Valmangude Jardim Hotel

“ hotel was great could do with updating .the receptionist 'tash' was great will do anything to help you out.great pizzaria across from the hotel great food.ideal location close to the strip for the younger generation and close to the old townfor the older more easier going generation. had a great time her will be going again next year.

“ Apartments very spacious, a little out dated but for the price they are great. Great pool area. Staff are very nice. Have stayed before and will stay again.

“ Top Tip: Fat Cats bar/restuarnt just around the corner, great food. Spent most of our time in the old town this year as the strip is now hen and stags parties a little wild for us.

“ We have stayed at this hotel previously, so we knew what to expect. The hotel is, as many have noted, definitely tired and long overdue for a refurb, i.e. tiles in bathroom have been painted over and the paint is peeling off in large strips; the walls are scuffed and the place needs a good spring clean.

The plus side, and the reason we return, is that the apartments are very large and well laid out with the bedroom a fair distance from the lounge - ideal for those with children who do not want to whisper all the time! The two settees in the lounge are standard 3 foot wide beds with proper mattresses, covered with an elasticated cover so no having to "make do" for poor old mum and dad on rickety old pull outs.

Each apartment has its own individual large hot water tank, so there is always a good supply of piping hot water (an essential for me when on holiday).

The beds, whilst never as comfortable as your own, are not bad - they are firmer than I am used to but we have never experienced any with lumpy mattresses or springs sticking up.

The cleaning, as you will see from other comments, is a very emotive topic. Some people say their apartment was kept very clean and others say the opposite. The standard of cleaning is entirely down to the maid who is allocated to your apartment. We have experienced both the good and the bad, so if you get a bad maid, complain and ask reception to allocate you another one.

The reasons we return to this hotel are listed above, plus the female receptionists are second to none - so friendly and extremely helpful. Another reason we return is because the hotel is located exactly where we want to be - not too far from the beach, a 15 minute walk to the old town and 5 minute walk to the strip (if you really must!) There are shops and restaurants very nearby.

“ Top Tip: There is a restaurant opposite the Valmangude entrance, on the opposite corner, which does a self service with amazing variety, of all kinds of salads or huge variety of hot dishes and vegetables, plus loads of fresh fruit, etc. You pay by weight, so ideal for families with young children as you only pay for what you want. It works out ridiculously cheap and is very tasty and healthy. You can also get takeaway so you can heat it up later at the hotel if you don't want to go out.

“ This was our 10th time in Albufeira in 8 years. Every room we've had has been much larger than resorts in countries such as Turkey and Greece but standards do vary. This was probably the worse one we've had; some are excellent. There's a plaque in reception boasting "Family Hotel of the Year 2000" - it may well have been, but it needs a total overhaul. The floor tiles moved as we walked on them, the bathroom was discoloured and grubby. The kitchen was very poorly equipped with a mix and match or pots, pans and utensils, a small 2 ring hob with a gap below where the oven used to be. We even had to ask for a toaster which reluctantly was handed over but there were no kettles even. Grey tatty towels and bedding too, and very old furniture. My daughter sat on the bed when we first went in a went straight through it!

We didn't see any maintenance of the pool or pool area and the 'snack bar' was never open.

It's in a great location if you want access to the lively strip for nightlife and the old town during the day. Not too far from the beaches if you don't mind a walk and you're OK with hills - but there are much better hotels in Arias de Soa Joao, and they can be had for a similar price, must book earlier next time.

“ Top Tip: Lots of things - Reno's, Cafe del Mar and BJ's Canadian bar on the strip, The beaches and the cliff walks between them (Praia dos Avieros is our favorite, follow the signs to Kiss night club, keep walking to the bottom of the road and look for the track down on the left of the Ouramar hotel) - oh, and don't miss an afternoon in Sir Harry's bar in the old town square, the staff are amazing.