La Réserve Comporta

Simone is worth a stop for its brilliant French bakery. We’ve stayed here several times, and both the resort and Carvalhal seem to improve with each visit. The new resort still has some finishing work to do, but it’s already a great base for exploring: two minutes from the village centre and five minutes by car from Pego and Carvalhal beaches. Mosquitoes were the one nuisance, though that’s nothing to do with La Reserve.

The apartment worked well for our family with two children under two: it was spacious, had a dedicated parking spot just a few metres away, and the village shops and restaurants were about a five-minute walk. Simone bakery deserves 10/10, with great products, friendly staff, and fair prices. The stairs were a real problem. We were given an apartment one floor up, with steep, high steps and no elevator. That was difficult and dangerous with a toddler, and especially hard with a three-month-old in a stroller. We had indicated the children when booking, so I don’t understand how this room assignment happened. Staff and whoever handles bookings need better training. We were also disappointed to learn at check-in that the pool wouldn’t be available until August, even though Hotels.com had listed one. It was one of the main reasons we chose the place. The wine glasses in our room were all dirty, and when I mentioned it, the receptionist only said she’d tell the cleaning team. That wasn’t a good enough response for a new resort aiming for a high-end reputation in Comporta.

The apartment was beautifully finished, bright, comfortably furnished, and had comfortable beds and a well-stocked kitchen. We had a wonderful week in July at La Reserve, in a peaceful setting near lovely beaches and a short walk from Carvalhal village. There’s a bakery, bar, and spa on site, though unfortunately the swimming pool hadn’t opened yet. A laundry room on site would have helped, as the nearest one is a few minutes away on the village’s main street. For families, a playground or games area would be welcome, and an on-site bike rental service would be useful too. I’d still highly recommend it.

The apartment was spotless and very nicely decorated. We stayed in B14, which had two bedrooms, a sofa bed for two, a barbecue, and an outdoor area. Café Simone is inside the resort and has excellent products. The location is great too, just a two-minute walk to Carvalhal village and a five-minute drive to Carvalhal beach. I recommend it!