Hotel Mar A Vista — Hotel in Albufeira

Despite we have always spend the Easter in Algarve, this was our first time in Albufeira and we wanted an hotel with parking for the car with a reasonable walking distance to the center. This one was the perfect match. By the time we booked (9th April for the 16th) it was one of the few ones available. I confess I was attracted by the view but a bit concerned by the reviews and the fact it was a 2 stars hotel. Even so, we moved forward with the booking. When I checked the price on the day we arrived the price was almost half of the price we have paid and in that case I would have considered a good quality-price relation.|Staff is very nice and warm. They gave us the room 501 (one of the top ones with the best view to the sea and old town) and were always very kind and helpful. However, there are several points I would like to stress:|- The hotel is very outdated and needs a refurbish|- The carpet needs to be replaced (it seems that is not cleaned for several years)|- The breakfast is very poor (and even says that is forbidden to refill the cup of juice or coffee. I would like to congratulate the staff member that was working at that time because it was necessary at least two people to do the job (clean tables, put tables and cutlery for the new guest arriving, restock the items, etc.)|- The room was very close to the breakfast area which means that from 8am it was impossible to sleep due to the noise (rooms are not soundproof).|The room was cleaned every day, beds done and towels replaced. There is a fridge in the room, a tv that does not work (ours did not have any signal but I was not there to watch TV and an A/C that did heat.|If I had to come back I would only do it for the great view and nice staff. |I do not know the other hotels form Barata group but it seems that this is the...

Just spent 5 nights at the Hotel Mar A Vista, and for sure, we would return happily. Clean and tidy, rooms cleaned every day, towels changed daily, beds made daily spectacular views and best of all, the staff were genuinely friendly from start to finish. They have their own swimming pool too, which was also spotlessly clean. Just down the road, Leo's Cafe. Spot on. Very cheap and a very decent English breakfast. Over the road and slightly lower down the hill from Leo's, a great restaurant for dinner. (can't remember the name) And again, wonderful staff. So friendly and warm. The hotel is on a hill, but you can rest along the way and I'm 66 and waiting for knee replacements and I managed OK. Hard work maybe for wheelchairs. If you come to Albufeira by coach (10 euros each from Faro airport) you can get a taxi at the bus station (which is certainly a mile and a half outside Albufeira) straight to the hotel for 7.5 euros. The hotel is quite peaceful too. I've stayed in the Old Town before, and the noise can keep you up half the night. Give The Hotel Mar a Vista a try. I suspect you'll enjoy it too. Kevin Savage...

PROS:|Rooms were very clean and comfortable. We had a fantastic sea view from our balcony and the staff were very helpful & friendly. We were able to leave our luggage in a safe area by reception as we had arrived before check-in & had a few hours after check-out before our taxi to the airport. The hotel is only 15/20 mins walk from main strip of Old Town Albufeira but there are a few good cafes & bars just a few minutes walk away. Namely Café Leo for breakfast/lunch & Bluebells bar for a few drinks on the little outdoor terrace.|CONS: |The rooms need refurbishment. The towel rail & toilet roll holder in the bathroom were broken & there was a lot of paint spatters all over the balcony. Also, despite room information saying there was a clothes rail on the balcony to dry clothes, there was no place to hang our wet towels & swimsuits so had to hang them on the back of chairs. Even though the hotel is only a short distance away from the Old Town it is up quite steep streets. Not at all suitable for people with mobility issues, but all of Albufeira...