Apartamentos Monte da Vinha I

We found plenty of restaurants within walking distance, and the apartment was clean and fresh, with a well-equipped kitchen, big bathroom and spacious bedrooms. The staff were very helpful. It’s a handy base for the Algarve, with water parks, towns and beaches nearby. You can reach the A22 in about 15 minutes and head east or west, mostly west. The local beach is okay, though better ones are a short drive or a 30-minute walk away. The pool was really only big enough for a dip. The beds were the hardest I’ve ever slept on, and my partner spent the last few nights on the couch to ease the hip pain. The shower fan didn’t work, so black mould was slowly spreading across the bathroom ceiling. The car park was a joke, tiny and cramped. After scraping the side bumper and causing €600 in damage, we just parked on the street. Getting hot water was a challenge too. We eventually figured out we had to open the shower, sink and kitchen taps fully, then turn them from hot to warm.