TURIM Estrela do Vau Hotel

The staff are lovely, and the pools are decent. Our room, though, is very dated and a bit tired. There’s no socket near the bed for charging phones, and the kitchen has just one socket, so you can’t use the kettle, microwave, and toaster at the same time. The TV is small and hard to see from the beds. Renting the safe costs £40 for two weeks.

The staff were really friendly and helpful, and the pool has a kids' section with a handy café beside it. Our two-bedroom apartment had loads of space and a huge balcony, though the beds were pretty hard. We visited at Halloween, when there wasn't much nearby. I think there's an on-site shop in summer, but otherwise the hotel is a bit out of the way.

It took me sticking with it, but yesterday at 9 a.m. they fitted a shower head and hose, so we could finally shower. The manager apologized and offered a dinner voucher.

The location worked really well for both the beach and grocery shopping. We were there for six nights and got a free upgrade from a studio to a room with a separate bedroom. The staff were lovely, and after we'd been out they cleaned the beds and emptied the bin. The garden was very well looked after too. Pool towels and tennis equipment were included at no cost. We had an amazing stay and would recommend it without hesitation.