3HB Guarana

The location is peaceful and feels more refined than Albuferia, but I’ve stayed at this kind of resort many times and wouldn’t choose this one again. For a lower price, there are better options in Makadi Bay in Egypt, and I’d pick Haydapasha Palace in Turkey or Zafiro hotels in Majorca instead. We paid over £1200 per person for ten nights all inclusive, so I expected more. The room was small and the air conditioning was very weak, even on its highest setting. We visited in May, when it was 26-29C every day. The double bed in the family room was nice, but the fold-out beds felt like rough camp beds. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since we arrived. The food was mediocre, with little flavour or choice, and there were no themed or special evenings. Entertainment was average. Getting drinks was basically self service throughout, and the pool bar stayed closed until June even though the hotel was packed and people were in the pool all day.

The food was good, especially the salads, which we enjoyed for keeping things trim. I’d have liked more exotic choices, but I suppose we could have booked the speciality restaurants earlier. The staff were friendly and worked hard to clean up after our little one made a mess with food. There’s a lot to like about the hotel. It’s huge and very well equipped for such a remote part of Portugal, and our room was kept spotless. We really appreciated the friendly service. But the music was almost nonstop for the hotel’s activities, which made it hard to enjoy a quiet read by the pool. I know I may be more sensitive to this than some people, but we came to get away from the bustle and hear only the odd family chatting. At one point the noise, especially the awful bingo chants, made my little boy, who was one year and nine months old, cry because he was uncomfortable. People who want dance music could use headphones. I’d avoid this place unless you’re happy with the constant music.

This was our second stay with our son, daughter-in-law and grandsons, and we had a fantastic time. The sports bar was one of our favourite places to relax with a drink. There are two beaches a short walk away, and supermarkets, pharmacies, gift shops, bars and restaurants right nearby. It works brilliantly for the children, who loved the pools, splash park, playground and mini disco, and adults have a great time too. The food was good, there’s no limit on drinks, and the staff handled food allergies really well. We found some of the food labels confusing, but the staff were helpful and we asked whenever we weren’t sure. We’d definitely recommend this hotel.

Our week here was superb. The hotel was very clean and well maintained, and the staff were respectful. One evening my little son lost his favourite Spider-Man toy by the big pool and was so upset. I asked a man cleaning the area if he’d seen it, and he found it and gave it back to my son. He made him so, so happy. His name was Arruna, and I wanted to thank him here. I highly recommend the hotel and will definitely be back soon.