Hotel Mar e Sol & Spa

The hotel itself was fine, nothing memorable but not bad. The reception experience was really poor. Our room wasn't ready at the agreed check-in time, and staff said it would take another hour. That was annoying, but the bigger issue was how they handled it: no apology, just a bored, uninterested attitude. We sat in the lobby for ages until I went to ask if the room was ready. The receptionist said it had been ready for a while, but nobody had thought to tell us. I emailed the hotel to complain and was told they'd sent me a message saying the room wouldn't be ready on time. I never received one.

The location was the only real positive for us. We thought it was overpriced and not up to four-star standard, and after travelling all over Portugal, this was the poorest hotel we stayed in. We booked a Junior Suite but were given a double room. They also agreed to call when the room was ready, but no call came. The extra bed for our daughter was broken, and she fell onto the floor and hurt herself. Breakfast had no service at all. We won't be coming back.

Good location and not a bad hotel, but I wouldn't stay again. The air conditioning in our room wasn't working, and I believe it was the same in other rooms. The breakfast room was stuffy and oppressive too, which seemed to be another ventilation problem.

The staff were cheerful, helpful, and attentive, and breakfast was terrific. The bar was well stocked too. With the recent refurbishment and excellent location, this is a really great hotel. Recommended.