Monicca Collection Suites & Residences, Albufeira — Hotel in Albufeira

We’ve just returned from a fantastic week at the Monicca Collection Suites & Residences, and it was the perfect family getaway. The reception staff were warm and welcoming, and the lobby area was beautifully designed, setting the tone for the rest of our stay.||Our two apartments were spacious, spotlessly clean, and fully equipped with everything we needed. The sea views from the large corner balconies were breathtaking, and we loved watching the sun rise and set over the water. The little touches, like complimentary soft drinks, tea, cookies, and coffee pods in the kitchen, were much appreciated. The beds and pillows were incredibly comfortable, and the daily cleaning service kept the apartments in pristine condition. We also enjoyed the thoughtful turn-down service each evening, which included a weather forecast for the next day and chocolates.||Jac’s Restaurant offered a great variety of food to cater for all our family’s tastes. The ability to book the specialty restaurants for dinner was a nice touch, offering a change from the buffet. We particularly enjoyed dining at The Grill and Mandarin, which both offered exceptional food and atmosphere.||One thing that truly stood out during our stay was the exceptional staff across the resort. We saw staff members working tirelessly to maintain the high standards throughout the hotel, whether it was in the bar, around the pool, or in the gardens. There was a variety of relaxing outdoor seating available all throughout the resort. It was clear that the team is dedicated to ensuring guests have a great experience.||Speaking of great experiences, the entertainment team was incredibly talented and made our evenings so much more enjoyable. We enjoyed the bingo and pub quiz, and the live performances by the opera singers were particularly amazing, and the Wednesday night dance show by the entertainers was excellent. The entertainment team really went above and beyond to keep guests engaged and entertained, and their energy and enthusiasm were infectious.||During the day, there were plenty of activities to choose from, and of particular enjoyment were the stretching classes with Boris, Dayana and the team. The wide variety of options made it easy to stay active while still relaxing and soaking up the sun.||We also took part in a guided tour of the Old Town, which was another highlight of our trip. Our guide Leyanna was fantastic, and we had a great time exploring the town.||The location of the hotel is unbeatable, right on the beautiful Praia da Oura beach, offering stunning views and the perfect setting for a relaxing beach holiday. The ability of being able to use the facilities at the sister hotels was a bonus.||Overall, our family had an unforgettable stay at the Monicca Collection Suites and Residences. The combination of great accommodation, service, entertainment, and beautiful surroundings made it the perfect destination for a relaxing holiday. We would highly recommend this resort to anyone looking for a peaceful and enjoyable getaway...

From Faro airport we had pre-booked a private transfer with Yellow Fish which cost €63 return and took about 45 mins.||Check in at Monicca Collection is usually from 16.00, but the hotel gave us earlier CI at 12.00 - thank you! Check out is by 12.00. We got upgraded to a corner apartment suite (block F on the attached site map) with a large terrace facing south out to sea and west, we had 2 sunbeds, table & 4 chairs & a parasol. The sun is on the terrace all day until sunset. The hotel gave us a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine for our room - which was very much appreciated - thank you again! Our stay included a buffet breakfast in Jac’s restaurant (#1 on the site map) from 8.00-10.30, which you share with the rest of the extensive MGM Muthu complex. We had good wifi, safe (large enough for a laptop), tv (inc BBC1 & ITV1), separate aircon in the living room and bedroom, loads of wardrobe & drawer space, 3-seater sofa, large dining table, full kitchen and all utensils, toaster, large fridge, tea/coffee maker (ask for milk), rain head shower (no bath), shower gel/shampoo combo but you need to bring your own conditioner & body lotion. There is a hairdryer, robes & slippers, quality pillows & bedsheets, toothbrush & paste. You can get towels for the terrace / beach from reception.||A large bag of Bombay mix was provided in the room and also cake & biscuits and a coffee machine during the day in the lobby, plus sparkling wine between 5-7pm! The MGM Muthu complex has bars & restaurants, gym, jacuzzi & sauna, choice of pools and areas to sit out. Can also use the facilities of connecting sister hotels. There is a local tax to pay at th hotel from 1st April which is only €4 per night. We were not asked to pay a ‘breakage deposit’ - which is mentioned on some literature.||Praia da Oura beach has a few bars and restaurants. Close by (within 10-15 mins walk north) is the Intermarche Santa Eulalia for all your grocery and alcohol etc shopping, plus lots of restaurants and bars along Estrada de Santa Eulalia. There are 'happy hours' everywhere. Also Areias de Sao Joao (very lively strip area!) and Avenida Sa Carneiro (the strip) is within 15 mins walk. ||You could walk 50 mins west to Praia dos Pescadores, the main beach at Albufeira and centro area, or get there in 20 mins by taking local Giro bus #4 (cost €2) from the corner of Rue Oliveira Martins & Rue Jose Fontana - and #2 (or #4) bus back to Oura. Go on these buses too if you wish to get to and from Albufeira bus station for onward journeys around the Algarve.||We would very much recommend staying at Monicca Collection. A lovely hotel and...

I visited Portugal for the first time, but after this experience, I'd love to come back. I travelled by myself, to meet friends, so stayed in the hotel alone.

I booked my hotel and flights separately, so booked my transfer from the airport directly with the hotel; this was all very easy and the service was pretty good! They use a third party company for this, but I thought that the price was very reasonable.

Belen at the front of house/reception desk was really friendly, helpful and gave me a great welcome! She made a really good first impression! As I entered the hotel, I was guided to some seats and given a welcome drink as Belen checked me in.

My room was lovely, with a huge balcony! The view from my room was stunning and looked straight out onto the sea and coastline. For reference, I was on floor 6 of block E, so right at the front of the hotel.

The hotel facilities were good, although I didn't get the opportunity to try many of them. There was a couple of pools, some spa options (massages etc) and a choice of places to eat. The service felt quite personal, and little touches like the sparkling wine in the evening make the stay feel more luxurious. I think the only constructive thing that I could really add, would be to have a small breakfast cafe/restaurant closer to this side of the hotel (the main facilities are only a stones throw away in the sister hotel) - not a big issue! But I found the cafe on the beach (outside of the hotel) more convenient for where my room was positioned.

All in all, very good for the price I paid! Keep up...