RIA Terrace

The location was the one thing in this place’s favor. We only had one night booked, otherwise I’d have left straight away. Our room felt cold, musty and dirty. The sheets didn’t seem fresh, the blankets were stained, and the pillows looked used and unwashed. I ended up sleeping in my jacket with my own clean clothes over the pillow. There was no heating or AC, and the windows wouldn’t shut, so outside light and noise came right in. We could hear every person walking past and kept our voices down so people wouldn’t hear us. A dog in another room barked constantly, and the bed was stiff and uncomfortable. The shared bathroom had no soap available, ran out of toilet paper by morning, and its door was hard to lock. You could see through its glass from outside, which felt creepy. The old, dirty-looking bath and shower made me not want to touch them. The woman at the desk was nice, but check-in was at 3 and we arrived at 1. Our room was ready, she said, but going in early cost €10. Leaving our bags until 3 cost €1 per bag, which I’ve never come across despite travelling in many countries. It wasn’t even that cheap for the night. We thought it might be fine for one night despite the mixed reviews, but it really wasn’t worth it.

You can get a cheap stay here if comfort isn’t a priority. The rooms are badly outdated, with peeling walls, old beds, worn sheets and an uncovered pull-out couch. The bathroom’s in poor shape too: the shower head holder is broken, the drain is slow, and the tub looks old and dirty. At least the shower gets properly hot. The staff are accommodating, respond quickly and can be flexible about check-in. There are bars and clubs close by, which makes it handy for nightlife. Parking is a struggle, though it’s easier to find a spot later at night.

The location is the standout, just a minute’s walk from the bones chapal, Faro marina and the old town. Rooms are simple and basic, but comfortable, and the service is good.

The terrace was lovely, with views across a couple of rooftops, and having a kitchen to use was a nice surprise, provided someone had cleaned up before you. The bathroom was pleasant and the hot shower helped my aching back, though there was no shower pole, so I had to hold the head while washing. A small annoyance. I booked cheaply and expected an average bed in an average guest house. The bed was awful. The mattress topper seemed never to have been washed or changed and was literally stuck to the mattress with dirt; the mattress itself was worn out too. I can only assume the bedding had been changed because it had to be. The room was otherwise okay and well presented, but there was a broken window and the walls were so thin I heard every footstep echo and every whisper as if someone were shouting. Noisy guests and music from midnight until 4:30 a.m. made sleep even harder. I spent the whole week dreading bedtime and was tired, cranky and sore throughout my vacation. I wouldn’t stay here again. It’s a shame, because a little money spent on fixing basic broken things and replacing the mattresses, or at least the toppers, could make this a lovely place.