3HB Guarana (ex. Riu Guarana)

Just back from a weeks day at this hotel with a 3 and 11 year old. Was an absolutely brilliant hotel - extremely clean (you constantly seen staff cleaning all areas at all times of day), food was exceptional - a wide variety of choice ranging from a huge salad bar, Italian section, meats veg and fish, different breads, soups, puddings etc. Every night there was different foods available in the main restaurant. The poolside restuarant was the same food each day but again a variety from wraps, rolls, pizza, salad,, burgers, fruit etc! (There was also a Mediterranean restaurant which was great (buffet style) and an Asian restaurant which we didn’t get round to trying. Entertainment was great - my three year old loved the mini disco and the water slides outside! My 11 year old enjoyed the pool games and quiz in the evenings! One day they every had a children’s day and had a bouncy castle, popcorn, face painting etc. Location is brilliant too - there is a handful of restaurants and shops in the village and access to a small beach but a much larger beach is a ten minute walk away down some steps which is gorgeous (my other half ran down the beach to vilamora). Vilamora is a 10-15 min ride away which you can do in an Uber and albufria is also a 10-15 min uber away. We much preferred vilamora as was less busy than albufria and had more nicer places to eat and drink by the marina. Would highly recommend this hotel!

I found the hotel excellent The staff friendly The facilities were great For a all inclusive hotel the meals were varied and well cooked I particularly liked having a choice of 2 fish dish every night There were also local dish from the Algarve We enjoyed it so much we have booked for next year

I am writing an honest review based on our experience, I will mention things that weren't mentioned by other people when I trawled the reviews before booking and had they been mentioned I wouldn't have booked this hotel. We have stayed in many 4 and 5 star hotels but this is the first time we have arrived at a hotel to find an empty fridge (that didn't actually work and has to be replaced) no bottles of water, when I queried this we were told that we have to buy water from the shop or use the water stations around the hotel to fill up the plastic bottles you are given upon arrival. I can live without the complimentary bottle of wine, Juice etc but to have to go and collect water constantly so that we had drinking water in our room is a step too far. The pool and sunbed situation was like nothing we had seen before. People mention in other reviews that there are plenty of sunbeds, that is because there are rows and rows of tightly squeezed in beds, that tightly packed together you might as well be lying on the same lounger as the stranger next to you. Not my vibe really, I'd prefer to be able to have a little space between ours and the next family and perhaps even the option of a table to put drinks on. The pool area can only be described as manic, the constant banging out of loud music whilst someone on the megaphone attempts to sing is simply awful and apart from a couple of hours mid day it goes on all day. There are no quiet zones, even the pool called the 'quiet pool' in the hotels description is full of kids, right next to the kids area and again is lined with rows and rows of loungers all squeezed together. THIS IS NOT A HOTEL FOR RELAXING! The only place to escape all of this is the beach. Another negative for us was the non existent table service for drinks in the evening. Again I haven't been anywhere before where you have to get you own drink in the restaurant, not at a 4 star hotel anyway. Even at the 2 a la Carte's there was no table service for drinks or indeed food, the food was buffet style as it was in the main restaurant. This is large hotel, appearing to be serviced by only two sets of two lifts which were then left overcrowded and had ridiculous wait times so advise against this hotel for anyone with mobility issues. The reception area is also not on the ground floor where the pool areas/Restaurants are and can only be accessed up a large flight of stairs or by one of the lifts. The food in the main restaurant is typical mediocre hotel food, same dishes night after night, it's very hard to rave about it but others appear to have found it great. I don't think it was great, I think it sufficed, was lukewarm at times as were the breakfasts. Positives to give a balanced view:- If you like a lot of noise, tons of kids and don't mind bedlam then this is a good hotel for you. It is clean, very clean actually and the Mediterranean and Oriental restaurants are very nice options which you can booked as many times as you want. The choice of drinks, soft and alcoholic is good and the slushes are amazing. The staff are all extremely pleasant, friendly and are constantly serving or cleaning with a smile. Room cleaning was done everyday and was to a high standard. This is not a bad hotel it's just not for us however as I say if you like noise, drinking, want easy access to Albufeira and a couple of beaches nearby with some nice little local eateries then give it a whirl.

Second time staying here and honestly cannot fault it. The staff are so lovely, the entertainment team is incredible, so many activities throughout the day to keep the little ones busy. There’s 2 areas where pool toys are kept for little ones on a re use basis which is a lovely touch especially if you forget to bring any. The rooms are clean, nice and dark at night and seem to have good sound insulation. The food is amazing, so many options and the kids especially love the chocolate fountain. No mad rush in the morning for towel wars which is always a bonus. 40 mins from airport probably 30 in a taxi. Would really recommend for a family holiday.

4.5/5 – Fantastic Hotel with Just a Few Minor Drawbacks This is a wonderfully clean hotel with immaculate pools, seating areas, and public spaces throughout. The main restaurant was excellent. The food presentation was beautiful, the quality was outstanding, and there was plenty of variety at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The snack bar was also spotless and well-stocked, with food freshly prepared, cooked, and served throughout the day. The Mediterranean restaurant (booking required) was absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere, décor, and food were all exceptional. It's genuinely one of the best all-inclusive on-site restaurants I've ever experienced. The Oriental restaurant was another highlight. The sushi and Asian dishes were delicious and definitely worth booking. The drinks selection was impressive too, with quality branded beverages, plenty of zero-sugar options, and a great cocktail menu offering lots of variety. Honestly, you have to look quite hard to find faults here, but there were a few minor issues. The air conditioning in the room was disappointing. It struggled to make much difference, especially during warmer periods. The pool rules also felt overly restrictive at times. There are two main outdoor pools: the smaller, quieter pool doesn't allow inflatables or ball games, while the larger pool is much busier and allows almost everything. Young families with babies in float rings were asked to move to the main pool, where it can be quite hectic, and even simple games of catch weren't allowed. A bit more common sense and flexibility would go a long way. This felt particularly inconsistent when other rules, such as taking food out of the restaurant and eating around the bars and pool area, were regularly ignored. There was also very little clear signage explaining the pool rules. The staff throughout the hotel were lovely, attentive, and hardworking. The lifeguards were simply enforcing the rules, although they occasionally received frustration from guests because of the lack of flexibility in those rules. A nice touch was the water refill stations located around the hotel, along with the reusable plastic bottles provided to guests. Overall, this is an great hotel with fantastic food, and wonderful staff. The few minor issues weren't enough to stop us having a great stay, and I'd happily recommend it.