HI Portimao - Pousada de Juventude

The place is cozy, has a pool, and is near the shopping centre. The location is the problem. This is the worst neighbourhood in Portimão, and it’s actually dangerous, so stay alert. It feels like a protected criminal area, a major ghetto.

The staff were quite friendly, and there were some good things downstairs: spacious, clean common areas, a living room TV with movies, and a nice free breakfast with bread, fruit, cereal, coffee, vegetables, cheese, meat, and yogurt. But my room had an intense mold smell that made it hard to sleep, and I would never return because of it. The bathrooms were large but badly maintained, disgusting, and smelly. You also have to keep pressing the water button in the shower, since the water stops as soon as you let go.

The reception and housekeeping teams were what really made our stay. They were so friendly, caring, and helpful. Room 111 was basic but perfectly functional, clean, and good value. We felt safe, had working air conditioning, hot water, and fresh towels. The shared facilities are tired and simple, but it's a youth hostel, not a luxury spa. Hi Portimayo wouldn’t have been our first choice, but we'd booked festival tickets late and had few options. After reading some of the reviews, we were prepared for a bad time. We knew to expect a youth hostel rather than a 5-star hotel, and were pleasantly surprised.

The staff were nice, and the rooms were okay, but my stay was far too stressful to be worth it. Our rooms weren't ready when we arrived at 3, so we left our things in the locked communal storage because the lockers were too small. My jacket was stolen overnight, and there were no cameras or anything. The bathrooms and showers were filthy. It's an hour's walk from the beach and main area, so you'll need to take Bolt each time. Bring plenty of locks.