We were travelling with our 3 year old son in the last week of Sept. As has been said the place is difficult to find. What you DO NOT want to do is pay for a transfer there and back and think you can walk everywhere else ; unless you are superfit you can't. You do really need some form of transport (bike if you are fit) or a small car. The closest sandy beach is about a 5 minute drive and the same to the supermarket and small strip. If you are trying to work out where this place is on a map its also about a 5 minute drive from the Sheriton Algarve if that helps!.
Its a small gated family run complex of bunglows and houses divided into 1 and 2 bed apartments. The place is very clean and well looked after but not necessarily considered modern. Outside there are 2 pools, plenty of sun loungers and sunbeds, a drinks machine, table football, snooker table, 3 barbie spots, icecreams and a coffee machine, free laundry with iron. There are also a good selection of books (English).
Inside again the rooms are clean, with a small old fashioned TV (portuguese only no satalite). In our studio was a double bed, fold out sofa bed and fold out single bed. Bathroom had a bath with shower over - lots of hot water, kitchen had cooker, fridge freezer, microwave, coffee machine, toaster and kettle, plenty of plates, cups etc saucepans and even a hand blender if you want to make baby food!. The airconditioning is free and VERY effective (so bring your thermal pjs!). Mossis were around at night so you might want to bring a coil if you want to sit out. also the rooms are not serviced at the weekends and a bit hit and miss in the weekdays . Finally things I would suggest you might want to bring; extra loo roll, nappy sacks (as usual in portugal no loo paper down the loo but they dont provide anybags to put it in just a bin, which if not emptied each day isnt very nice) a decent sharp knife if you are a cook! and some large towels for the pool or beach. Food and any processed food is surprisingly expensive so if you are on a budget consider packing a few bits to take with you. I would also seriously consider taking out excess cover on any car hire. The drivers in the area are crazy every car is marked and ours got hit in the supermarket carpark on 2 seperate occasions.
We loved the place and are happy to recomend it. It's not however somewhere you go for great night life or if you dont intend to keep an eye on your kids. "Free range" badly behaved children (or adults for that matter!) are clearly (and quite rightly in our opinion) not welcomed there. If you however want to have a lovely quiet break though for the money we booked independently so didnt get any little welcome packages etc (and we paid £150 for the week) I truely doubt you will find better.
- Flor Da Laranja Albufeira
