"After placing the booking for almost a year ahead and reading the general reviews, I decided to take a chance by staying at Ukino Palmeiras Village for just under two weeks.
The private airport transfer provided by Jet2 was good and the ride from Faro airport took around 45 mins so not bad time wise.
When we first arrived at Ukino Palmeiras Village noticed the clean and curated approach and the entrance was immaculate as well.
The check in process was smooth and relatively quick and Vanessa of the reception team provided the relative information of the hotel & facilities etc. As we arrived prior to the check in time (14:00 Hrs) we were given access to store our luggage in the reception luggage room, and then offered to use the snack bar while we waited.
The snack bar which is open 24/7 barring the main meal times had some things to offer such as croissants, various types of bread, cheeses and cold cuts of meat.
For coffee lovers there are a few coffee brewers available, and along in the two restaurants and pool bars.
Fruits of assortment were fresh and drinks such the standard cola and fruit juices such as apple, orange and even ice tea. There's also beer on tap for one's who like to start the revelry early :)
We did not go to the snack bar post lunch or dinner time so would not be able to advise on what's available, so maybe another guest can leave a review about that...
Also bear in mind about the meal times - Breakfast 07:30~10:30, Lunch 12:30~15:00, Dinner 19:00~22:00 if memory serves me correct.
After our refreshments we decided to explore the premises and yes the complex is large. As it is split into two wings it can be a bit confusing to navigate at first but one can orientate by bearing in mind to go to level 3 for the reception in case of getting lost.
By 14:00 our room was ready and after a quick walk from the 3rd to the 2nd floor we entered a spacious and very clean room. The AC being on was a nice touch as it was considerably warm that day. The bathroom is also spacious with the convenience of having a handheld shower along with a rainfall shower head. Water pressure is good so no worries of slow trickles like we have experienced in other hotels.
The balcony is spacious and our room faced towards the primary pool so we could get an eye full of the action below and to check on when the pool bar opened :) The sea view could be seen on the right and that was good enough.
A nice touch was noticed that there's a clothes line available on the side of the balcony wall so clothes could be dried. However I take my own portable line so that it can be attached by suction cups on the bathroom wall to dry out damp towels and swimwear.
Overall Room service is great and like other guests have written the towels are changed everyday along with the bedding and the floor vacuumed and wiped. The only downside was storage and for a big room there could have been a section to store baggage, but besides that we felt really spoiled, Thanks Housekeeping team!
Now about the meals. For us this is important as our child has severe allergies and there's a lot that cannot be given to him. However we must say that the F&B and Kitchen staff are just stellar and they went above and beyond to prepare the meals separately so as to avoid any cross mixing of food. They even approached us early and informed us of what is available and how the meals will be prepared.
Despite being so busy they did take the time to listen to our concerns and we even came to know them on a first name basis :)
For us the food was great as there was an abundant amount of variety available from the Hors D'oeuvres to salads, meat & fish, rice & pasta to kids items like fish fingers, fries, spaghetti and a constant supply of pizza baked then and there.
The food is of course buffet based and there's a daily meal theme from Algarve style to Asian, Brazilian, French, Italian, Mexican, and Spanish. Yes there could be some repetition but we were fortunate to have tried all themes and there was always something new to taste. Also as the Portuguese are known for their poultry the chicken and duck was superb so definitely worth trying that out!
As we were there for two weeks we were given the opportunity to try two A La Carte dinners. The first one was at the Asian one 'Momo,' and the second one 'Lambare,' which was the winner of the two. The cocktails on the menu are not included, which has to be paid for, but not bad at all...
For those concerned about allergies the staff can be approached and they will show the colour coded symbols and the definitions.
A big thanks to the Staff for making it an enjoyable meal experience and would like to name out the ones who really stood out - Águeda, Ana Lúcia, Luis, Nuno, Silvio, and of course Valera for leading the team.
Another big thanks to the Kitchen team especially - Rosalie, Fatú, & Andressa for the careful preparations of the meals :)
Entertainment & activity wise there's plenty to do. There are two pools available. The first one towards the front of the hotel and the second towards the back. There's also a kids pool for the young ones as another guest has mentioned the second pool could get quite busy. However the water in the second pool is warmer so I could see why it's more popular. There are also three water slides to try out. From the open green slow tube to the rapid enclosed yellow one, to the more chilled orange (fully dark) which was mine and our child's favourite. Bear in mind though that this is 'Height restricted,' so some kids 'May not,' be allowed. However, I did notice that one parent did sign a disclaimer, but this must be confirmed with the vigilantes - pool staff.
Night time entertainment starts around 22:00 which is yes could be late for some. The shows are OK, and most probably not to everyone’s taste. The pool side animation action was entertaining though so that would provide some excitement.
Ukino also provides a Kid's club which is a nice touch, and our child had gone not just once but thrice since he had such a good time. We want to express our thanks to João for helping out with the registration and the care provided. But bear in mind to inquire from the reception first before going to the kids club directly.
If anyone is interested in high tech, there's a VR room available. It's a paid activity but worth it as I heard from my Mrs and son.
Outside of the hotel are the surrounding hills and Cliffside. For those who enjoy walks there's quite a bit to see and the scenery is fabulous. My personal favourite was to go for the daily morning walks to the 'Senhora da Rocha,' (Lady of the rock) as the cliff juts out into the sea. To get to the beaches 1 & 2 is relatively simple. Just go out through the back gate and follow the trail which will take one to the beach in under 10 minutes. There are two beaches, the first one on the left side of the Senhora da Rocha cliff and the 2nd one on the right which can be accessed by walking through a short tunnel. We tried the 2nd beach as the first one was packed that day and it is larger. But the beach ones' waves were calmer and the water warmer on our second visit. Note that it can get quite warm so sun umbrellas or a space in the cliff shadows should be sought out.
For the adventurous folk out there it can be recommended to visit the Benagil caves by boat. We took the ride for €25.00 per person which consists of 17 cave sites all in the boat of course and was just over an hour for the whole ride. There are some fantastic scenes so would be great to try that out. We went around 10:00 so that was perfect temperature wise...
Other things to do is to check out Zoomarine. Yes this Aquatic park is massive and there a lot to do/see such as the seal show and Emotional Dolphin display. The pirate show is entertaining if one is up for a few laughs. We can also recommend the 4D short movie with some additional thrills and spills!
It's a shame due to the time we were not able to experience all that Zoomarine had to offer but will definitely get a two day pass the next time around.
We really enjoyed the 'Iguaçu,' Log Flume water ride which can be quite testing due to height and speed so not for the faint hearted! Also it is a new attraction so be prepared to wait for 30-45 minutes in the line, but it's worth it. So after a thrilling ride one can enjoy the wave pool to chill in the relaxing waters.
The closest small city/town is Armação de Pêra which can be accessed by the bus/train which costs €5.00 per person for a return ticket. It starts from 09:40 - 22:40 and the stop is just outside the hotel. It's a fun ride and can get quite packed so ensure to get to the stops early.
Another place worth mentioning is Vau beach in Portimão as it is also known for its cliffs and wildlife. It's a 40 min drive from the hotel and depending on the time a Uber can cost from € 12.00~€15.00. Good restaurants down there as well.
Things to bear in mind
There is a Hotel/City tax which has to be paid on arrival.
Noise level may get a bit loud due to minors and small children as after all it's a family based hotel, but things are in general quite quiet at night.
Pool & Lounger chairs - The Pools open at 09:00 so to get to the line a bit early.
Kettle/water boiler - As there's none present in the room a unit can be obtained from the reception after paying a small deposit which will be returned once checked out but hand it back in at reception.
Room Safe - This is not free and there's a daily charge if the safe is required.
Sum up.
All in all our experience was just phenomenal and we would have extended our stay if possible. But as it's said all good things come to an end.
Also to ones with 'Special needs,' and requirements we cannot fault Ukino Palmeiras as they really know how to care for their guests.
We want to express our special thanks to Salomé - Guest relations & Services who took her time to talk, advise and inquire about our son's requirements and making the arrangements for the 'Special meals,' that he could take outside when we were on our excursions.
To Filipa asst. Manager for also looking into things to ensure our stay was comfortable and made us feel welcome.
Finally to Manager Tânia for personally coming on by to meet us and ensuring we were in good hands all the way through.
Muito obrigado Ukino Team, and we hope to see you all someday...
Adeus, cuide-se."
