Apts Elma

We were charged an extra 50 Euros for air conditioning, even though we never used it. When we asked the front desk about the charge, they were uncooperative and showed no sympathy. It took unnecessary effort and stress to try to get our money back. I regret that our stay at Elma Apartments was so unpleasant. Guests shouldn’t have to deal with this kind of problem during a relaxing stay. I can’t recommend Elma Apartments unless they fix their customer service and billing practices.

We had a really nice April holiday and were very happy with our stay. The beach is only a few minutes away on foot, and you can keep walking from there into Albufeira. There are plenty of Ubers around, and the app made getting somewhere quickly and cheaply easy. The apartment was spacious, housekeeping came regularly with fresh towels, and the pool was quiet and pleasant. There was a bar too, with a friendly bartender. I'd recommend it.

Being so close to the beach was a real plus, and the pool was okay. But the place wasn't really suited to six people. The beds felt too short for anyone over 185 cm, and the living room mattresses were very thin. Despite the listing, there was no Wi-Fi in the room, and even the regular reception was barely available. We also couldn't play ball with our little one in the pool, even though we were the only people there.

The apartments turned out to be huge, more like a home at a reasonable price, with access to the shared pool and a smart LCD TV. I'd seen a lot of negative reviews on sites like Bookings.com, so my expectations changed once I experienced the place myself. Reception was great and worked around our schedule. The beds weren't especially comfortable, there was no Wi-Fi, and the pool is always about a foot shallower than I'd like as a tall person. Still, you take what you can get. If I come back to Albufeira, Elma Apartments would be a good option for a change from the usual.