My wife and I returned from a week in this hotel on the 4th July, after a very pleasant and relaxing holiday. We staying in an apartment at the rear of the hotel and the room was well equipped with a fully equipped kitchenette including microwave, kettle, coffee maker and two hobs (we actually stayed all inclusive so did not need these facilities). The room was clean and tidy with our own front door and electrically operated metal shutter on the door which led on to our own veranda. We found all the staff in the hotel excellent, very friendly, very attentive and very efficient. The food on offer did start to get a bit repetitive towards the end of the week, but the quality was good and there was plenty of it. There was a really nice swimming pool just off the restaurant area with snacks and drinks readily available via the waiters. There is a beach just down the road from the hotel and a regular bus service on the main road outside. My wife and I like walking so we walked to Albufeira on a couple of occasions (about an hour, but obviously a lot quicker by bus), and took the bus on one occasion to Faro. There is no entertainment at the hotel itself so not great I would have thought for anyone wanting excitement, although the strip on Albufeira is obviously an option. All in all we would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting a quiet relaxing holiday in a nice environment.

Last weekend I wanted to use a "Smart Box" and checked Quinta da Balaia's website where they had this special offer for 4 nights paying only 3 with breakfast. I called them and asked if it would be possible to use the "Smart Box" with the special offer. They told me that it would be fine. However, using the "SmartBox" would allow me to be accommodated on a vila V1 deluxe and I had asked the prices and availability for a villa V1 standard.
I wanted to know the difference between the villa V1 deluxe and the villa V1 standard so the girl told me that the V1 deluxe is a two story villa and has a pool that can only be used by the other deluxe villas which are about 15. The V1 standard is a 1 story villa and you must use the resort pool.
I thought that the difference was not worth the higher price so I booked 5 nights in the V1 standard. I was paying 3 nights so it seemed like a great deal.
My mistake... We arrived Quinta da Balaia at 8 pm and the reception was already closed. We had to ask our villa key to a security staff who drove us to our villa. What a disappointment! Our standard villa was old and the furniture was dated. We even had a view to an old tennis court. Right beside this villa were the deluxe villas which photos you can see on their website. They have no photos of this V1 standard because it is not appealing at all and has nothing to do with the ones in the photos. I asked to be moved to a deluxe villa since there were no cars parked anywhere and it looked like there were nobody in none of the several deluxe villas. I wouldn't mind paying more because the difference between the standard villas and the deluxe ones is huge. The security guy called the staff of the hotel and the solution they found was for us to sleep that night on the old villa because the other ones were sold out that night and they would get us a deluxe villa on the following day. Not a chance! They were clearly lying because they simply couldn't care less. Ok then... Since we haven't paid anything, we left to Vilamoura. We will definitely never come back.

Spacious Villa. Very clean. Not many places in the Algarve have a garden area as big as Quinta da Balaia. Very helpfull Staff

I read the other reviews and my experience is totally different. Last year my husband and I stayed at Quinta da Balaia and had a wonderful time! The bungalow was great, much bigger than we expected and the garden was very beautiful. The staff was very nice and the cleaning ladies were very nice as well. The only thing that could be better was breakfast; it was not like a breakfast you usually get in a hotel. I would also recommend car hire because the resort is a bit secluded and it is much too hot for walking and cycling !!!!