"As soon as we arrived, the tone was set: the information regarding our room on Booking.com does not correspond at all to reality. Contrary to what was advertised, our suite does not have a pool. The most surprising thing remains the reaction of the front desk, which does not seem at all concerned by the fact that guests could be misled by the information published on the platform.
The hotel is relatively beautiful and recent, but remains very impersonal. The finishes are frankly neglected and are already starting to show signs of aging: peeling baseboards, holes in the walls, paint traces on the bay windows... The general impression is one of sloppy work, far from the standard expected of a 4-star establishment.
Another particularly disconcerting point: the main pool is entirely visible from the street. Enjoying the pool without being exposed to the gaze of passersby therefore seems impossible. A lack of privacy that is surprising to say the least in a hotel of this category.
And the problems do not stop there: the Wi-Fi is unstable and of poor quality, which makes its use unreliable. In our room, we also noticed that after every shower, water would come back out between the floorboards. This leads one to seriously suspect a waterproofing problem or water infiltration around the shower. A worrying inconvenience in an establishment that is, however, recent.
The real problem is above all the total lack of service.
The minibar consists of an empty mini-fridge. Coffee pods are not replenished: a petty and hard-to-understand cost-cutting measure in an establishment claiming 4 stars. The staff is unwelcoming, sometimes bordering on unpleasant, and one constantly feels like they are bothering them.
The maintenance of the common areas also leaves much to be desired: hair and dust in the corners, not to mention this dead dragonfly that remained right next to our room entrance for our entire stay. Three nights on-site, and no one seems to have been concerned about it.
On the roof, the pool is pleasant in appearance, but there again, no service. The bar is closed every day: if you want to drink something, you have to go back down to the main pool. Same observation for the towels, which you have to go get yourself. What is the point of offering these facilities if no service accompanies them?
Moreover, we did not wish to test the buffet-style dinner. The breakfast was enough for us: there is a choice, certainly, but the presentation and quality of the products frankly do not look appealing. Quantity does not equal quality.
But the worst is yet to come: the muddy tap water.
Yesterday morning, we discovered that the water coming out of the taps was muddy. Let us remember that we are in a seaside resort where temperatures can reach 30 °C. After a day at the beach, between sunscreen, sweat, sand, and seawater, being able to take a shower in the evening is simply essential.
We reported the problem to the front desk. We were told that construction work had likely taken place somewhere and that the situation should return to normal within an hour.
An hour later, no improvement. Impossible to shower before going out to dinner. When we expressed our dissatisfaction, we were told that the problem only affected three other rooms. An explanation that is difficult to understand, to say the least, regarding a water supply problem.
The most outrageous part is that, three hours later, after having gone to dinner without being able to wash, the water was still just as muddy. We therefore had to spend the night without being able to shower.
And what solution are we offered? To bring us two bottles of water to the room. As if two bottles could replace a shower after a day at the beach…
The only response provided boils down to a simple "sorry," with no concrete solution, no real assistance, and no consideration for the inconvenience suffered by the guests.
In summary: a hotel with a modern appearance, but impersonal, with neglected finishes, maintenance problems, faulty Wi-Fi, serious doubts about the shower's waterproofing, disappointing services, a lack of privacy at the main pool, and above all, almost non-existent service.
When a problem as important as water quality arises, one expects an establishment of this category to take responsibility and find an appropriate solution, not just offer apologies.
I don't know the exact criteria for awarding hotel stars, but I know what I expect from a 4-star establishment: cleanliness, neat finishes, functional equipment, a minimum level of service, services that match the description, and genuine consideration for the guests.
Here, none of these elements are truly present.
Three nights were enough: I absolutely do not recommend this hotel. You will certainly find better elsewhere for your stay in Albufeira."
