bar.
For kids though, Kazza and Jay and the rest of the team are brilliant, but not my cup of tea.
I only gave the whole experience 6 out of 10 based mainly on the hotel and the attitude of the reps. Thomas Cook are a nightmare to deal with and I won't be using them again.
Not having been all inclusive before I don't have anything to judge that part on value for money, but from listening to other guests who are veterans of this type of holiday, the Paraiso scores quite low.
We won't be back.

Just returned from the Paraiso after having an amazing holiday!
Food was excellent!
The grounds to this hotel are massive no problem in getting a place to sit. Large pool that’s never overcrowded but a bit cold. Great food at the snack bar!
Entertainment staff were first class and were entertaining you from 10am all the way up to 11pm.
Would highly recommend this hotel especially for families. Only ten minute walk from The Strip which is where all the nightlife is if you fancy a change.
Will definitely return to this hotel.

Went last year had a great time this year asked for ground floor with balcony as I had 2 under fives. They gave me fourth floor with the smallest balcony overlooking the delivery ramp.
Complained and was told there where no large rooms on the ground floor even though I had been there the year before and had ground floor with large balcony.
The reps where not helpful even though I had insurance I was told I would have to pay fifty pound for each of us to see the doctor we all caught eye infections there was seven of us.
I also asked if there was a medical centre that accepted nhs card was told nearest was in Faro. Hotel is like kindergarten children running around till all hours .I would not recommend this hotel.

We went self catering as my mum, dad, brother and sister was with me.
The reception was lovely and we were on the 7th floor and that apartment was nice.
The shops were good and we had lots of presents for our family, the reps were fantastic and they worked till 10am to 11.30pm.
The pool was massive and you could get moving a lot. IT WAS GREAT!

This was our second holiday at the Paraiso and we've booked again next year. It has all the ticks in the box for a us (2 adults and one four year old).
Yes the hotel needs a bit of a lick of paint and there are kids running around and yes the Glam club is loud but everyone is trying to satisfy the wide range of people who go there.
We were self catering but didn't go hungry! There are loads of places close to the hotel to eat that will satisfy anyone. Close by is the Modelo which is the local supermarket complex. It also contains a bank, and lots of shops, and again with some quite nice places to get a snack.
The hotel staff were very helpful even when confronted by some of the guests who were quite rude. The rooms were kept very clean, as was the rest of the hotel.
The hotel has a bus that takes you to and from the beach twice a day but watch out, it gets quite windy down there! The JMC kid’s entertainers were very good and our son wouldn't miss a night, and the hotel mini club Paraiso was good, well done Alex and Alex!
It did get a bit silly having to put the towels on sun loungers at 9.00 in the morning, and we were some of the last ones!

We went self catering as we had 3 children. The rooms were big. The pool was great.
We went out for meals every day, the Big Shanghie just round the corner from the hotel was great too. The entertainment with kazza, jay, t, phil and geri was fantastic every night my whole family really loved it, we might be going back next year with my husband's family.
The maid service was every day except a Tuesday all the staff were very friendly. We are missing the entertainment staff and my daughter was crying on the last day.

1 reader found this review helpful

Can't believe some of the comments. This is my 4th visit to Portugal and have to say the hotel and location was perfect.
Plenty to do around the hotel and only a 10 min walk to the old town or the strip.
Holiday's are what you make of them and can't believe the negative comments I have read. Beaches are fantastic as are the restaurants particularly Tim Tim's the Chinese across the road from the hotel.
The hotel runs a courtesy bus to Fisherman's beach (5mins) which is great. Chill out and enjoy your holidays!
Regards
The MCAVS Fae Bonnie Scotland.

Family of five - with a young baby.
Paraiso is massive, with very good facilities. I don't think it was a UK 4-star equivalent, but still very nice. We were self catering, and a lot of guests were all inclusive.
We were a little jealous of their free drinks and ice creams during the day, but not at all jealous of their breakfast, lunch, and evening meals - all of which looked like school canteen food. Prices of the drinks and snacks were very expensive.
The pool was great (although cold/refreshing). The grass area was very nice and meant you could play bat and ball or football with the kids.
All the staff were very nice (reception, shop, maids) except the bar staff who were largely ignorant.
The entertainment team were excellent and worked very hard throughout the fortnight. The daytime activities were very good. The evening shows were great for the kids but a bit long in the tooth for the parents.
Eating out - We ate out nearly every night. You had two main choices 'The Strip' which was designed for people who usually go to Blackpool, and the 'Old Town' which was for the more discerning holiday maker, we spent more of our time there. 'Bank' was our favourite restaurant, but there is no shortage of good restaurants in the square. We found some nice ones on the seafront too.
Taxis - Were our chosen form of transport, which can be booked from reception (for a petty 80c) as the resort got busier these became a little scarce, and the queues at the taxi rank to come home got very long.
The taxi drivers were mad, despite having a very young baby, the taxi driver was playing chicken with the train, racing other taxis and another was texting whilst driving, the last did some blind overtaking (I thought our number was up!). If your nerves aren't up to this, it’s a 20 minute walk from the old town - but it can be a bit chilly with the Atlantic breeze.
Buggies - Albufeira is not very buggy friendly. It felt hard work trying to get around with the little one.
Overall
People were very friendly; the resort is clearly well geared up to tourists. The beaches were beautiful, the weather fantastic and the company around the complex great.
If you want to spend two weeks on the complex all inclusive, you'll probably have a great laugh.
We did have a super holiday, would we go back though? Not to Paraiso or Albufeira, but maybe Portugal to try out the other resorts, but not for a couple of years.