Residencial O Farol

The pool was unusable when we went to take a dip. The water was green, and there was dirt and algae-like material on the tiles, so we gave up. Back in the room, my wife couldn't sleep because of the musty odor, which didn't go away even with the window open. The room itself smelled of mold, and plaster was coming off the walls. Check-in was rushed, and I only noticed afterward that the face towels and shower mat were missing. I went back to reception with my bags, but it was closed. At 4 PM the shutters were down and everyone had left. The restaurant wasn't open either, so we drove downtown and found a great place. The walk is worth taking. We tried to leave a review on Booking.com, but they weren't accepting any after our reservation. Has Booking.com removed them, or are they closing? I hope it's the latter, because it would explain a lot.

The garden outside was pretty, but cigarette butts were scattered around, and the view was spoiled by huge bulldozers working right in front of our rooms. Breakfast was meager, just bread, cheese, cold cuts, and a few pieces of fresh fruit. Our first Booking.com stay was a complete flop. There was no real check-in and we had no idea where to go. Two people just said, "Hi, you have to pay €XX for your stay," took the money, then disappeared. We had to find our room ourselves. We were the only guests in the building then, with all the other room doors open. The room was spacious but dirty and dusty, and I don't know what else was in there. I coughed every night. There was mold everywhere, plus cockroaches and centipedes, even on the beds and in the closets. Our fridge didn't work, and the shower was sometimes barely warm and sometimes had no hot water at all.

The photos gave a misleading impression, and the place felt neglected, with no attention to detail. I felt like just another person passing through, not a guest. Their only concern at check-in was getting the bill settled. The room had a strange mix of moldy, musty, stale smells. There were dead insects in the closet and dust on the shelves and under the bed, so I kept everything zipped away in my suitcase. If I'd known, I honestly would have rented a van. The mattress was old, hard, and creaky. It was made from two single beds, one higher than the other, and the headboard creaked whenever I moved. The pillow definitely needs replacing. The shower water was hot, if you're okay with that. The stay was truly disappointing, and I can't recommend it. For breakfast, walk 500 meters to a bar if you want to start the day properly. Otherwise, you can eat in your room while excavators work on the new golf course. At least the ocean is on the horizon, and maybe you'll get a little sleep, or two.

The balcony had a lovely view and the room was large, but the place really needs maintenance. The bathroom had mold, the pool was very dirty, and all the beds were badly in need of replacement. The mattresses had poor springs that we could really feel in our backs. We had to ask for towels and toilet paper, and they weren't replaced. Breakfast was basic, with no yogurt or eggs. It could be a really nice place with some renovation.