Porto Bay Falesia

Having stayed several times at the excellent Eden Mar and Porto Mare (two of PortoBay???s hotels in Madeira) we decided to try the Algarve for a couple of weeks. We hoped that we knew what to expect and were not disappointed. We booked a side sea view standard room which actually meant that we could look straight out at the sea but from the side of the hotel, meaning that it was some distance away, visible over the tops of trees, the car park and another hotel. Being on the (top) fifth floor it was very quiet and well away from sources of noise. It was pointed out to us that PortoBay did not build this hotel and the rooms are therefore smaller than those on Madeira, but it was perfectly large enough for our needs and was kept spotlessly clean each day. We had a couple of minor issues with items in the room which were fixed quickly after being reported but other than the bath tap running at the same time as the shower (which we did not report) everything worked perfectly. Whilst our room (565) was by no means shabby, there were some signs of wear such as the edge of the bathroom door, which could be easily rectified with a quick coat of paint and did not spoil our stay. Outside the room, it all felt very familiar from Madeira. All staff from housekeeping up to management would smile and say hello as we passed and all worked hard to provide the best service and experience possible. Service in the buffet restaurant where we had breakfast and four dinners, the Italian restaurant and the pool bar was good with the quality of the food served being excellent. Our only real disappointment was that Pastel de Nata (traditional Portuguese custard tarts), which we particularly looked forward to, were not served at breakfast every day, which really was not enough, and the lovely freshly made doughnuts seemed to disappear during our first week there. Overall though we had a lovely holiday and were pleased that the same PortoBay experience extends beyond Madeira.

Beautiful property. Well maintained. Very attentive and friendly staff. Free breakfast with many choices. The rooms were very clean but a bit dated. Beautiful pool with very easy access to the beach. Finding a parking space was a minor challenge towards the end of the week.

We booked with a travel agent & paid a lot extra for a see view room. We got a very limited view through the trees so it was not worth the extra in our case. We arrived early and waited over three hours to get our room. We were not happy with the booking in procedure as we did not get the usual introduction about the place.Our room key was given to the porter who was instructed to deal with us. We had half board, the food was ok most nights, everyone seams to eat early so it very busy and you can cue.The tables for two were small & cluttered. The hotel is very quiet and the entertainment was dull, so may not suite everyone.Staff are friendly and helpful. You can exchange your evening meal for the Italian restaurant but this is only subsidized by ???15.00 a head. All in all its a nicely run hotel but the rooms are in need of an update. Have not been to the Algarve for a few years but felt it was expensive compared to other holidays.