Acos Apartments - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Cambuslang Travel - Date Not Specified
Opinion submitted in June 2004 by :
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Well as i am a young teenager then anyone else reading this may find their oppinion on praya da rocha different.
Well i would say Pray Da Rocha was an excellent place. It had good night life and a friendly atmosphere. the beach is lovely. there are great days out to go on if thats your kind of thing. eating out is good and fairly cheep.
However, Acos Apartments are totally differenet. Most of the people in it are portugues and the staff are not good at english. the pool was disgusting and i wouldnt think of goin in it! there was nothing to do their! it was so boring! the rooms were very clean though. luckely though we were aload to go across to the next apartments about a 5 minuet walk away caled the Salmont Apartments wich were much better. The staff there were much nicer and welcoming. especialy Roody! the pool was always clean and people were atchualy there to talk to. you could get ready food there to.
i would deffinately reccomend praya da rocha and salmont appartments but deffinately not acos apartments
xxx
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Thomson Holidays
- August 2007
Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : 50, 30
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
For the last few years, I have used this site extensively when deciding where to go on holiday and I have found it to be very useful. So I am adding my own review after spending two wonderful weeks at this hotel. There are quite a number of reports already about this hotel and Praia Da Rocha in general, so I will try to be as honest and helpful as possible. You may notice that there are conflicting reports about the class of the hotel, let me first of all say that in my opinion, it is certainly a 5 star hotel.
The staff with only one exception are the most polite and friendly staff that I have come across. They always have a smile on their face, and nothing seems too much trouble. The rooms are spacious and cleaned every day to a very high standard. There are numerous bars and facilities, and you are always waited on with drinks etc. brought to your table rather than carrying them yourself. Breakfast is a pleasant experience and the staff are always polite and attentive. If you get a chance, take in the nightly show and dinner in the Casino restaurant, despite conflicting reports, it is an extremly good meal and the show that we saw was first rate, on a par with a West-End show, and at only 38 Euro's very good value. There is a small Newsagent/ Gift shop in the hotel, and also internet access. Massage/Jaccuzi/Sauna/Turkish Baths and Gym is also available.
The only down side as far as I was concerned was that the large pool was quite deep except for the steps at one end and did not allow any Lido's or Floats etc. This in my opinion impacted on the enjoyment of the younger children present. To be fair, it really is more suited to the older or couples, rather than those with a young family. It is a very cosmpolitan hotel, with visitors from the UK being in the minority. As for the resort itself, you really are spoilt for choice. The hotel is ideally situated, with the choice of having the queiter end of the strip outside and to the right, or if you prefer, the livlier part on the left. You really are able to have two different types of hoilday there, depending on what suits you.
I carried out extensive exploration of this site when it came to places to eat out in the evening, and having tried many different places, in the two weeks that I was there, I will try to be as helpful as possible. Right opposite the hotel, just to the right is an Italian restaurent called LA DOLCE VITA. Please do not be put off by the small queue outside, the wait is worth it. The food is top rate and at very reasonable prices. You are not rushed over your meal, and the staff are very friendly( a theme that seems to run throughout the resort)
Another excellent place to eat is the ATLANTIC. It is left out of the hotel, about 300 metres along on the right hand side about in the middle of the busier part of the strip. Food, service, surroudings all to a very high standard.
The TITANIC, just a little further along on the right, is also superb, and you will not be dissapointed to dine here.
One of the best places we went to, even going back twice is the SITTING BULL. It is like a high class TGI Friday, and the portions are huge and the staff once again extremely pleasant and helpful. You must have the Nacho's and the Fahita's to follow. Mind blowinwingly good.
Another excellent place to eat is the FALESIA. It is up a bit furher on the left hand side, and it is situated on the first floor. It is a little more expensive, but well worth it. There is a vast choice on the menu, high class surroundings, and excellent service.
One place that we tried after reading good reviews was the DOCKSIDE. This is at the marina end( turn right out of the hotel). This was the one dissapointment we had. At only 9 o'claock in the evening, they were out of a number of items on the menu, brought the wrong drinks, and exceptionally, the staff were surly and unhelpful
For a nice lunch or a late breakfast, try the ALGAR BAR. Just across the road to the left of the hotel, they do a great "Full English" And very tasty toasted sandwiches along with a wider range of very well priced maels etc. They also, according to my wife,do a mean Pina Colada.
For the more enrgetic of you, you can have a very pleasant stroll along the newly-built walkway, that steaches along the whole length of the beach, from the Marina to almost Praia Da Vau. It is well lit, and is a good way to walk of a heavy evening meal. The only problem is the steps leading back up to the strip, very testing for the less than fit of us.
There is plenty more that I could say about the resort, but I fel sure that you are now bored of reading this report.
Just to say that if you are looking for a good relaxing holiday for just the two of you, treat yourself to this hotel in this resort.
Ist class.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Thomson Holidays
- Septembr 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : Mr & Mrs (58,59)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
The best Hotel in Praia da Rocha for location, needs sea view & balcony to best appreciate. Very good position at the lowest point of the rock face to be climbed up & down to the perfect & clean beach. No climb at all with their personel steps to the Hotel beach, sunbeds (& clean towels daily) supplied free - as they are around the pool. Plenty of spare beds & brollies available so no need to jockey for position every day. Breakfast selection very good in pleasant atmosphere and speedy service from staff to clear tables for new arrivals.
The resort has many eateries, give some of the smaller local places a try when you're looking for a change to UK diet. Prices can vary greatly, cheap can still get you good food. If you are only into burgers/ribs/pizza etc there's plenty to satisfy - however please be adventurous and try the fish it's their staple dish(es). Drinks in the Hotel are expensive - numerous bars to choose from, many Irish bars & Irish holiday makers as well. Weather was pleasantly hot at this time of year, all in all a very good holiday. Have noticed that prices seem to have dropped for this Hotel considerably since 2006 as this review being placed late (Aug 2007).
Hotel getting a little tatty but can imagine how grand it must have been when last upgraded, would consider coming again if we re-visit Portugal.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours July 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Paul Isles -LONDON (25,25,25,24)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Best located hotel in praia da rocha,we had a room over looking the road, no balcony but we didn't really need one and for an extra 22 euros a night i didn't really want one! Swimming pool is 42m long and never busy.Decking terraces over looking the beach are great.Buy your drinks outside the hotel from the small supermarkets.Walkway along beach is at great addition to the resort and goes from one to the other.Good restaurants include La Dolce Vita- Italian doesn't look much from outside but great portions and great food, Atlantis is head and shoulders above the competion, the shared steaks are amazing at 26 euros.
Visit Alvor one night try Mourous cocktail bar ask for a strawbery frost out of this world,and try the restaurants along the front by the beach our favorite was alabaja try the prawn curry, so good we had it twice.
Casino a litte disapointing
Beach is so clean, can't be beaten
All in all a great relaxing holiday, if you are from England be prepared to be outnumbered in the resort (not hotel) by our Irish friends theres about 10-15 irish bars and they seem to be everywhere.
This was very surprising to me, not in a negetive way, can anyone from Ireland shead some light as to why it is SO popular with you guys.Maybe the english go to Albufeira.
Go to this hotel and go to this resort you won't be disapointed. Have fun!
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Travel Republic - June 2006
Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Hayley Stevens - Lancashire (41,43,48,49,56,56,63,53)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
We stayed at the Algarve Casino in June 2006. We went as a party of four couples. The hotel is very clean and sun beds around the pool are plentiful, however, if you want a parasol you need to get down to the pool early as there are very few and many do not work. The salt water pool is very deep and there was no shallow end for the swimmers in our party who were not confident in water.
The breakfast is very basic and certainly not up to what one would expect of a five star hotel, I have had much better in a four star. Only one type of sausage and two types of egg, boiled and scrambled served every morning. There is a queue every morning to get into the dining room and once inside it is very hot and stuffy. The gym advertised is not a gym at all, just a small room with two cycling machines and a step machine. Out of the four couples in our party we all got a sea view but we were the only couple with a balcony. All the rooms at the front and side of the hotel have no balcony.
The bar in the hotel is very expensive and you will pay four euros for a blob of icecream in a tub, walk across to the shop opposite the hotel and pay 60 cents. Beware - the casino is not free for hotel guests! You have to pay four euros admission and don't forget your passport for ID.
All in all we all enjoyed our holiday at this hotel and the resort but would rate the hotel four star, certainly not five.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Lastminute.com - June 2006
Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Alana Andrews - Somerset
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Hotel
The Hotel is perfectly situated on the more quiet side of a bustling strip and overlooking the beach of Praia Da Rocha. It provides easy access down to the beach via steps and hosts beautiful gardens and pool. The food within the restaurants is of a good quality but comes at a high price and you can easily find good if not better alternatives outside of the hotel. Breakfast is ok, but I have had better from a 4*. The bar service is of a very high standard and a nice relaxed evening can be enjoyed on the balcony over looking the beach.
Our room was situated on the bottom floor (of 3) in an adjacent building attached to the main hotel with a large balcony and overlooking the beach which was a treat. However on the second night we soon realised sleep was going to difficult during our stay due to the poor sound proofing. Unfortunately we had noisy guests above us who would drag furniture around at 3am and because of the tiled floors every step can be heard not only from above but the side rooms also. Some of the furniture is dated and consists of large wooden draws and metal stools which generate a lot of noise. Conversations can be heard very clearly from other guests in their rooms which is not such an issue at other hotels I have used. My partner is a heavy sleeper and even he was disturbed by the noise.
Towards the end of our break after numerous nights of being woken up and at 3.30am we had to call reception to politely ask them to have a word with the room at fault however they simply informed us they were checking out and would be gone soon. another hour later and still nothing had changed. We did not receive an apology and they were very quick to put the phone down. This sadly did start to ruin our break because days trips were delayed due to lack of sleep and our energy levels were always low.
Resort
The resort of Praia Da Rocha is great and can host either quiet relaxed nights or lively ones depending on what you fancy. The 'strip' is bustling and has many bars and a few clubs. Drink prices vary between the pubs and sometimes depending on your nationality, but you can soon suss out the ones to avoid. Our favourites were Bar on the Rocks, Moonlight Bar and Palm Lounge. The restaurants range from very good to borderline bad but some very good ones I would recommend are Cine Paradiso, Tokyo restaurant (chef cooks all food in front of you), Dockside or the Italian both at the marina. If fish is your cuisine then a visit to Alvor habour front would be a nice treat only 5 euros by taxi - this is also a pretty place to wander around.
The beach is faultless and they are currently building modern bars and restaurants along the back of the beach which will no doubt bring more people down. The current work does not interfere with the beach and it is interesting to see it move along so quickly, I imagine it will be finished soon.
Excursions
The Slide and Splash is a good day out and only 15 mins away. The rides are not so rough or fast as other parks look so great for kids. The Zoo Marine is a good day out and worth a visit but it is a struggle to keep entertained until 5.30pm when the buses leave.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: March 2006
Opinion submitted in Mar 2006 by : Jane Whittington
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Wehad an excellent stay at the Hotel Algarve in march. Our accomodation was in the extended part of the hotel which overlooked the sandy beach. The patio balcony was very large with two sunbeds and table and chairs. The tv worked and there was a good selection of stations some in English.The double bed was very large and comfortable.
There are two restaurants. The one where we ate served buffet food as we were part of a large group who needed to eat early. We did not eat in The Alladin restaurant but we saw the caberet show at a cost of 10 euros. well worth the amount as a drink is included. if you chose a cocktail then you only paid very little for the show. this was very slick with two most amazing acrobats. The resort was quiet due to the time of year. It is very crowded during the season.
i would recommend going out of season as all the bars and cafes were amazingly cheap. The only dissapointment with the hotel was that the swimming pool was freezing even though the brochure says it is heated.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro - Dec 2005 / Jan 2006
Opinion submitted in Jan 2006 by : Donnie MacRae,7554,44,9
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Once again,had a great time in the hotel,went half board this year.Food was excellent and the big buffet breakfast set you up for the day.The weather was great averaging 65/70 degrees every day.They had the usual Gala dinner on the 31st,but this year changed it to a buffet which was ok,but you can't beat table service.Fire work display at midnight was very good as usual.This year on the 31st all the surrounding hotels including ours played hosts to the Dakar Ralley teams and their partners who attended the gala buffet.
Would still recommend the hotel but would go half board as there are not many restaurants open at this time of year.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro
Opinion submitted in Dec 2005 by : Donnie MacRae Bridge of Allan,Stirling (75,54,44,9)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Hi I'm getting all excited as it is only 16 day's until we arrive at the Algarve Casino Hotel for another weeks winter holiday,if it's anything like last year it should be brilliant.Will keep you updated on how it went this year.Yabadabadoo...................
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro - June 2005
Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Mary Burns - Glasgow ( 52,52 )
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
This hotel is lovely , the bedrooms are spotless although a little tired, in an ideal situation in the middle of a strip with loads of restaurants and shops nearbye.
It is well worth securing a sea view it is wonderful to look out accross the clean uncluttered sands Antonio the seguro representative gave a very informative and helpful talk on the suroundings this guy is one of the best reps you will ever come across. Ther are many lovely restaurants top of our list would be atlantis but we had a superb lunch in Nanas bar turn right just before the jupiter hotel. the beach is fabulous but take plenty of sunscreen .
Visit Alvor it is very picturesque and seems to come alive especially in the evenings .we hope to come back later in the year.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro - May 2005
Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : 40+
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Opinion:
Just back from Algarve Casino really excellent hotel. It is spotless. The staff couldnt do enough for you. Bar prices quite high in hotel. Surroundings lovely right on the beach. Definitely worth getting room with seaview, you wont be disappointed. Very central for bars and restaurants. Went to Titantic, Atlantis and down to Dockside all excellent and reasonably priced. Some of party went to Fatima ten hour journey there and back beware!!! Good bars nearby.
Definitely recommend this Hotel and resort.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - Feb / Mar 2005
Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : mike lisa nottingham 40 /38
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
late deal named hotel 4 days b4 departure
£532 for 2 all in (own insurance) east mid airport 26/2/05-5/3/05
its a 5 ***** hotel
its in the centre of the strip
its on the beach
fantastic pool/gardens
big rooms fridge/heating/bath robes
all are sea view in winter
very clean rooms a bit dated but quality
pleasant staff 4euro pint lager
wake up to the sea breaking on to the lovely beach 20 easy steps from the bottom floor
watch fridge bar prices and use of facilities
rooms are £100 a night booked direct so your better with a package deal see our price above that includes day flights meals and transfers
eat out BARRACS parrot bar good value
BOOGIE bar nice drink/barman
chinese above shops great
70% of shops are open in feb
it was cold/rainy 4 days but u cant win them all
try it before the summer comes unless your rich
also went in the orient hotel for a drink that looks better in some ways ,looks newer
first choice is the new and better Thomson Holidays
s never thought i would say
that but its true
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
- September 2004
Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Ben & Katie (18)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
HOTEL:
Just got back from our holiday in the Algarve. We stayed at the Hotel Algarve Casino it was a 5 star hotel and i would recommend it highly if you want a good standard of accommodation and service.
The staff were very friendly and spoke good English.
We stayed on a bed & breakfast basis and the food was excellent very wide choice of foods to choice from and you can have as much you can eat!
The hotel also had it own casino which was great fun if you want to lose all your money.
If you stay at this hotel book a sea view this hotel sits right on the beach and the view is amazing well worth paying extra to have.
The rooms were cleaned every day and the towels changed. The pool is massive and not many people use it. There is also plenty of sun beds so you do not have to worry about getting up early to get one.
The only complaint I have about this holiday is in the Thomson Holidays
brochure it explains the facilities available but it does not tell you
there is a charge.
You have to pay to use the tennis courts, whirl bath,sauna and the turkish baths and they are not cheap to use.
Also the hotel do not tell you there is a charge so be careful because you could get a big bill at the end of the holiday.
This was a great hotel and i would highly recommend people to go here.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: MacRae-January 2004
Opinion submitted in Apr 2005 by : Donnie MacRae (74,54,44,9)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
We stayed here in January over the new year and the celebrations were fantastic,(firework display,gala meal etc.)bar prices a wee bit expensive but what the heck you'r on holiday and you can't take it with you.We are returning this December again.
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Algarve Casino Hotel - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: med hotels - 2004
Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Richard ZR NAILS
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
FANTASTIC !!!!!
What can i say Hotel was great,the staff were exceptional very attentive,superb view over looking the ocean,when we awoke in the morning OR should i say afternoon the panoramic view's were fantastic.
Resort was very good too lots of good bars and resturants,great guys in the farmers bar,fantastic resturante in Alvor called Al Dente (italian)fab food great waiter called Nuno great chinese in alvor
we will definitely be going back.......next year.
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Algarve Mor Apartments - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Flyglobespan -April 2006
Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Norman Laird (47,45,10)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
First time in this resort, had usually stayed in Albuifera area.
The resort is the usual strip , with major accomodation complexes stretching behind it .
The appartment block was fine and very clean , also ,at the east end of strip and very quiet .
The appt.block was quiet compared to Tenerife or Brit dominated complexes ,though resort was only "waking "up.
The beach is fantastic and the main feature of the resort,great for surfers.
Restaurant wise , the Atlantis is the best , however most restaurants were good value ,usually about 30-40 euros for 3 of us.
Bar wise , we liked Legends, the West End and the Terrace (behind Jupiter Hotel).
All friendly and Lionel in Terrace gave out free shooters everytime !
For kids , it is the Slide/ Splash and Zoomarine , tickets from bars or agents , Slide/ Splash very good.
If you hire a car , go above Monchique for a drive and bite to eat , really pretty and food excellent .
Overall , we enjoyed it ,very friendly and excellent value for money/
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Algarve Mor Apartments - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Stein Travel-August 2004
Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Suzanne(21) Ray (23)-Dublin,Ireland
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Hi,
Just back since yesterday from these apartments and cannot recommend them highly enough.
When we arrived in our apartment we were shocked to see how well equipped it was. Our apartment had one large bedroom with fitted wardrobes with full length mirrors which led onto a balcony. It also had a table and chair with another mirror. The living area was very spacious and the settee was extremely comfy and could easily be slept on. This room also had a tv and lots of space for packing luggage away. It also led onto the balcony which had sun chairs and a table.
The kitchen was also spacious with four ring stove and microwave and kettle etc...This kitchen also led out onto another small balcony where there was a washing line. Each of the rooms has an insect detector on the ceiling and not one insect came into our apartment for the duration of our trip.
The apartments are spotless and cleaned daily by the friendly cleaners.They will also change towels daily if left hanging up on the back of the door.
The only downside was that the pool is relatively small and does not have a kids section so the property is probably not great for non swimmers and very small children although there were a few children happily playing in the pool with armbands. The staff were very helpful and I would highly recommend this property to anyone looking for a quiet apartment block right on the beach and not even 5 minutes walk to the busy strip of restaurants and bars.
We went to slide and splash which is the main water park and it looked very impressive but the queues for each slide was about 20 minutes long so this put a bit of a dampener on our day even though we had fun in the very large pool.
The food was excellent in praia da rocha-our favourite was definitely THE SITTING BULL restaurant above the CENTRAL RESTAURANT both on the main strip to the right of the apartments.Sitting Bull focuses on Steaks and spare ribs etc.A meal with one starter,two(HUGE)steaks and chips,two big desserts cost e30.This price also included three soft drinks! Central restaurant was also very nice but beware of the chicken Piri Piri here as it is extremely spicy!Had to drink four waters with my meal to cool me down!Le Dolce Vita which is only three doors down from the apartments was also great for pasta and pizza dishes.Their crepes are to die for! Also worked out at around e30 for starter,2 mains and desserts and drinks.
A lot of people say that the TITANIC is the best restaurant in the area but we had MAJOR problems with service here. The lady in reception on our apartment booked a table for us at 8.30pm. When we arrived we were told by an extremely rude waiter to wait in the bar for five minutes while our table was prepared. There were also around 16 other people ahead of us already waiting on a table.We ordered two mineral waters and 40 minutes later we were still left waiting for a table. We spoke to the barman and the rude head waiter came out and clicked his fingers and motioned us to follow him.He rushed ahead and when we sat down he asked us did we want drinks and before we had time to answer he said "oh no,sure you had some drinks in the bar already" and he walked off.I called him back and told him that we had been waiting 40 minutes for our table and we now wanted another drink.He grunted at us and walked away. we then decided that we were not going to pay for a meal in an establisment that treats its customers so badly and left.It was a very busy night in this restaurant but they should have told us that there would be a delay when they accepted our booking.The food is meant to be lovely here but the service left a lot to be desired.
Apart from this incident our holiday was wonderful and we are only home a day and are booking the same place for our holiday next year!
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Algarve Mor Apartments - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Stein Travel - Date Not Specified
Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Lynn - Dublin (20's)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
We went on a last minute cheap deal to the Algarve Mor apartments so we weren't expecting much.
The apartments were excellant, spotless and we even had a view of the sea from our balcony.
The pool area was nice if a little small. I wouldn't recommend this apartment complex for people with children, while although it is small, the pool was also quite small and had no shallow end.
It is right across the road from the beach and we found no problem in getting good quality food cheap.
All in all, an excellant choice and I would definitly go back again!
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Armacio de Pera - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice july 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : lislaurzmaz
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
big up tha fit guy frm tropicool bar he ws a bi confused bout the music tho westlife is not rnb lol drinks wer cheap tho wkd nyt nufin opens til rly l8 tho aftr 12
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Direct) Cosmos - August 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Vicki, Jon, ALex, Teddy (40, 38, 9, 6)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Will start with the only negative I can think of about this holiday so we can get it out of the way. The COSMOS brochure states that the transfer time is 90 mins but in fact it is THREE HOURS. Our reps confirmed that it is always this long due to all the drop offs that have to be made, and everyone we spoke to had had a similar experience. One family weren't even allowed any hand luggage on the coach as it was so full, despite having a baby under one who subsequently had to go three hours without milk or water. Moan over!
The apartments are very spacious and well equipped. We had a two bed duplex apartment and were very impressed. I would guess these apartments were built for the local residential rental market rather than for holidaymakers, so the walls are a bit thicker than some I have experienced!! It was useful having a downstairs loo, and to have a toaster and kettle and full f/freezer.The location of the apartments was great. Not too far from the main strip, but far enough away not to be too noisy ( apart from the occassional karaoke night at a neighbouring hotel) As has been often mentioned on this site, Laura the receptionist was lovely. Also, Tina and Elena who ran the rather under utilised bar/cafe were very kind.
We were quite surprised that around 80% of the tourists in Praia da Rocha were Portugese but were told this is normal for August. About 10% were Irish, 5% Brits, and 5% Rest of the World!
We never had any problems getting sun loungers for all four of us at any time of the day, and the kids really loved the pools. the kiddy pool was a fantastic depth for them ( came up to my six year olds bottom rib) much better than a paddling pool but still very safe. It didn't feel busy at all in the complex, but was qute busy later at night in town. We loved Atlantis restaurant which was frankly in a different league to everywhere else and just as reasonably priced. Also liked "Claires" which was good value and had lovely friendly staff. We had good meals down at the marina which is very relaxing and pretty.
There was loads for the kids to do. We went to Zoomarine which was fantastic - dolphin show in particular very impressive. Our best day was spent on the jeep safari which you just have to do. You go up into the mountains ( as high as Mount Snowdon) on these big 9-seater jeeps, off-roading, and generally having a fun time. We had a fantastic meal at the top and went to a bee farm and bought honey, and saw how they produce cork. All very interesting and just a great day out. Hubby and kids went on a 3 hour cruise which they loved. The beach is great - lots of caves for the kids to explore and plenty of space/loungers. The atlantic rollers swept a few kids off their feet though!!
I would reccommend this resort and accommodation to anyone with a young family. If you want party life go to Alubufeira. If you want a nice romantic time in a picturesque location, choose Alvor. We got a taxi there for the day ( 5 euros) and thought it was beautiful.
All in all a great holiday - kids cried about going home, and the weather was fabulous - over 30 degrees every day - yippee!!!
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Discounts) Cosmos - May 2006
Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Rob & Chris (64, 58)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Clean, comfortable and spacious accommodation duplex style.
Staff very friendly and helpful. Immaculate pools which were cleaned every morning. As the brochure says, this accommodation is in a quieter area which was great for us and an easy and pleasant stroll to the beach and main resort area, however the walk, especially up the hills, and the steps down to the beach, may not be suitable for those with young kids and pushchairs or those with walking dificulties. There are quite a few negative comments within these pages regarding the actual resort and we find these unwarranted unless all you are going to do is stay in the resort for two weeks! Praia da Rocha is however ideal as a base for getting around the surrounding areas such as Praia da Vau, Portimao, Albuferia, Alvor, Lagos etc and you don't need a car as the taxi fares for two or more can be cheaper than the buses.
For eating out all restaurants offer a good standard of food and the Veranda especially has a great choice at unbeatable prices (choice three course meal including wine for £5.75 a head), also the Carvery is excellent value (delicious home-made soup plus as much as you can eat from the carvery with an excellent choice of meats and fresh vegetables - plus a dessert for £8.25 a head).
Want to see a show? Then visit the Casino (you don't have to gamble)where there is a good resident show every evening at 10.30pm - 12? including wine, you can also pay a bit extra and have a three-course meal with wine whilst watching the show. We have been going to (and working in) the Algarve in excess of 20 years and have stayed in most of the resort areas and wherever you go the people are so friendly, also the vast majority speak excellent english.
Finally - and this applies wherever you stay - some of the "Brits", especially those with babies and kids should remember that they are not the only ones on holiday! It's not good enough going into restaurants at 10.30pm with constantly screeching babies and undisciplined children! Yes, you've paid your money - but so have we!
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Discounts) Cosmos - October 2005
Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Steve Ogden - Blackpool (75,73,52,47,16 & 13)
Resort Rating: Below Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Opinion:
Just returned from 2 weeks here, things did not get off to a good start, Baggage collection at Faro was a nightmare followed by a very long trip to the resort, due to drop-offs. The Cosmos rep got off halfway to the resort, charming.
Our booking made with Cosmos was for 2 adults and 1 child in each room, upon arrival we were allocated a room for 4 and a room for 2, we were all exhausted so could not be bothered to argue. The rooms were clean and quite spacious although all apartments seemed different, some duplex, and some for 4 people had two bedrooms some did not, luck of the draw I guess. The TV's in room were not up to standard, ours did not have a remote and was not tuned correctly and you could only get CNN in English which just repeats the news, some lights worked though!, Laura was quite helpful and would try to help if possible, we found that the towels and linen were not changed at consistent times and we had to wash the towels ourselves.
The pools were big enough, but very cold, but that did not stop the kids ! the bar run by Maria, and her son Marco was very pleasant and you could not knock the price of 2E a pint of Bock or other drinks, very nice, the snacks were quite good also. The resort beach is brilliant but the main strip is very limited if you have kids, plenty of bars with reasonable prices for food and drinks, I would recommend Dukes for a breakfast and also the Algar Bar a bit further down, proper cheeseburgers and other good choices for meals.
We found that apart from the Waterpark and Zoomarine and the Pool and Beach there is not a great deal for the kids, so it depends on the weather. Our first week was in the eighties so it was great, the next few days were indifferent so a bit of a struggle with the kids, then it did get better for the last few days, back in the pool. At the time we were there it was a few weeks before the end of the season so some places were starting to wind down, 02/10/05 - 16/10/05. From the kids point of view I don't think things would be different in July or August, it may be different in a Hotel ?
The shops are pretty much the same as anywhere, full of the same stuff. We were informed by various people that the number of visitors to this resort had reduced this year, I can see why, although I would imagine that if you were there without kids it could be different. I am afraid that we would not return there in a hurry. We went in a family party of six from Blackpool and met up with eight other family members from the Hampshire area, as we do every year and I don't think that anyone was overwhelmed by the resort. Benidorm knocks spots of this resort, but the two weeks rest was welcome and enjoyed anyway.
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Discounts) Cosmos - July 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Gary - Altrincham (35, 33, 4, 2)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
The accomadation and the Beach are the Biggest plus points here.
The resort is a little Tacky and very developed but not full of nightclubs.
The beach is outstanding and makes this resort, However we had 2 pushchairs, Buckets, spades and Inflatables and this proved very challenging accessing the beach as most of the access is down steps. There is access via a very steep road opposite the Hotel Jupiter but after 6 hours on the beach this is a steep climb with 2 children and the beach toys.
If you Like traditional this is definetly not it, But if you are looking for a good base to explore the Algarve this would suit you.
The apartments are excellentand the best I have ever stayed in, we had a 2 bedroomed Apt with a roof terrace which was huge and a balcony off the main bedroom. This paticular apt was on 2 floors, However some 2 bedroom Apt are on one level.
As described in other reviews Laura the receptionist is very helpful and will do all she can to make your stay comfortable.
If I was asked would I return The answer would be yes Because of the quality of the apartments and the excellent beach.
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: independently booked - May 2005
Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Brian House - Herts (29,30,10,7)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
I have just returned from a week in Praia da Rocha after booking the holiday on the basis of the reviews on this web site (Returned 19th May). I can confirm that they are all spot on.
I do not believe in booking via travel agents and like to be in control of booking items seperately to meet my requirements which is why I look on these review sites.
Prior to arriving in Faro I had contacted the Castelos da Rocha apartmets and spoke to Laura (the very helpful receptionist mentioned in the other reviews) who arranged for a taxi transfer for me (Appoximately £30 each way). As our flight was delayed by an hour it was great to have transport waiting to take us directly to the apartments without making drop offs. Laura advised me on arrival (About 50mins drive) that I needed to pay the money to her but to sort it out later in the holiday.
We arrived at about 1030pm and was shown to our apartment by Laura who then showed around to the Pool area and bar (more about these later). We had booked a two bedroomed apartment which is set out on two levels. Through the front door the living area with sofa bed, colour tv and kitchen area equipped with toaster,cooker,kettle and all importantly a washing machine for when the little blighters get chocolate all down their tshirts and shorts. There is also a downstairs toilet. Up the stairs and there are two bedrooms (1 twin & 1 double) plus a bathroom with shower & bath). The beds are comfortable and there is sufficient wardrobe space. Also in the twin room there is a balcony area.
The apartments were extremely clean and very comfortable. Cleaners attend 5 times a week and I believe the linen was changed twice.
There is also a safety deposit box that can be rented for 12 Euros per week.
The pool area is of a decent size however I feel it could get quite crowded later in the year The is a large pool and a kids pool. There are sun loungers and seating areas leading to the snack bar run by Carlos & Maria who like Laura are very friendly and helpful. Here you can get drinks and snacks. There is always food cooking on the BBQ as well. Trust me the kids do not want to get out of the pool once they are in.
There is no entertainment on the site.
The apartments are situated 600meters from the main stretch of bars,restaurants and the magnificent Rocha beach.
The bars are all friendly (lots of Irish and English bars) all show sports, have quizzes and music etc.
Lots of bars have free maps of the area to take away that has lots of the bars and restaurants listed on it so you can find your way around.
You can get all sorts of cuisine at reasonable prices such as a 4 euro 90 for a 3 course set meal or a 9.95 eat as much as you like chinese buffet. Plus steak houses, a la carte, portugeuse fish dishes, curries, basically it caters for everyone. The Atlantis restuaurant is extremely classy (a little more expensive than elsewhere).
Everywhere does full english breakfasts for around 4euros our favourite was the "Sunset Bar" near the bowling alley. An english run bar owned by Pete which is good for a fun evening as well.
Local beers Super Bock & Sagres are generally 2 euros a pint.
The beach is huge and clean. Such loungers all the way along as well as beach bars for drinks and snacks.
Follow either the beach or the main strip and you come to an old fort which leads to the marina. Here you will find more restaurants.
Taxis to local towns are inexpensive and there are also bus services than run frequently.
Most bars offer discounts on days out. i.e. Peter at the Sunset Bar offers 20% of the Waterpark slide & splash plus discouts on golf days.
The portuguese people are friendly and helpful and make you feel welcome.
This goes for the English and Irish bars as well.
I do not know what it would be like later in the year say in August but in May the waether was just right (about 27/28 degrees) and it wasn't overly busy.
It was an ideal,fun week that we throughly enjoyed.
The Castelos Da Rocha Apartments and the area of Praia Da Rocha made for a great holiday.
Thanks to everyone who made our week great.
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Discounts) Cosmos - 2005
Opinion submitted in Feb 2006 by : Graham 36,55,66
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
This was the first time that any of us had booked with Cosmos. We flew out from Birmingham four hours late due to the fact that that the European aviation plane had a flat tyre and a spare tyre had to be collected from Ledbury which was 50 miles away, you would have though they would have kept spares at the airport.
We landed in the Algarve at about 10.45pm, and got to the Castelos da Rocha apartments in Praia da Rocha at about 1.30 in the morning. There we were greeted and shown to our apartments by Laura who over our two weeks stay could not have been more helpful. The apartments were fantastic the best I have stayed at, they had all that you would ever need, cooker, washing machine, tv etc. The cleaners who were also very friendly kept them very clean. At the front of the apartments is the swimming pool, which is a bit small, not much room when it was busy. The pool bar was great for snacks and drinks etc. The guests in the apartments were mainly made up of English and Portuguese, the two nationalities seam to get on very well with each other, the Portuguese locals and holidaymakers are very polite and friendly.
Praia da Rocha itself is perhaps not he prettiest place that I have been to, a bit of a concrete jungle, with some very tall buildings. The pavements around the resort were very uneven, and perhaps not suitable for people with walking difficulties. Good luck at the zebra crossings, some cars stop and some don't. When we were there a lot of building work was taking place mainly along the front. To get down to the beach you have to go down several steep steps. The beach itself is wide and open, the sand is very clean but the sea is very cold.
The restaurants that we went to each evening were a bit of a walk away from our apartments, up a steep hill and then decide whether to go left or right of the JCB. Most of the restaurants that we went to were very good, the Concorde restaurant and Safari restaurant were particularly good. But there are plenty of restaurants providing Portuguese, English, Italian or Chinese food. Do try if possible the local sardines, squid or chicken piri-piri. At night you may need to wrap up a bit because even though we went in the high season it can still go off cool at night.
We hired a car while we were on holiday, Laura helped book it for us. We went to many places while we were there. One place we went to was to the most westerly tip of the Algarve, this area is very windswept and cool, there you can find an old fort and if you walk a bit further a lighthouse. We also went to see an old fort in Silves, this was not very impressive. One of our days was spent exploring the eastern part of the Algarve, this is very different to the west as it is much hotter there and very barren. Zoo marine is another place which is well worth the visit. The dolphin and sea lion shows and aquarium are great, there is also a huge swimming pool and plenty of places to eat. One tip I will give is to see as many shows as you can as they are not all the same. Vilamoura with its large marina and many restaurants is also worth a visit, as is Albufeira with its lovely square (would probably stay at Albufeira if I went again).
We went on a jeep safari to the Monchique Mountains, one of the days, this was very good. We had a very knowledgeable and expert driver called Manuel, he was also very funny. Manuel told us about the trees and shrubs of the Algarve and especially all about the history of the cork trees, he also told us all about his life, he was very entertaining. We stopped off at a cafe and a small distillery along the way, here you have the chance to try and buy the local firewater made out of the fruit of the strawberry tree (Arbutus). After miles of long bumpy tracks we ended up at the top of the mountains where you can get quite a view. Later we stopped of at a restaurant and had a meal of cabbage soup and chicken piri-piri, this was very nice (all included in the price). On the way back it was time to speed up and hit the bumps even harder.
The weather for the first few days of our holiday was a mixture of cloud and sunshine, after that it became much hotter.
We all very much enjoyed our stay in the Algarve and would go back again another year, but we would probably stay in Albufeira instead of Praia da Rocha.
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Discounts) Cosmos - Oct 2004
Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Doncaster (53,29,24)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
On arriving at Castelos Da Rocha we were plesantly surprised at the standard of the accomodation. We stayed in a two bedroomed apartment and it was spacious had all you required - washing machine, oven, kettle and toaster. I would certainly rate it as the best accomodation I had ever stayed in and would certainly return.Laura the receptionist is lovely and was friendly and welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. The apartments were only a short 5 -10 minute walk from the main strip, but were in a quiet location.
Unfortuntly the weather during our stay was not the best but it did not put a dampner on the holiday. Praia Da Rocha was not a busy resort and didn't seem to get going until early afternoon - although this could of been that we went a bit out of season. The beaches were beautiful and a walk along them was a lovely way to see the resort.
We would recommed the atlantis, falesia and sitting bull restaurants. But for best value walk to the west of the resort towards Praia da Vau (only 3-4 mins from main strip) to Casa de Rocha. 4 course meal was 6.50 euros and the service was friendly and efficient. It also gives a lovely view over the beach.
Visit the Las Vegas for a drink in the evening - this was by far the best bar in the resort but always seemed to be quiet. You did feel like you were in Las vegas!!!
I would definately revisit Praia Da Rocha again and would makesure I stayed at Castelos Da Rocha!!
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Discounts) Cosmos - Oct 04
Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Bob Collis - Derby (43, 47)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Praia Da Rocha is a bit like Blackpool on the main strip but our advice is to walk beyond this, one side is the marina the other way a cliff top walk, the beach is fantastic though you have to walk down to it. All along the beach there are bars and sun lounges so you don't to walk back up to the top. There are some excellent restaurants to suit all tastes and costs. The people are friendly and the vast majority speak English. There is still some development going on but its not you get that anywhere. If you can hire a car, go to some of the other resorts and villages to the west of Praia, well worth a visit.
The apartments are located about a 10 minute walk from the beach and main strip, there are two blocks each having its own pool one also has a bar (owned by Maria open from 9:00-midnight, if arriving late you can get water here as the supermarkets shut around 8:00). We were met by Laura who was very helpful and could not do enough for you (one lady lost a bag on the flight and got more help from Laura than the tour operator to find it!!). She showed every one to their rooms and took time to explain everything before leaving you. We had a one bed appartment on the third floor don't worry there are lifts, it was clean and had everything you could want for including a washing machine. There was a maid service every other day, with clean towels etc mid week.
All rooms have a safety box (about e12 for the week). At the end of the week they provide a room for shower etc if on a late pick up, you may also be able to keep your room (for a small charge). If you need to know anything you just ask Laura. We would go again to the resort and apartments
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Discounts) Cosmos - September 2004
Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Rich and Ian (34 & 41)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
There is little we can add to the other reviews on Castelos Da Rocha apartments. They were only a short walk from the bars, restaurants and beach. Laura the receptionist really is as lovely as the other reviews mention! She was so friendly and welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. Our apartment was 2 bedroomed, spacious, clean and well equipped. There were plenty of beds by the pool and the general area was very quiet. The snack bar by pool run by Maria and her team served good food and drinks.
In the main resort we thoroughly recommend the Tropicool Bar run by Paula and her friendly team Luis and Susana. Service was always with a smile and we were always made to feel welcome. Look out for good deals on drinks 2 for 1 etc. Look our for Big Reds restaurant for great Ribs and Seaks!
The resort generally is clean and lively without being "too much" The beach is beautiful and a walk down to the lighthouse makes a lovely early eveing stroll.
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: 01 august 04
Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : 22-26
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Well this years holiday didnt get of to a great start seeings we missed our flight but £180:00 each and 8 hours later we finally got to our appartments we have been to praia da rocha 3 tmes and these appartment were by far the best they had every thing you could posibly need.
The swimming pool was great they also had a bar and snack bar and most of the food was cooked on a bbq .the beaches in praia da rocha are the best i have ever seen even if the sea is abit chilly and quite afew steps to get down to it .There are some really good bars and clubs especially cheers good music and a great bar man go visit cheers and see stewart .Also some great restraunts would highly recommend going to praia da rocha just dont stay at club praia da rocha enjoy.............
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Castelos Da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Discounts) Cosmos - May 2004
Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Chris Burr - Brighton (31,37,11,5,1
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Castelos Da Rocha is a small complex of about 50 apartments situated close to the centre of Praia Da Rocha.
Upon arrival we were met by Laura, the hotel receptionist who helped us to our room with our luggage. She had upgraded us from a one to two bedroom apartment free of charge. The apartment was very spacious & well equipped with TV,cooker & hob,fridge & washing machine. The two bedrooms were also a good size. The apartment was very clean & there was maid service almost every day.
The swimming pools were very good with a childrens pool & a shallow end to the big pool. The pools were surrounded by grass which was ideal for our young children to play on. The pools were also easy to observe in respect of childrens safety as the area was not too big.
There was also an excellent snack bar/cafe which served good food & drinks from 9am to 12 midnight & was reasonably priced.
The resort centre was only a ten minute walk away where there are countless good restaurants,bars & shops.
The restaurants offered a good selection of tastes from Chinese/Indian to Italian. Particularly recommended are, Sitting Bull steakhouse, Safari & Falesia which was genuinely up market but without the up market prices. Many of the restaurants had terraces which overlooked the beach.
The Portuguese people are incredibly friendly & absolutely loved the children. They are far friendlier than the Spanish. Prices in general are also cheaper than Spain.
Overall we had a wonderful holiday & would wholeheartedly recommend Castelos Da Rocha to anyone. The receptionist Laura couldn't do enough for you & appeared to be in reception day & night. The cafe owner Maria & her staff always greeted us with a smile whether it was 9am or midnight.
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Club Amarilis Apartments - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Panorama Discounts) Panorama - May 2005
Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : couple (39, 32)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
The resort:
As others have said, Praia da Rocha is a concrete jungle: lots of high buildings/hotels, it looks like there is hundred of them.
From our balcony, we had a sea view. Indeed we could see the sea between two skyscrapers!
During the coach transfer on the way there, we went through Albufeira and it looked much better.
It took around 1h45 from Faro Airport to Club Amarilis. We were the last stop on the way from the airport (we stopped at around 7 other hotels first), therefore the first pick-up on the way back!
You will find enough shops to buy food in Praia da Rocha i.e. Alisuper but the range is limited and it's a bit expensive. You will not find baked beans or bacon there!
But you can find baked beans/English beer and everything else in Modelo shopping centre. It's about 10-minute drive from the Club Amarilis.
None of the shops accept foreign credit/debit cards.
The city centre is quite small, it has around 8 bars and maybe twice that amount of restaurants. It's not a lot for such a big resort.
I wonder how they manage when all hotel rooms or flats are full and 2,000 want to get in the bars.
Luckily, it was quiet at this time of the year. Some nights there were no more than 15 people in each bar. It was the same people every night. It got busier on Friday and Saturday nights.
The beach is wide and clean, and only 5-minute walk from the flat. The sandy beach hasn't got trees or shade. Like most people sat on our towels and bought a parasol for 7 euros (which we left in the room when it was time to go back to England). The steps to the beach are not that bad. But the sea is horribly cold. Much colder than Spain at the same period of the year.
It was sunny, around 23oC but there was a constant breeze, and in the evening it felt like 15oC so you did need a cardigan.
The flat:
The flat was spacious and clean. We were quite pleased with it. There were 4 lifts and we never waited too long for one to arrive.
We were on the 11th floor but it didn't feel high. It was not scary to stand on the balcony.
We didn't hear any noise during our whole stay.
You can find the usual stuff you find in self-catering accommodation:
- table and chairs on the balcony,
- TV with cable (with 1 particularly good movie channel in English, and Eastenders on BBC Prime - I know, I know!! but it's nice to relax watching TV when coming back from the beach, just before diner) - Scart socket didn't work
- a kind of sofa/pullout bed (2 people can sleep on it separately: one on the main frame of the sofa, one on the pullout mattress/bed kind)
- a double-bed in the bedroom (ask for it before arriving)
- 4 cooking hobs
- a microwave
- bath tub with shower attachment
- usual kitchenware
- a toaster
- an electric mobile heater
- but NO KETTLE OR IRON
There was no fan or air-conditioning (or at least we didn't notice any air-conditioning system because we didn't need to use it as it wasn't that warm).
The cleaner came every day.
The gym/health club was 6 euros per person for 2 hours from 9am to 5pm and then it went to 7.50 euros from 5pm for 2 hours.
The supermarket on site is a mini-supermarket, just for essentials.
The pool was a bit small but it didn't matter as the water was freezing!
Sunbeds are 3 euros per day for 2 of them of 2 euros per half-day for 2.
You can also sit on the grass for free, especially if you only plan to stay 1 hour.
Club Amarilis does NOT ask for a deposit in case you break anything, contrary to some other self-catering accommodations.
But you do have to give a deposit for the safe and for the remote control, which is given back to you when you leave.
The safe is big enough for all valuables you want (i.e. digital cameras, mobile phones, even a portable DVD player).
Well, that's all I can think of, I hope this will be useful to other people who are planning to stay at Amarilis.
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Club Amarilis Apartments - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Panorama Discounts) Panorama - May 2005
Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Fletcher (50,52)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
First of all the the accommodation is first class.Large rooms and the whole place is spotless.Weather when we were there was very warm although it got quite cool in the evening.
The beach is lovely although you do need to go down a number of steps but the steps are wide and there is a hand rail.It does cost E10 for 2 sunbeds but you can put a towel in the sand if you want.
We went on the wee train round the centre and is a good way to see the resort.It cost E6 for two and lasted about half an hour.
Word of warning if you take travellers cheques the recption do not cash them.
There are plenty places to change them but check what their commision rate is.We went to a bank the first time and they gave me E175 FOR MY 2X E100 cheques.Once bitten..
The exchange place in the supermarket gives you E97 for E100 cheque.
We never had a bad meal but Dukes was very good and sevice excellent.
We would definately go there again.
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Club Amarilis Apartments - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Sunworld - Oct 2004
Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Ken - Ireland (32)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
I can't fault the appartment in any way. Spacious, double bed, colour TV, friendly staff etc.
I was there for the last week of October which appears to be the very end of the season. The resort was dead with most bars showing Sky Sports. The beach was lovely and the restuarants were very good value. I can imagine the resort being better in high season but it was fine for a relaxing holiday at that time of year.
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Club Amarilis Apartments - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Libra Discounts) Libra Sept 2004
Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Mark Jones - Sheffield (43, 39)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
We arrived to brilliant sunshine and a clean if crowded airport. The flight on Excel airways was very good, left on time and food was (for an airline) stunning. The coach trip to the resort was smooth and hassle free due to the good organisation of passengers by the reps. The reception at the apartments was welcoming and well organised, it was clear from the start that this was a clean and well run hotel.
The apartments are spacious and well appointed. The lounge area was very big and the furnishings clean and comfortable, a theme that continues throughout.
Rooms are cleaned every day and high standards are maintained.
I also noticed that the pool is cleaned on a daily basis. The pool it's self is set in attractive gardens with a bar and seating/sun bed's. The staff are friendly and helpful if sometimes a little slow to serve you if it gets busy.
The apartments are situated about 500 meters from the sea front and as a result it is quiet on an evening but the fun is not far away.
The main strip is lively, with shops and bars for every taste. The beach itself is fantastic, long, clean and not over crowded.
This was for us the ideal holiday and we will certainly be returning to both the resort and the apartments, if possible using the same tour company.
If you are looking for a holiday that can combine leisurely days in the sun with things to do at night this is the place for you.
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Club Amarilis Apartments - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Sky Holidays - 2004
Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Rob and Chris 61, 53
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Club Amarilis: Can't fault it in any way. The Chinese restaurant at the marina end of the resort is well worth a visit for excellent menu, service and atmosphere.
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Club Arcos Apartments - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro - Aug 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Gavin & Claire - Glasgow (30,28)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
Can honestly say the Club Arcos have to be the worst apartments either of us have ever been in. They make many other 2 star places look like 4 star. The rooms were cleaned twice in the week (well the floors swept and bins emptied) and bedding and towels only changed the once. The hot water for the shower only lasted a maximum of eight to ten minutes before running cold and taking well over two hours to reheat. The furniture was all old and shabby and the beds were the most uncomfortable ever.
The reception staff were all rather unhelpful and the public areas such as the bar and pool really run down and dirty.
The resort itself was really nice - lots of good restaurants, bars, shops, and beach. The day trip of the Western Algarve arranged through Seguro was excellent too.
All in all we had a great holiday and would come back, but wouldnt recommend Club Arcos
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Club Arcos Apartments - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro - July 2006
Opinion submitted in April 2007 by : Fiona - Falkirk (42, 42, 4 )
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
We stayed at Club Arcos appartments the last 2 weeks in July 2006 but would never go back.
Our studio room was quite big 2 single beds & a double sofa bed but the room was minging.The floor wasn,t cleaned the full time we were there i wouldn,t let my daughter walk on it without her flip flops on we got clean towels every 3 days or so. I wouldn,t even touch the cooker as the dials were encrusted with stuff dread to think what. The bath had mould all round it & down the toilet was so black a bottle of bleach couldn,t shift it.
We had a pol view but only saw it cleaned once (the day we were leaving)it had an oily residue on top of it. The stairs from the pool up to the appartments were filthy & around the pool area was grass although in the brochure it was concrete. I wouldn,t recommend anyone to go to Club Arcos it was disgusting. Praia da Rocha itself has a beautiful clean beachbut you have to go down 80 plus steps to get to it which my daughter loved. There,s lots of nice restaurants our favourites being Dukes, The Hideaway (for breakfasts) Taj Palace Indian (the best Indian we,ve had) Titanic and O,Barao for the best tuna steak i,ve tasted and very reasonable prices. Have never saw so many Irish Bars (bout 12) in one resort before there,s 5 next to each other in one street alone. The food in Ireland,s Eye was nice for a lunchtime snack though. So overall beautiful beach, nice restaurants, too many Irish bars and keep well away from Club Arcos
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Club Arcos Apartments - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: segureo april 2006
Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : davy 46,45,6
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
On arriving at our apartments at 3.40pm our room was not ready,we were asked to wait in the bar which didnt sell food or lager,the shop within the apartments is closed until summer season.
After waiting 1hr we found our room spacious and clean,the boiler for the shower didnt stay hot for 3 showers.During our stay there they were workmen painting,electricians working,and a hut getting built at the pool and slabs surrounding the pool area being layed;lets hope club arcos is finally being refurbished.The beach is fantastic, and not far away ,there are pleanty brilliant eateries;Atlantis;volcano;big reds and chinese next to reds,also Dukes for brunch.
All round the apartments didnt spoil our holiday the resort is beautiful,and arcos is only 2star!
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Club Arcos Apartments - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro August 2005
Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : Donny and Pauline Nicolson and kids Western Isles
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Stayed at the Club Arcos for two weeks an had a lovely time. However the apartments are very run down now and the pool area needs a good tidy up. Pool was hardly ever cleaned and fag ends and broken glass was left for days without being tidyed up. Bar was only open when the guy felt like opening it an although we had a good laugh their this was more to do with the people we met there.Reception staff very friendly though and the rooms were spacious and cleaned ok and had their been some kind of entertainment and a cleaner pool area these apartments would have been ok. No air con so rooms get very hot at nights.Seguro rep was helpful and not at all pushy.Lots of us Scots so made plenty friends.
Praia is an excellant place an would def go back, beach is awsome and the strip is good for bars and restaraunts,eat at Sitting Bull and Big Reds Ribshack ( our favorites) Chinese beside big reds is very good as well. Indian at top of steps is poor and expensive.Irish pubs everywere and all good. Change your money on the strip as well as the Club Arcos charge 7.5 euro. Dukes is good for brekkie and lunch but always check your bill for extra you never had.
We went to Slide an Splash and Zoomarine both highly recommended, book then on the strip as you can save those precious euros.
We will be coming back to Praia da Rocha but not to the Club Arcos
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Club Arcos Apartments - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro Holidays - August 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Frances&Richard - Glasgow (28 and 29)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Just back from Praia da Rocha.
Thought the resort was really good, plenty of places to eat and drink, the beach is lovely and the locals are really friendly. The apartments weren't too great though.
Club Arcos is in real need of refurbishment, but we couldn't really complain about that as we knew it was only 2 star. We did complain however about the cleanliness. The pool area was dirty, I did see someone out attempting to hose down the pool area but I don't think they were making a good job of it! Two men on separate occasions fell on the slippy step at the pool (there's no handrail), one hurt his back and could hardly walk, the other needed stitches at the back of his head so be careful when walking into the pool! The cleaners skimmed round the rooms with a brush, they never mopped our room floor or even cleaned the bathroom sink etc. They made up our beds one day without changing the sheets. When you do complain to the friendly reception staff (24 hour reception) however, they ensure that the cleaners make a better effort. There is a bar at Club Arcos and the man who runs it turns up when he feels like it, there is no set opening/shutting times. I didn't like drinking there as it looked run down and dirty.
There was no entertainment at the apartments, a couple of pool tables for the kids. If you are looking for somewhere just to sleep at night then they are fine, but I would have paid a bit extra to get somewhere better. One positive point is that its only a couple of minutes walk from the start of the strip. Great places to eat are: Sitting Bull, Big Reds Ribshack, La Dolce Vita, Oliver's Carvery and Titanic. Food is really reasonable but the drinks are more expensive, but I think this is the same for anywhere you go. I would recommend Praia da Rocha to any age, you can have a relaxing holiday or party to the early hours if you want.
I wouldn't recommend Club Arcos though.
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Club Arcos Apartments - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro - June 2005
Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Ross & Nikki Martin (20,21)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Was a bit worried bout apartments b4 we got there bcos of the 2 star rating but they were fine. We had a Studio & it was big compared to the studios Ive stayed in b4. Very clean & cleaners came round about 4 times in the 2weeks we were there. Reception helpful but did charge a lot for cashing Travellers cheques (E7.50). Found cheaper elsewhere!! Shop on site sells most essentials & the guy who runs it is great!! Big Supermarket only 2 minutes away up hill!
Close to all the main restuarants & bars & only 2 minute walk from beach.
Best restuarants we went to were Atlantis, Concorde (meat kebab), Nova China & Big Reds Ribshack! Some really good bars aswell, Irelands Eye if your into the Irish scene but the best bar was Las Vegas, best cocktails I have ever tasted & the best music duo Ive seen in a pub ever. Taffys Welsh bar (next to Big Reds) was also good. Friendly owners & cheap drinks. What more could you want!! Didnt use the Rep much but when we needed him, Angtonio was great. Enjoyed the trips to Zoomarine & Quateira!!
All in all Praia was great, good weather, food & drink & the Arcos was good too! Would definetly go back, Im so depressed to be home!! :( Enjoy!!
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Club Arcos Apartments - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro- August 2004
Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Kate- Hamilton (19, 22)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Praia da Rocha is definately one of the best holidays i've been on!!
Before we left, we thought it might be quite a quiet place for 2 girls looking for a bit of a party holiday. However, we found that it was not like that- u could definately have a quiet holiday if u wanted, or have a mad, party holiday! there was so many things to do- at night- there are lots of Irish bars which are absolutely brilliant. Would recommend 'Twins' and 'Temple Bar'- both have great atmosphere and really friendly staff. Quite often kids were in with their mums and dads, and they were just joining in the fun which was good. 'Babylone' is the local nightclub, which was great too- good music and lots of gorgeous guys!
Although i would say Praia da Rocha is a family resort, it does cater for young people. there were lots of people our age who had gone with their parents but were out at night thenselves, and lots of friendly young couples. i definately made more friends on that holiday than all my previous holidays put together because everyone was so friendly!
Apartments were really nice, clean and very spacious. For 2 star apartments, it is great. Reception, shop and bar staff were all so friendly and helpful, for example: we needed fresh towels, one day after getting new ones and the lady at reception gave us them no bother. Pool looked clean, only problem being there are not many sunbeds. quite a few folk put towels down early so often if werent down till lunchtime then u had to make do with lying on the ground!! The beach was very clean and is only a 2 minute walk away from the apartments.
Great choice of restaurants along the main strip- favourites were 'Atlantis' and 'Dukes' (where you get a great fry-up for your hangover!!)
As i said, Praia da Rocha is a brilliant place and Club Arcos Apts are lovely and i would definately recommend both- they suit people of all ages. I hope to go back again sometime!
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Club Arcos Apartments - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: Seguro - August 2004
Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Dianne, Kate - Lanarkshire ( 22, 20)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
We are just back from a weeks holiday in Praia da Rocha and would definately go back.
We were pleasantly surprised with our accomodation, as it was rated 2 star we weren't sure what to expect but when we arrived we found our one bedroomed apartment to be clean and spacious. It is in an ideal location, just a few minutes walk to the beach and to the main strip. The only critism about the complex is that there are not a lot of sun loungers by the pool, so you have to be quick if you don't want to lye on the tiles by the pool!
Nightlife is pretty relaxed but we found some good lively Irish bars with great entertainment on every night. Our favourites that we would strongly recommend are Temple Bar and Twiins, they are nearby one another and are a must if you enjoy a good sing song. The atmosphere in both was excellent and you are encouraged to participate in the singing and dancing! Everyone is really friendly in Praia da Rocha and there are plenty of eating places at decent prices. Atlantis restaurant is lovely, the staff are great and the service and food is out of this world! If you like a fry up in the morning then Dukes is the place to go, they also serve lovely meals at night! The beach is beautiful and kept clean.
There are loads of excursions you can book up through the seguro rep, we only went on one, that was the 3 hour boat trip it only cost 10 euros and is worth going on to have a look at the sights - it can get very breezy however and you don't realise how much sun your actually getting until later on in the day when you see the sunburn!!
All in all we both had a fantastic holiday and can't wait to go back, we would have no hesitation in staying at Club Arcos Apartments again.
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Club Arcos Apartments - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - 2004
Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : robert brown saltcoats
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
having been told that our accomadation was 2 star but was alright i feared the worst and was proved correct. Club Arcos is one of the oldest apartments in the resort and shows its age, worn out furniture and electrical fittings hanging from walls an not at all clean the pool was disgusting and i never ever saw it being cleaned. if you like irish bars the resort has about a dozen. food is reasonble but drink is quite expensive in the bars eg 4 euros for a 35mm spirit.
i will not be back overall 2 out of 10
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Club Avenida Praia - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: Stein Travel August 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Cathriona Curran - Ireland (44,46)
Resort Rating: No rating
Accommodation Rating: No rating
My/Our Holiday Review:
August 2006 - Looking forward to a weeks break to the Algarve. Granted we only booked the day before, told our apt was basic. We didnt mind basic but there is "basic" and "very basic".
On arrival had to go up two flights of stairs, go out of the building at back, cross the yard to H Block, take the lift 5 flights to get to our apt. It takes nearly 10 minutes to get to and from our apt. The smell of sewerage all around the complex was a give away.
On entering our "basic" apt, it indeed was daunting. No air conditioning, we had to hire fan, kettle, toaster etc. Smell in bedroom was disgusting, couldnt sleep there some nights. Pillows smelled damp. Old basic furniture from the 1960's (thats apparently when the apts were built i believe), havent changed since then. A hole in the wall for cooker vent. Sofa bed in living area was a hard as a board. Bathroom shower was just a hose thats used to wash hair which had to be repaired the next day. Towels were not changed only every "four days". We had two showers a day as the weather was 32 degrees most days. Very disappointed with apts. Never eat or stayed in the hotel all day or evening.
Had a wonderful time in the Algarve other than that. Checked out other apts for next time. Beach was fantastic, best i ever saw. Plenty of space, well organised and food was excellent. Took a trip to Lagos, well worth a visit, and do try the trip to the caves in Lagos. Very relaxing holiday which is what we wanted. Unfortunately the apts were such a state as they were ideally located. I definitely wont be recommending them to any of my friends and wont be returning to those apts ever.
Loved the algarve and will be returning there. its a pity that nothing can be done to hold those accountable for having the apts in such a state and let away with it year after year. When i came back i talked to a friend who told me that she was there last year and moved from them, couldnt stay there.
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Club Avenida Praia - Praia Da Rocha
Operator and Date: Late beds July 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Cath McD - Scotland (45, 21, 12 )
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
We had a family holiday for 11 nights at the Club Avenida, it was described as a three star Apart/Hotel, there were 4 in our party and we had 2 studio apartments that could sleep 3 each, the third bed was a drawer pulled out from underneath the sofa (i would not reccomend it), the rooms were very basic, i don't think they have been upgraded since they were built.(15 years ago i think)Basic pots pans and dishes only were provided and a two ring cooker, kettle toaster ect could be hired and remote controll for tv. Beds were changed twice a week and after the fifth day with the same towels i complained and had the towels and linnen changed.
The hotel consists of ten tower blocks, each with lifts that were very small and had names scraped into the metal on the doors, the lift alarms went off at all times of the day and night (dont know if it was children playing or lifts broken), fortunately we never got stuck in them.
There are two very old fashoned pools, with about a foot gap from the edge of the pool and the water, it costs 1 euro per sunbed and also 1 euro for an umbrella,
There is no pool bar, the main bar is in reception, we never used it once, also just to mension the rooms and all public areas have no air conditioning. This hotel can be booked all inclusive, i am so glad we were self catering as i could not have spent every night eating and drinking there. they advertise pool games and water aerobics, but they are very basic and are geared towards the non British.
Praia De Rocher is a bit run down since our last visit 15 years ago, but the beach is fantastic miles of golden sands and very clean, with nice restaurants. sunbed hire 5 euros per day.
There are many bars with irish entertainment, lots of nice portugeese restaurants, also a few english bars, one we liked was the sunset bar, it was air conditioned, and good for famalies.The clasics bar and the squash bar were also good.
Slide and splash is only 15 min drive and worth a visit.
I would not reccomend the hotel, but the area is good for couples and young people
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: my travel july 2007
Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : mark 43,suzanne 36 ,jonathan 16
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Just got back from hol and we found this hotel to be great yes its dated but very big apartments and cleaned daily got to hire kettle.toaster and remote for tv but we new that anyway and you have to pay for sunbeds which i found better than not getting one after people leave towels on the night before pool is big very cold but once in you dont notice and its salty aswell didnt like that though lots for kids beach is 5 min walk
shop on corner was nice had fresh rolls and bread and would cook to order dalys irish bar is good and theres a take away pizza bar just 2 min walk its really good also ice tea bar round corner good food at good price dont go near crokes irish bar on main strip waited an hour for food and it wasnt that great wasnt very happy beach is lovely out of this world
would go back to this hotel and resort in a flash dont know what all the fuss on here is about 1 bad report out of thousands of holiday makers each week .
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Aspro, June 2007
Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : Harper (31, 35)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
Wish I had read some of the previous reviews about my accomodation before I booked!!!
Was in main block, on 2nd floor above reception,next to lifts and overlooking the dual carriageway. We hardly slept all week!!! Noisiest place I have ever stayed.
Apartment was dirty, cleaners only made bed and bathroom was mouldy. Fridge was faulty - filty inside and most of the shelves cracked or missing. Would not go near cooker, even to boil water as it was so rusty.
Pool area was quite nice although disagree with having to pay for beds etc every day. They tend to pack you in too so there is hardly any room to move or walk about. Pool too cold to go in so cannot comment if it was salty or not.
Early checkout at 10am not ideal but compounded by no courtesy room for a shower. Not ideal if you have an evening flight and you have been out in the sun all day!!!
On a good note, the resort of Praia Da Rocha is beautiful. Even though they were digging up most of the roads & pavements we did not feel this hindered us in any way. Plenty choice of places to eat & drink, especially if you like irish bars!! Apparently this resort is known as Little Ireland by the locals/ex-pats. I would recommend the Sunset bar - nice little pub of the main drag run by Paul & Emma, a nice english couple. Especially good pub in the afternoon if you enjoy watching horse racing. Also Kathy's cafe does a mean breakfast!!
Don't discount Praia Da Rocha just avoid staying at the Club Praia Da Rocha!!!
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours Nov 2006
Opinion submitted in November 2006 by : Vicky & John 17, 19
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Praia Da Rocha is a good resort, obviously would of been better in prime season though. An from reading comments and reviews from this site and others, we wasnt really expecting much of a holiday at all. But, was very surprised. The hotel wasnt as bad as what people made out to be, obviously everyone has different standards, but it wasnt at all bad as they made it out. It was basic yes, but all that you need for a weeks break. The hotel staff were pleasant, cant complain about them. I would recommend going in season, but was good enough. Found a few good bars, would defo recommend Croke Park & The Red Lion. Croke Park do a gorgeous English Brekki!
oh and the weather for this time of year was hottt! Totally surprised by that.
Overall we would go back again, but nearer to the end of the season, as it would be hammered.
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - Oct 2006
Opinion submitted in December 2006 by : Steve 39,39,8,4
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Don't let all the bad reviews put you off. If you'e spending lots of money going in high season then you might be disappointed with this hotel. But if, like us, its a cheap out-of-season holiday then this place is basic but fine. We went October half term and the hotel was about one-quarter full, which made it quite pleasant. The kids club was still open (run by British staff), there was an indoor swimming pool and a kiddies disco most nights. Our apartment was very basic and dated, but we had no complaints about the cleanliness. The hotel staff were fine too. The hotel is just 5 mins from the resort centre and the fantastic beach.
Given all the bad reviews we were pleasantly surprised by this hotel and had a great holiday.
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Holiday Now. Oct 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Ruth Livens (43,16,16)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Opinion:
After reading the reviews we were quite anxious about what we should expect.
On arriving at our resort we were pleasantly surprised, the hotel was lovely, it was very clean and the staff were extremely helpful and pleasant.We stayed All Inclusive and found that the restaurant had a wide range of food on offer, therefore catering for all tastes. The beaches were absolutely stunning and the surrounding bars and restaurants were very good. We particularly enjoyed Fagans Bar, Cheers and Farmers. The Hotel Entertainers were very friendly and wonderful with all the Children and Adults. The swimming pools (Indoor and Outdoor) were clean and of a high standard, perfect for all weather.
We would not hesitate to return to this Hotel and Resort and we had a wonderful Holiday.
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Hays Travel - October 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Lauren & Chris (22)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Have been back in London for a week now after staying and Clube Praia da Rocha. The hotel has 2 seperate buildings and is a large complex with and indoor and a large outdoor pool for both adults and kids. The are also squash and tennis courts avaliable and a games room. The accomodation is a bit dated but it was clean and comfortable.
We stayed self-catering and didn't try any of the food at the hotel but the places we did try on the main strip were excellant. For breakfast we went to DINA'S Cafe, (every day) and i would totally recommend it there, good food and great value for money and the owners are really nice. There are also many places to eat along the beach. The Sitting Bull (i think, steak house) is situated along the main strip and serves great food and if you like chinese there are plently to choose from.
The beach is lovely, the water is frezzing but its really clean and massive. Unfortuneatly the whether didnt hold out for most of the holiday and we only got 2 days of sun (1st & 2nd day) but we did get to test out the beach and get burned.
Unfortunately we didnt get to go on any excursions due to the lack of good whether but we did hire a car and took a trip to Alberfia which is well worth visiting for the shops but these are hard to locate. Silves is an old town with musuem, castle and church all which are good places to have a look at. And apprently its well worth a trip to the Zoo marine and Aqua water park which unfortuneatly we didnt get to go to but have been informed that their well worth going to.
Over all it was a good holiday, would definately go but but probably in the peak season when it is busier.
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - October 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Sandra Dearden - Preston 59, 53
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: No rating
My/Our Holiday Review:
Just arrived back from this filthy, minging apartment. I cannot tell you how upset I was when I saw the state of the accomodation. Although large and spacious a real bonus when you are self catering it was ughhhhhhhhhhhh! We went on to the balcony on our arrival and there we dried vomit on the ledge, just how long it had been there I dread to think. I promptly reported this and told them that the whole apartment was filthy. I was told that they could not move us that day but would try the following day. However I did say I would be satisfied if the apartment was thoroughly cleaned, which I was assured would happen. I have to say that the vomit was removed but that is all. Everywhere else was never touched. As others have said the crockery and utensils are minimal and only two electric rings to cook on, not that I wanted to eat anything that had been prepared there. I have better floor cloths than the things they expected us to use as towels and as far as I am aware they were not changed during our stay. Minging, minging, minging.!!!!!
Praia da Rocha is a nice little resort. Lovely beach but hawkers can be a nuisance. We had evening meals at a different restaurant each night and we never had a bad meal. I am not sure that I would go back there a bit quiet for us and I would definatley not stay at this accomodation if I were to return. We could have stayed at the 4 star Jupiter for not alot more money.
I would not recommend anyone to go to the Club Praia da Rocha , not even my worst enemy.
Easy to get to Alvor, Lagos and Albufeira, bus stops to all these places outside the hotel. Only a 15 minute stroll in to Portimao (very nice)
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: low cost beds October 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : s richards - cornwall
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
The hotel was fine for what we needed - a self catering base that gave easy access to beach and local restaurants. However, the building was tired; basic functional accomodation with every thing else (kettle, TV, toaster etc)hired from reception on a day rate. The cleaning was basic x 4 per week though it wasnt possible to predict which days! There was no day time entertainment and that at night was mediocre. The resport and the people were just the opposite: fantastic range of foods and resturants, happy friendly sevice and excellent value. The beach is beautiful, clean and restful. The recent improvments to walk-ways and beach cafe/restuarants is impressisve.
We would rcommend the Algarve and this resort to everyone but would advise choosing a different hotel
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - Sept 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Annette - Scotland (47, 19, 16)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
We arrived at Club Priaia Da Rocha thinking it looked a busy pleasant enough place to stay, that was until we saw our appartment, decided what the hell, unpacked into a double wardrobe, no dressing table, went to take shower, no taps to fill bath only shower, bathroom flooded, shower head sprayed copious amounts of water everywhere but where you wanted it, managed to get shower head replaced same day.
We were on 3rd floor in block 2, unfortunately next to lifts. It was the noisiest place we have ever stayed, bad enough there is a busy 4 lane road outside but the constant movement of people dragging luggage and screaming kids was dreadful at all hours of day and night, it was like living in a tower block, windows & doors aren't even double glazed,tiny balcony with no light, it sometimes sounded like furniture being dragged about in other apts at all hours.
Very poorly furnished, table & chairs in living area ancient, cig burns and ingrained dirt, sofa bed had the thinnest mattress I've ever seen although twin beds were comfy, sadly sheets only changed weekly. 2 ring cooker with wire hanging under it, no oven or grill, also all light fittings had visible bare wires, kitchen utensils were miss-matched and poor quality but we made it most of it. Beach is 5-10 min walk away, gorgeous sand, beautiful, 5euros for lounger, lots of hawkers annoying you to buy stuff but we found them quite polite. Loads of bars restaurants to choose from, all good except daughters said chip shop was rubbish. Usual hol stuff in shops mixed with some nice items to take home.
Entertainment in apts was bit boring, we tended to go out, pool busy but nowhere to sit only sunbeds to hire, not even a table to sit your drinks etc on.
We did manage to enjoy our holiday, the beach made it for us, apts were just place to wash and sleep. Had to vacate at 10am on departure day, luggage room behind reception, daughters used internet occassionally, 1euro for 10mins. Everything for hire, remote for TV, toaster, hairdryer, kettle, fan etc.
Staff are very friendly, my daughter got her i-pod charged at reception for free.
All in all we enjoyed our holiday, resort is lovely, may go back someday but not to same accomodation, would not reccomend.
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Aspro Direct) Aspro - Aug 2006
Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : Cathey - Liverpool (41,31,17,9)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
Club Praia Da Rocha is without doubt the worst appartments we have ever stayed in,
We thought the plane must have been a time machine as we opened the door to our appartment we where in 1962. If you like to be greeted by vomit on your window sill inside and out,the mouldiest bathroom i have ever seen in my life. For 2,000 pound we thought the moody looking electrical contraption on the wall was air con only to find out it was a radiator and if you touch the switch it blows up.
the towels get changed if you chase the maid down the landing and the sheets got changed once while we were there. After getting nowhere with hotel staff or our rep we decided not to let it wreck our holiday and got on with it unpacked our clothes into the minging wardrobe, went out for the night only to return to water runnig down the walls of the wardrobe complained to reception and they sent a man to fix the front door???
If you book a last minute cheapo then youre not to bothered but please dont book this accom for your well earned summer holiday I believe it is locally known as Alcatraz. The only thing good in Praia Da Rocha was Daly's irish bar the staff are amazing and the Mongons in Croke Park well worth a visit.
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Cosmos Direct) Cosmos-July 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Peter ,Janice,Gary Sparkes-Essex(47,48,12)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
We had a 20 hour delay so we were completely knackered by the time we arrived.
Coach took another 2 hours to reach the appartments.After reading the reveiws on this site we were really worried about accommadation. The appartments are not as bad as some people have said.Yes they are old.Yes they are noisy.We were in block 1 Atlantico on the 10th floor and the traffic noise from the 4 lane motorway below was still very noisy.We used earpugs at night. The maids came in 5 times a week,but they really only make the beds.The towels are like sandpaper. We've paid more money and stayed in worse accommadation than this,just don't expect too much. The pool was ok a bit too salty.
The resort is good with plenty of good resteraunts.A few too many Irish bars.One of the best beaches I've seen.If you booked with Cosmos don't bother looking for a rep 'cause there isn't one.
Overall would consider returning to resort but different appartments.Best eating places have been mentioned in other reveiws.Enjoy your holiday,and don't worry too much.
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: (Panorama Direct) Panorama - june/july 2006
Opinion submitted in July 2006 by :
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
Avoid the club praia da rocha, it is dirty mouldy and very noisey throughout the night. We will not be using this sorry excuse for apartments again.
Praia da Rocha is a lovely and lively place to stay. There is plenty to do night life excellent one or two bars need to drop the anti british attitude and rebel songs.
There is far more positives than negatives about the resort for an excellent meal try the restraunt O'Braoa very clean excellent food and reasonable prices.
A visit to legends bar for a proper cup of tea and a wholesome breakfast on a morning, then on an evening there's quizes and a good family atmosphere.
Likewise Taffy's bar at the top end of the resort.
Live music you can't beat Las Vegas bar very accomplished Portugese musicians sing new and old british music.
Finally the resort is an ideal base for trips to other resorts Lagos and Albufeira on 25/45 minute away.
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: Med Hotels-May 2006
Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Leanne Collinson - Redcar (25,31)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Just returned from a week at the Clube Praia Da Rocha Hotel. Was not looking forward to the holiday after visiting this site and reading some pretty bad reports.
However on arrival we were very pleasantly supprised. We arrived at about 11.00am on the 4th May 2006 and the room had not yet been cleaned after the previous guests. We didnt find this a problem and just left our cases in the room and went to explore the resort.
We stayed on a B&B basis but only took advantage of the breakfast once during the week. Most bars offer a full English/Irish breakfast for about 5 euro's. (Legends bar's "Legendary Breakfast" was by far the best). We ate at a different restaurant every nite and didnt have a bad meal all week. Try Restaurant Atlantis for a romantic meal for two, or sitting bull for a wicked T-Bone steak or rack of ribs.
We never payed over 45 euros for two two/three course meals with drinks.
During the week we booked to go to Zoo Marine which is about a half hour journey by coach. It was ok but once you have seen one dolphin show you have pretty much seen them all.
We had a great walk down to the harbour of Portimao one afternoon and ended up sat against the lighthouse for about an hour watching the fishermen and windsurfers Really nice spot!!!
We would diffinetly go back to this hotel and would recommneded it to our friends.
Enjoy xx
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Club Praia da Rocha - Praia da Rocha
Operator and Date: 2005 / 2006
Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : stuart - leeds (43,39,7)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: No rating
My/Our Holiday Review:
an absolutley appalling place to stay avoid it like the plague which you would get if you stayed here for a week.i stayed