Fazendinha

I hate leaving bad reviews, and being accused of vandalism when we hadn't damaged anything made this one especially unpleasant. Marc let us drop our bags early so we could shop for the group, then things went downhill fast. Before we arrived, he mentioned a small pool problem. In person, it was very green and looked as if it had been neglected for weeks. We thought chemicals could fix it quickly and carried on with our plans. Four of us went to buy €600 worth of food and drinks for a barbecue for all 13 people. Marc knew what we were doing, but didn't tell us there was no electricity. When we returned with the supplies, we learned there was no power in the three fridge freezers, no lights or air conditioning, and no pool filtration. I had to go back out for ice. Marc said it would be sorted in a couple of hours, so we waited for the rest of our party. Our friends arrived after hours of travel, and the owners' partner was still cleaning beyond check-in time as we tried to pick rooms. There was still no power hours later. We were told someone would bring pool shock treatment and the water would be blue again soon, but it never arrived. The owners went out in an Uber for candles and later came back with a few partly used ones. We stayed because our activity day was that day, with wine tasting and a boat trip along the Algarve coast, and changing places would have meant missing it. The property was also dirty and dusty. A separate group showed up the next day because Marc had double-booked the place. He ignored the problem until they found somewhere else. Before leaving for the day, we didn't want all the food to spoil, so we ordered ice from the nearest supermarket. It wasn't ideal, but better than wasting €600. The following day I had a cold shower, no power, and a dead phone. A missing strip at the threshold of my bedroom's double doors let mosquitoes in, and I was bitten badly. The room was old-fashioned and nearly decrepit, with blood marks on the wall from earlier mosquito killings. We had one rental car, which we left idling for about eight hours so everyone could charge phones and work laptops. While we sat outside cooking on the barbecue before the food went bad in the heat, Marc decided to drain the green, stagnant, smelly pool. The water ran slightly downhill toward a drain outside some of our rooms. He also started cleaning around us while we cooked and ate dinner. Eventually I asked when the electricity was actually coming back. Marc said the bill hadn't been paid in December, which he said was why the power was off in May. He could have told us earlier, but didn't. We left on time, tidied, washed up, and put the rubbish, including spoiled food, in the right bins. We asked for fair compensation for the services we hadn't received. Instead, we were falsely accused of smashing 15 tiles. We didn't damage anything. He knew Booking.com wouldn't take up our claim, even though we had photos and videos of the problems. He was dishonest and refused to refund a fair share. I don't think I've ever written a bad review before, but he had plenty of chances to be straight with us.

Waking up to birdsong and taking walks nearby were some of the best parts of our visit. Fazendinha is quiet, surrounded by nature, and a lovely place to recharge, yet it's less than a 10-minute drive from central Tavira. Marcus, if I have his name right, was warm and welcoming from the start. We went in January, in the low season, and the price was extremely low. We were surprised by how good the comfort, setting, decor, and overall conditions were. There's a shared kitchen and living room, plus a pool, and with only a few rooms it never felt crowded. I'd really recommend staying here.

I've stayed here a few times now. It feels like home, and I always leave rested and already thinking about coming back. The guesthouse and the surrounding scenery are lovely, with such a peaceful atmosphere. I'd recommend it without hesitation.

We only wish we'd had more time here. The property is beautiful and the rooms are huge, and the owner was very helpful. Tavira is a lovely town about two miles away. We didn't have a car, so the owner picking us up at the train station was a big help. The next day we walked into town, which took about an hour and had great scenery. Stay here!