B42 - Oceano Atlântico Apartment

Our room for three had a big living area and a fully equipped kitchen with a cooktop, oven, microwave, electric kettle, and toaster. Staff were very hospitable and cleaned the room every day. The serviced apartments also have an indoor heated pool, an outdoor pool, and a conference room.

We liked this stay so much I would have considered booking a few extra nights. Our apartment was much better than a typical hotel room, with a spacious bedroom, living area, fully equipped kitchen, and washing machine. Being able to do laundry in our room was great. The air conditioning got VERY cold, which was a plus. I’d booked online just 20 minutes before arriving because our earlier booking fell through, and the front desk staff member got us checked in quickly and was very friendly.

The location was handy, about a 5-10 minute walk to the beachfront and 15-20 minutes to Continente supermarket. I booked a balcony room for my partner and me, and it was spacious with a fairly large balcony, plenty of towels, and spare bedding. The bed was the comfiest I’ve slept in at a hotel, which mattered a lot with my severe back problems. I booked nine nights in May 2023, and it was easily one of my best hotel stays. Before flying out, I emailed to ask whether we could have a high-floor room facing the sea. They said they’d do their best, and when we arrived they gave us a high-floor room with exactly the view I’d hoped for. The staff went above and beyond, even bringing takeaways to my room without being asked. I didn’t try the restaurant food, since I ate out or cooked every day, but whenever I passed it, it smelled nice and looked very clean. The weather wasn’t very warm during our nine days, so we couldn’t make much use of the outdoor pool. The pool bar was closed because it was out of season, a minor inconvenience. There was an indoor pool at a nice temperature, though you had to wear a swim cap, another minor inconvenience. The hotel has its own car park, and they had no issue with me parking my hired moped out front. I had a great stay, with lovely views and good nights of sleep. I’m writing this almost a year later, which says a lot about the place. I’d 10000% love to book it again.

We had a fantastic time in Portimão and would definitely return. The apartments were modern, clean, and felt like a full four-star stay, with exceptional facilities and even a washing machine. Cleaners came daily to clean, make the beds, and change the towels. We didn’t use the bar or restaurant, but both were available for breakfast and dinner. The location was excellent. It was a 15-minute walk to a fantastic beach and ten minutes in the other direction to the Continent Supermarket, which had a great selection upstairs. Praia da Rocha was 15 minutes away on foot, Portimão Harbour 30 minutes, and taxis averaged €3.50 to €5. Alvor is always worth a visit, and a taxi there was only €7. Eating out at great restaurants, including for fresh fish, was inexpensive too.