Pestana Blue Alvor Beach - All Inclusive Hotel

We’ve just returned after 5 days here. I normally write my reviews with a section each on positives and negatives but unfortunately, I can’t actually think of any positives at all. Here are all the things you need to know before you book: - it’s nowhere near a 5-star hotel. It’s more like 3-star - given we spent close to £600 per night for a family of 4, it’s daylight robbery. Our family room on the 16th floor was disappointingly small, unclean and uncomfortable. The air con and fan were terrible. Fridge didn’t work. Was supposed to be recently refurbished. It’s not. - food and drink are REALLY poor. It’s the biggest let down. The dining area is small and so expect to queue. The staff are useless and don’t clear tables quick enough. The choice of food is very poor. Cold food and tasteless. Many of the options were like eating cardboard. Selection is repetitive and bizarre (veg for breakfast anyone?). The only highlight is the one grill section which is therefore popular and you’ll need to queue. Seats are filthy. Really filthy (see photos). Tables are rocky. Plates and glasses are dirty. It’s just terrible all round. - the swimming pool is freezing cold. To the point where my wife and kids refused to get in after day one. We went for a poo-type holiday. This was a disappointment - the entertainment is none existent. My kids were 13 and 15 and so qualified for the teen area on the basement. It’s grotty and dirty. No attempt for anyone to create a happy or entertaining atmosphere. Again, dirty seats, unclean floor, poor equipment (only 1 table tennis table and a sofa for PS and Xbox). There are some machines and a pool table but you have to pay for these. - the self-serve drinks machines are often not working. When they work, they taste horrible - no smiles on most of the staff’s faces. Some were nice. Most were not. - pool area is not cleaned. I stood in someone’s tomato from the night before. - the hotel is in the middle of nowhere. The beach is a 5-min walk (slight incline on the way back). Most guests ended up going to the beach instead of hanging around the hotel. - there is a paddle course, mini gold course and an infinity pool (€20 for half a day). Good luck getting any bookings for paddle if you are staying less than 5 days. - the advertised events DONT HAPPEN. My teenage boy was looking forward to the 7pm football each evening. It never occurred. He was so disappointed. I asked the staff and they said it only occurrs some days (not what the sign said). We tried 3 days in a row. Nothing. - the so called food truck by the pool is the worse thing I’ve ever seen. My son wanted a hot dog. He got a cold sausage from a jar in a bun with crisps on top. Disgusting. - pool area ran out of towels daily - wine is a €3 bottle I can go on and on. It was so disappointing given we paid extra for a 5-star hotel. AVOID THIS PLACE.

Very professional staff have a great time there

It’s good food I like it her it’s to nice

Aqua gym the best I’ve ever been to! Fantastic class

We stayed at Pestana Blue for 9 nights and, in my mind, this is not a five-star hotel — which is such a shame, because with attention to the details it could be incredible. It’s stunning, right by some of the most beautiful beaches. The staff are friendly and polite, the entertainment team work incredibly hard, and the kids’ club was faultless. The food, though, is average at best. On many occasions they ran out of dessert spoons, and bowls at breakfast. When I asked a waiter for a bowl, I was handed one with a large chip in it. One evening I found plastic in my food. I reported it, and the manager was lovely, he offered us a cabana and left cake and a bottle of wine in our room to compensate. I assumed this would prompt a real lift in the restaurant’s standards, but the food and service stayed below what we’re used to at five-star. We booked through TUI. The towels are tired and hard, and on our last two days there were no fresh towels at all only thin beach blankets. On our final day we checked out at 12, but our flight wasn’t until the evening. When I asked for somewhere to give my daughter a shower, I was told there was nowhere as the rooms were fully booked, and to use the shower by the pool. I pushed back and asked to speak to a manager — at which point a room suddenly became available. As I said, it’s a real shame, because it’s a beautiful hotel that clearly does very well. They could easily afford to invest in the basics — towels, spoons, bowls — and in their food and service, to reach the five-star standard they’re graded at.