I have always found that you get a better rate in the UK than in Portugal, last week 24/12/08 the exchanges in Albufeira were giving 1.006 when in the UK many were giving 1.02. It doesnt look much difference, but if you are changing a substantial amount it can pay for a night out. If you have a nationwide flexi account use your debit card for withdrawing money at the ATM's there is no charge and the rate is better than exchange agencies.

Try venturing out from your hotel and giving the local businesses a little of your hard earned Pippa, they wont bite, and they will give you much better value than the hotel!

Hi Pippa, I have just copied this from another forum, the info is from our friend Cubsur who is a member of this forum and lives in Albufeira, I'm sure he wont mind me giving you the info.

Right, sit down and remain calm. This is what you got for cash today in Albufeira's change shops:

£1 - 0.988 Euro
$1 US = 0.682 Euro
$1 CAN = 0.550 Euro

A pint and four straws please.

Thanks for the information. The rate in the Algarve looks much the same as here at the moment.

At least the hotel and meals are all paid for!

We do usually visit other bars and cafes when on holiday but when you are half board in a hotel you unfortunately have to pay the hotel bar prices if you want a drink with dinner. We are not big drinkers - a bottle of wine will usually last my husband 3 nights with dinner and I only tend to drink bottled water with a meal. What we do like is a brandy with coffee but as I said in my original post we can visit the local minimarket for a bottle and enjoy with coffee in our room. We always go to the local shops for water and soft drinks to have in our room. I presume that there are some shops fairly close to the Porto Bay Falesia - we will have a car anyway.

We got a really good price for the hotel on Thomson Hotel & Apartments only so I guess it is swings and roundabouts.

Pippa