Alfagar Village

A fantastic family holiday, especially for children. Everyone we came across was polite and courteous, from the reception and room staff to the restaurant team, gardeners and entertainers. Even the builders renovating parts of the village were lovely. The food was good quality and I’d highly recommend it. No complaints at all.

There’s lots for kids to do here: the activities were fun, the water park was okay, and there are soccer and tennis courts. The grounds are well kept and the beaches are stunning. It’s a good family place, though our room at the oldest part, Alfagar Village, felt like a dark cave. We had a garden view rather than paying extra for sea view, and the rooms are dated. We did enjoy the unusually large patio our room came with. A couple of the many pools were closed during our visit, with no notice from staff or on the website. The outdoor pools were cool, especially in early April. The one indoor heated pool requires swimming caps, though I’m not sure why only that pool does. Caps cost 4 euros each at the shop. Towels are another hassle: it’s 5 euro per person plus a 10 euro deposit per person, refunded later, cash only, and you have to arrange it at reception. I’d bring your own towels and caps. I think having towels available at the pool would be a worthwhile investment. The restaurants were just okay. You can eat better elsewhere for less, or get better quality for the same price. The local mart is naturally more expensive than going off the resort, so it’s a convenience over price choice.

Nearby, there are plenty of cafés and restaurants if you don’t feel like cooking, along with Intermarché, Lidl and Aldi for groceries. The choice is good, except tomatoes were either too green or unavailable. Finding ripe tomatoes became one of our missions while traveling in southern Portugal. The staff were friendly and welcoming. The complex is very clean and well maintained, and it feels like walking through a park. We rented a house and found everything clean and just right for a relaxing stay, like being at our own countryside home. It had a stove, oven, microwave, kettle, coffee maker and refrigerator. The bed linens and trash were taken care of every other day. The ocean views are breathtaking, and our family was very happy here. We’ll definitely come back!

The beach is gorgeous, feels very private, and is only a five minute walk away. There are two mini marts in the complex and a Spar up the road with a bigger selection. The many pools suit both kids and adults, with slides, indoor pools and playgrounds. We spent seven days at Alfagar for our first trip abroad with our two young girls, and it was everything we’d hoped for. The apartment was spotless and really big, the staff were friendly and accommodating, and the location had everything we needed close by. I’d recommend it to any family. We’re already planning to come back!