Villas Joinal

The pool area was lovely, though the water was very cold. The villas are spacious and really clean, making this a fantastic place for families. We’ll definitely be back.

We went back to the apartment with friends and their two kids. It’s really spacious, has two bathrooms, and our favourite part was the patio leading to the pool. We visited at the end of September and had a few nice neighbours to share the space with, though most of the time it felt like we had it to ourselves. The staff and cleaning ladies came regularly, and the place was kept nice and clean. Food and grocery options aren’t very close on foot, but having a car made things handy. We went to a few beaches and into central Albufeira at night, which worked perfectly. We’d definitely return and stay longer.

The beach is only 15 minutes away and was quiet and peaceful. You can hire beds there for 15 euros, dropping to 10 euros after 1pm, and there’s a little restaurant overlooking the beach. It’s a beautiful setting. Back at the villas, everything was very clean and the staff were friendly and really helpful. The individual terraces with loungers felt private, even though the villas are close to other people. We expected a busy pool since all the villas were full, but it was peaceful and quiet. The Spar is about a 15-minute walk away. For basics, there’s a small shop about five minutes in the other direction, next to an Irish Pub. There’s an ATM at the Spar and a closer one at the Irish Pub (the new dubliner).

The villas were kept clean, and each had a lovely little garden opening onto the pool. Everyone had their own sun bed, and the pool was quiet and relaxing. It was only a few steps from our villa, so popping back to the fridge for ice creams and drinks was easy. We could park our hire car just outside. It was our first family holiday abroad, and we all loved it. The decor, furnishings and kitchen facilities were very basic, but there was something nice about keeping things simple and enjoying each other’s company instead of focusing on stuff. I’m not sure how easy it would be without a hire car, since the beach is quite a walk away. We like hiring a car and exploring anyway, so that didn’t bother us. If I ask the kids where they’d like to go back to, they’ll say here.