Pestana Blue Alvor Beach, All Inclusive Hotel

The hotel was okay to stay in but way too overpriced especially because they’re not really a five star hotel in my opinion. Simple amenities such as shampoo, bathrobes, slippers and lotion are not provided for a five star hotel. I didn’t get help from the Porter to take my bags etc. I like that it’s all inclusive and it’s so convenient to eat at the hotel however the food could have been fresher. The pools were amazing and the hotel is very close to the beach which is good. Getting around is a headache unless you hire a car, it would take me forever to get an Uber. Not the hotels fault obviously but just something to note. The hotel is so huge that the shared lift would take forever and unfortunately can’t choose which one to take as the lift chooses the floor automatically . While it was a good stay I don’t know if I would stay here again because of my expectations of an all inclusive 5star hotel. Also make sure to go watch the sunset by the beach, absolutely breathtaking.

Very clean and friendly hotel but not a 5 star . Food was very limited and not very nice and luke warm .There were meant to be a surf and turn and Italian restaurant as part of the all inclusive, but they were not open .The rooms are clean and comfortable, but not a lot of hanging space .Nowhere to dry your swimming stuff on the balcony.No entertainment during the day , but lots of entertainment staff sat on the stage .Evening entertainment a singer most nights from 9pm Good job we took travel games to entertain ourselves..I know the hotel is out of season as we got told by staff numerous times but we paid for the whole package I feel we should have been notified that the hotel was not at its full potential.Theres not much to do around the hotel.The bar staff are brilliant Ricardo Big shout out too and the old man in the evenings .If you go this time of year pack jumpers and trousers as the hotel is very cold ..

Room and Amenities We stayed in a corner room, which was large and spacious. Although the balcony area was a little restricted due to the air-conditioning unit, the views were absolutely breathtaking. We were also greeted throughout our stay by beautiful birds that often flew up to the balcony. The bathroom was a good size, though the toiletries were quite limited—only shampoo, a shoe-shine sponge, and a shower cap—which felt basic for a five-star hotel. The minibar was also minimal, stocked with just two children’s juices and two large bottles of water. Replenishment was inconsistent, varying depending on who serviced the room. Housekeeping in general lacked consistency: towels, water, bottles, and toilet tissue were sometimes replaced and sometimes not. We also found the bed a bit too firm for our liking, and a couple of the pillows were lumpy and uncomfortable. The room did not include an iron or ironing board; instead, there was a communal one on the ground floor. Guests can also hire one for €7 per day, though ours wasn’t delivered until 7 p.m. after several follow-ups—despite ordering it in the morning. Food and Dining The dining areas were beautiful, just like the photos, with plenty of seating options both indoors and outdoors for different group sizes. The standout meal for us was the steak at the Surf and Turf restaurant. In the main dining area, the food was tasty but fairly average. The seafood selection was limited to prawns, mussels, and some white fish. Being so close to the sea, we had hoped for a wider variety. We were also surprised not to see any local specialties like piri-piri chicken or pastel de nata—dishes we were looking forward to trying in Portugal. Compared to other five-star hotels we’ve stayed at, the variety and flavours of the food here were a bit of a letdown. On a positive note, the drinks selection was very good. We appreciated that the hotel used genuine branded spirits and offered a nice range of cocktails. Beer, wine, soft drinks, and hot drinks were all self-serve throughout the hotel. However, we sometimes found that the beer and wine stations weren’t topped up promptly, leading to unnecessary queues at the bar. With two bars on-site but only one open during the day, this sometimes caused delays. Location, Hotel, and Atmosphere It’s conveniently located—a five-minute walk from the sandy beach, around a 35-minute walk to Alvor centre, and a 12-minute drive to Portimão (about €5 by Uber). There’s also a Cho Cho train that runs hourly for €5 per person. The hotel itself was modern and beautifully designed, both inside and out. The infinity pool, in particular, was stunning. The small souvenir shop at the front of the hotel was handy for buying gifts. Entertainment was good, with a daily activity schedule. We especially enjoyed the Portuguese lessons with Bruna and aquarobics with Miguel. Evening entertainment usually featured live music, though it would have been nice to see a full show, especially given t

Not the greatest start to a holiday… We arrived at the hotel and we got our room key only to find someone else in our room! The reception wasn’t sure what was going on! They had given the same room to two families! On a safeguarding level this is outrageous. I hate to think if I had sent my children ahead to the room god knows what may have happened! We then had to wait a further 30mins for our new room to be ready. The room: Oh the room… sigh! This is a first! I have never come across Ikea furniture in a hotel resort room! We had a 1x4 Kallax in the main room area and an Ikea ladder in the bathroom! Now I know it’s cheap as we have the kallax at home for the children’s toys! The room is a huge disappointment! There is no wardrobe as such just a space. There is only one small drawer and little cabinet to put our clothes in, plus the kallax. The floor wasn’t cleaned and had sand and hair on it. Twice I have had to complain about the cleanliness of the room. There are cobwebs in corners that haven’t been cleaned. I know it’s Halloween week but still! This is not acceptable. You can see my pictures! The bathroom seemed very dated and I’m sure that this was meant to be updated in the recent major refurbishment that happened in 2024. The shower leaked annoyingly and we have to request a new foot towel and hand towel every day as it is sodden due to the amount of water. The balcony space is nice and the furniture is new and modern. The balcony would benefit from a small clothes hanging section above the ac unit as this is dead space. As there is no where to hang damp swimwear to dry it apart from the furniture. Our fridge didn’t work when we arrived and I spoke to reception and they had it replaced by the time we got back from dinner. Food: There is no shortage of food I have to say. But booking the Al a Carte restaurants is a joke! For 7 day stays you get 2 bookings for these restaurants. Thats if you can get in. We tried 20 mins after getting our key card and couldn’t get booked in. We kept trying and did eventually get the Luigi restaurant. We did also get the Furgo surf and turf restaurant. But this was after speaking with reception about not being able to book anything, we got placed on a wait list and got a reservation. Luigi’s: Is an Italian. Food was nice service was a bit slow we had to ask for our plates to be cleared for the next course after waiting absolutely ages. Good size pizzas and the risotto was really good. A small array of starters on offer and traditional Italian desserts as well. Furgo surf and turf restaurant: A small restaurant. Same set up as the Italian. Starters as a buffet style and then order mains. This one is also Al a Carte. Portions are small and delicate. Presentation was very good. Service was again slow. We had half our table cleared then waited 10/15mins for the rest to be cleared. Ended up asking for it to be cleared so we could have dessert. Breakfast is well stocked with a range of hot food,

Excellent hotel, food is great and beer/drinks Staff are super helpful and polite. Halloween experience was above and beyond and staff did an awesome job of creating a super scary experiance :-)

Honest Review of Our Stay We arrived on 28th September at 13:15, but our room wasn’t ready until 15:45. While waiting, we tried to book meals at the à la carte restaurants, but could only get into Luigi twice. Surf & Turf (Fuego) was already fully booked, which was disappointing , especially as the delay in getting our room meant others got in ahead of us. Room: The room itself was nice, clean, and spacious. It did lack a hairdryer and the remote for the air con on arrival, but once we called reception at 19:22, both were brought up very quickly, which was good service. The minibar is extremely poor for a supposed 5★ hotel, just two kids’ fruit juice cartons and a bottle of water. Special mention to the housekeeper for room 326, who was amazing. The room was cleaned with great care, and she was truly exceptional. Facilities & Pools: There’s a gated kids’ pool area with what looks like a fun little water park (I’d say best for under 6s). The adults’ pool has trees overhanging and even a cart with wine where you can help yourself, which was a nice touch. There’s also a mini golf course, football pitch, and paddle/tennis courts. The pools, however, are very cold. The towel exchange doesn’t open until 10:30, which isn’t very convenient. Food & Restaurants: The buffet was actually pretty good, in fact, better than the Italian and by far better than Fuego. Unfortunately, Fuego (the Surf & Turf restaurant) was dreadful, honestly the worst meal I’ve ever had. A supposed medium well-done steak came out looking raw, and the shrimp that should have accompanied it looked like it had been cooked the day before, truly awful. The starters were no better: a cod bite that was stone cold, mussels that were dried up, and a sea bass fillet that was tiny and sat on a bed of dried, clumpy mashed potato. Even dessert was a let-down: the chocolate cake was supposed to come with ice cream but instead arrived with desiccated coconut sprinkled on top and no ice cream at all. The staff weren’t much better either, except for one young Black waiter, who was very pleasant. Later in the week, Fuego had to be closed altogether due to a smell problem in the hotel, so we couldn’t even have tried again if we’d wanted to. To make matters worse, when we cancelled our reservation at Luigi, staff suddenly asked if we wanted to rebook Fuego, the very restaurant we had been told was fully booked on the day we arrived. We honestly wished we hadn’t bothered. Bars & Drinks: The bar staff are generally nice and pleasant, but they really can’t mix drinks. The cocktails are dreadful, just syrup, ice, and cheap alcohol. The non-alcoholic versions are equally bad. Even the basics weren’t reliable: on Monday, during a tribute night in the Bubble Bar, they had no gin, and by 23:30 there was no vodka, despite the bar being advertised as open until midnight. The Coral Bar should serve until 23:00 but staff were reluctant to serve from about 22:30 onwards. A note on service in the Bubble Ba