THE FOZ Beach Hotel

Avoid this place. We booked two weeks but had to leave after a few days because of an emergency, and they wouldn't even consider a small refund. The room and bathroom had mould, the TV didn't work, and the bathroom sink drained painfully slowly. The rooms at the back look straight into nearby flats and have no view. The hotel looks scruffy now, unlike the photo, which must be from when it opened. The reception area and foyer felt old, dull, and dirty, and the vending machines were broken. There was no bar, and breakfast had no bacon. One night the fire alarm went off and nobody was at the front desk. One day we came down to reception and found everyone on prayer mats facing east. For a few euros more a night, you can find better value.

They looked after me and my family really well, even giving us some extra things we needed. The cleaning ladies were lovely, and we became friends with the man at the main reception desk. I had a great stay and missed the place after leaving. We'd come back without hesitation.

The price isn't justified, even with the location. The room cards had scraps of paper stuck to them saying “lost,” and there were stains on the sheets and towels. The shower had no glass screen, so water leaked across the bathroom. When we complained, they said it was strange and didn't believe there was no screen or curtain, but nobody came to check. We asked for fresh towels after using ours to mop up the water, and they never arrived. The rooms also smelled strongly of sewage, so we had to sleep with the window open. They didn't have bins, glasses, a fridge, a locker, shampoo, or air conditioning. Avoid.

I booked through Booking after looking at the ratings, photos, and price, and went directly with the hotel. When I arrived, they handed me a key and told me the door wouldn't close properly unless I slammed or forced it shut. I think my low rating comes from how different the stay was from what I expected for a couple of days over the Portuguese holiday. The beach view and proximity to the beach were good, and the staff were friendly. Breakfast was kind of okay. But the rooms didn't match what was shown online, and the pictures seemed to be of rooms that had already been improved. Our room had only two single outlets, the AC had no remote, and there was no hairdryer or shampoo. You could ask reception for a fridge, but there wasn't one in the room. We got two single towels. The hotel had one elevator and only six parking spaces. It's advertised as a three-star hotel, but I'm not convinced it deserves that. It seems they acquired the nearby Tramagueira, since that branding was still on my bed. There's a lot of potential, but right now the place doesn't match what it advertises. I might return once the renovations are finished.