Orada - Marina Albufeira apartamentos

We had a great time at the pool, and the cafe bar staff were so friendly and always went out of their way for guests. The pool is a good size for families. It can get busy, though we usually found a bed. Umbrellas weren't always available, but the lifeguard could fetch more when we asked. The apartment was basic but had what we needed, with three bathrooms, several balconies, and plenty of space in the three bedrooms. Most of the rooms were lovely. The twin room's balcony had a birds nest, though, and the birds coming and going made so much noise that we couldn't sit out there. The marina is about a two minute walk away, and the old town is around 15 minutes on foot. Taxis are easy to get and cheap for the ride to the old town. We got clean towels every other day, but our beds were changed just once during the three weeks. I brought laundry tablets and did the washing myself. It would have been handy to have dishwashing and laundry tablets in the apartment, though there's an Aldi nearby. We felt safe overall, even if a few door locks weren't great, since the main entrance was very secure. We'd definitely come back.

We keep coming back as a family of six, and the pool and grounds are lovely, always immaculate. It never feels too crowded, and we've always found a sunbed, though a few more umbrellas and some repairs to the beds would help. The location works well for us, within walking distance of both the marina and old town. The rooms have great air conditioning, but some lamps would be useful with young children. A few of the doors also don't feel very secure.

I can't understand why this place gets such high ratings here and on Booking. The rooms were dirty, the bed was probably one of the worst I've slept on, and the receptionist was awful at checkout. The only good part was the parking.

We stayed for two years. The location is good and the place is spacious, but it costs too much for Western-style comfort. Keep an eye on your deposit, since you might not get all of it back. The rooms are average, with substandard furniture and old, very uncomfortable beds and sofas. The infrastructure is failing, and the poor windows let wind through the rooms even when all the doors are shut. At best, I'd give it a B-.