Jardim do Vau

We had a wonderful, 9 night experience here in June, 2024. We had a two bedroom apartment with a sea view. We travelled with a 1 and a 3 year old. The location right on the beach with an outdoor shower to rid all sand as you come back by the pool was ideal! Relaxed and calm stay. Two small pools and one main pool. All staff were very welcoming, friendly and so accommodating of our kids. We dined once for breakfast and once for dinner in the My Guest restaurant and were very happy both times. Happily recommend! Safe 2km walk into Praia Do Rocha when wanted but some lovely restaurants also just outside. 5 minute drive from Aldi or Lidl to stock apartment. Thank you!

The whole hotel was very clean and the housekeeping staff did a wonderful job servicing our apartments each day. The bed and bedding were all great quality and we slept well. The shower tray in the main bathroom did not drain well at all and would often fill up so it was a race to see if I could finish my shower before it overflowed 😂 the balcony is spacious with a table and chairs, plus sun loungers. Our main problem was the lack of entertainment, there isn't much to do locally. We asked staff if there was anything near by and we were just told 'the beach' they failed to mention the little row of restaurants and bars at the back of the hotel just outside the gate near to the pool. The restaurant and bar on site was incredibly quiet but it was end of season. None of the games facilities for the kids worked and neither did the vending machine. Pedro and Sasha were our servers and were very attentive and friendly. A lot of the staff around the resort didn't even acknowledge us which I found very strange. The lady on reception was very well informed whenever I asked questions on the best way to get anywhere. We visited Alvore which is a lovely little place with a marina and some fresh fish restaurants and also we visited Zoomarine which my kids loved, definitely worth a visit. They operate a shuttle bus which I believe you can book through the app. We chose to go via uber and it was around €25-28 each way. You can take snacks and your own drinks however there's lot of places to purchase when inside. There was one night when it sounded like people were in the pool until after 1am. The sound echoes and despite being in an apartment at the front, I could hear it clearly in my bedroom at the back. It didn't bother me too much but it was quite loud and I didn't hear anyone intervene. The main pool is very deep, even at its shallowest it is 1.45m...at its deepest it is 2.5. As a non swimmer I chose not to go in as I'm only conformable when I can stand up. My kids loved it, although there is no life guard on site, my kids are confident swimmers. The beaches and cliffs are stunning. The sound of the waves crashing each night is so peaceful to fall to sleep to and whilst our apartment was a land view apartment, our bedroom doors looked out over the ocean. The pool bar is advertised as being open until October 31st but was not open at all during our stay and no explanation as to why. The mini market I found some things quite pricey and not much choice, we used uber Eats often. The shop closes between 1-3 and then at 8pm. On Sundays it closes at 6pm. I feel that this hotel could be much more than it is, with some entertainment and a little more attention paid to the customer experience it could be exceptional. Having said that, we had a pleasant, restful stay in a beautiful country and we're fortunate to have great weather.

We stayed a week at the end of August at Jardim du Vau. The hotel is perhaps a bit tired in appearance although our room was fine. The block we were in however had the air conditioning unit sited on the balcony, which meant that you could not sit outside if you wanted to keep the rooms cool. The receptionists were all helpful although a bit of customer training would not go amiss when stuck on a phone call. On a number of occasions the receptionist was on the phone whilst guests waited. An acknowledgement that you were waiting and would be attended to shortly would be a professional touch. The restaurant and bars were, I think, franchised out and it was a mixed bag. Some of the staff (Daniel particularly) were excellent but a couple, if they smiled during the week then we missed it! The outside bar didn't open until lunchtime, a bit strange and a lost opportunity, but it's food was good. The restaurant/ cocktail bar was a different issue. There was no air-conditioning so not a comfortable environment. It did not encourage you to stay and have a drink. One evening at 2215 we asked for a cocktail but was told it was too late, even though closing time was 2300 The restaurant's organisation left a lot to be desired. The two coffee machines, when working, were incredibly slow as was the toaster. The hot breakfast was served in bain-marie's but frequently it took an age to be replenished. One morning there was a 20min wait for a scrabbled egg refill. At least it gave the toast a chance to brown! One evening we decided to try the buffet. What a disaster - the lasagne and fish had gone, leaving only the remnants of a very nice stroganoff. Some replacement dishes did finally arrive, a deep fried fish of fish cake consistency and a chicken offering along similar lines. Not impressive and didn’t bother again. Overall the hotel is a curates egg, some good bits and some not so good!

Great experience really enjoyed it very good staff great location and facility’s have to appreciate Daniel a member of staff very helpful and kind helped us a lot with food recommendations in the in house restaurant and also very helpful with bar food/drink during day Thanks again Daniel for a great experience/holiday!!!

Just returned from a three week stay over Christmas and New Year. We had a few questions before we arrived, which were dealt with quickly and efficiently. Easy and fast check-in and were given a room upgrade, which is always welcome. Our room was exceptional. Very clean, spacious, comfortable, and very well equipped. Towel and linen changed regularly, and the lady who cleaned our room was fantastic, and she was very helpful and friendly. We were on the top floor, bloc B, with stunning views of the sea. Being winter, the outside pools were closed, but looked lovely, you could still access the area and relax there if you wanted. The indoor pool and jacuzzi was really nice. Nice bar and restaurant in the hotel. Locally there are numerous bars and restaurants and if you want to walk in to Praia da Rocha, Portimao or Alvor all are a 20 to 40 minute east walk, or just jump on the electric busses, which run very regularly and are really cheap. Great location, lovely views, stunning beaches. Would definitely recommend and would certainly return.