Salgados Beach Villas (ex Vidamar Resorts Hotel Algarve)

My friends found the staff helpful and pleasant. I visited them while they were staying long term in a villa, which had plenty of space, though a lot of it seemed wasted. There were only two bedrooms, even though the place could have fit at least one more, and the large open areas had no obvious purpose while the kitchen felt a bit small. It had a washing machine and dishwasher, but neither had hot water, which was especially an issue with the washing machine. The beach nearby was beautiful. In February, swimming was much too cold, but the walk along the shore was wonderful. There were more good places to eat around than I expected, although many were shut for the off season.

The rooms were cold, and the heaters in the living area didn't work. We complained a few times before anyone acted. The kitchen fridge also hadn't been cleaned and smelled of spoiled fish when opened. To their credit, they cleaned it and tried to fix the heating. We couldn't get help with our luggage, and the room phone didn't work. I'll update this if the staff move us to a room in the main hotel. I'm not keen on the villas here.

There's a good-sized pool, parking, plenty of space, and the location is good. But I'm still here and really regret choosing this place. The staff aren't well trained, the mattress is hard, the living room TV doesn't work, and the kitchen is missing some important items. The walls need painting too. The coffee machine only takes the company's pods, and each one costs €1. They also forgot to clean the villas, which I find ridiculous. If you're expecting a five star stay, I'd tell you to avoid this place.

The food was good, our rooms were clean and spacious, the sea view was lovely, and the staff were friendly. But the stay didn't feel up to the level I'd expect from a five star hotel. There were lots of families with young children, something I wish the hotel mentioned in its description. The property has three pools, two for children and one for adults, but families with kids were using the adult pool too, making it noisy and uncomfortable. There are a couple of bars, by the pool and in the lobby, but the prices felt far too high on top of what we were already paying for the stay. Some happy hours would be welcome. There was plenty for kids to do, but no activities for adults. We got a bottle of water in our room a few times a week. If they're going to provide one, I'd expect it each day at a five star hotel. Otherwise, giving it only sometimes feels odd. This place is good for families with kids, but it isn't worth the money.