Roaz de Bandeira Guesthouse

We’re circa 60 years old, reasonably fit and enjoy walking. We like to be away from noisy night life and prefer to holiday slightly out of season to avoid crowds. We stayed at Roaz de Bandeira in Olhão for 10 nights. Olhão itself is a functioning town. It’s a tourist town and in May it was pleasantly busy, with a feeling of life. The water front area is excellent and the whole town seems to be on the level with no hills to speak of. The restaurants are sensibly priced and plentiful, with varied menus. Much to our surprise there were municipal ferries that run regularly throughout the day to take you to various nearby islands where endless white sandy beaches await. They are cheap - circa £2 each way - and make an excursion to the beach an event. Even more beaches are available if you catch the train to Fuzeta or Tavira. The trains are cheap too. They are air conditioned and add another dimension to staying in Olhão when compared to some resorts on the western Algarve. But why Roaz de Bandeira and why have we given them top marks? The answer is easy. It’s the owners Claudia and Luis. We are not the first people to say this and we will not be the last. They are a winning team. They are decent people. The plumbing works. The air conditioning works (and is quiet). The bed was comfortable. The courtyard is sunny and a place to enjoy. Breakfast is served outside whenever the weather permits. The location is far more convenient than a map might suggest. The train station and bus station are nearby. The walk into town is along the main boulevard. It is on the level, lit and safe, taking you past the central church and the locals debating, with passion, in the cafes along the way. We never minded the slight walk. Roaz de Bandeira is a quiet, spotless, well managed guest house. They have a great *********** rating of 9.1 which is well deserved. That is the result of their attention to detail and caring about making each stay as enjoyable as possible. Claudia and Luis are almost invisible if that is your preference. They are there to welcome you, serve you breakfast and also there to say goodbye. However, if you want to know more and seek information about the surrounding area, they will devote time to you. Our advice would be to make full use of their kindness and knowledge. They are interested in helping you to find what might make your stay that much more enjoyable. Between them they can point you in the direction of the best restaurants for you; the best boat trips for you; the best walks for you; the best cycle rides for you; the best places to see the stunning sunrises or sunsets. They truly care and that is priceless. Who would we recommend it to? Besides people like us, it might be small groups of walkers, or fishermen, or cyclists. Indeed, besides directing you to the best and most honest traders in the town, Luis may have the time to provide guided tours himself of the area, or fishing etc. We had a wond

I was given detailed instructions on how to get to the ferry boats to Culatra and other places of interest, when I arrived, which I really appreciated. I had a delicious breakfast every morning with freshly pressed orange juice. The homemade jams were perfect. I loved the nautical décor in my room. There are plenty of thoughtful guest facilities and I enjoyed having breakfast in the outdoor space.

We stayed three nights at Roaz de Bandeira House. It was very close to the train station and only a 15 minute walk to the waterfront and ferry to the nearby islands with beaches. Our hosts were very friendly and gave us a wonderful orientation to the area. Breakfast each day was delicious and very generous.