Can anyone tell me if the Hotel supply pool towels and if the men are required to wear long trousers to dinner

We are just back from the HV - I will put a full review on in a bit. We went self catering, and were made to feel a bit second class - I absolutely refused to pay the prices they wanted for the basic items from the snack bar - 8 euros for a 'cheeseburger' and a tiny portion of chips, and for the watered down drinks. We went to a supermarket and bought all our own drinks and snacks. We ate breakfast at the main restaurant (26 euros for family of four) which was good, but we were shocked at the quality of the Italian restaurant which we tried out on our first night - the pizzas were not even a basic supermarket quality, and we didn't bother with the Portuguese after this.

All I can say about the food is that people are complaining, and the hotel are going to have to listen eventually. Apparently they are really trying hard to improve. I didn't hear much about the quality of the food in the main restaurant - I'm sure someone else will be able to update. They are also taking on more staff - much needed as the queues were building up at the bars etc. They are most definately operating a sitting system for dinner, and if you wanted to upgrade or book dinner, the only option was the 8pm - 9pm sitting - no good for us as Kids Village Time was 19.45 - 21.00.

The splash park should be open by now - after many promised deadlines came and went -we left on Saturday at midday and they were still saying very soon ........ such a shame that we didn't get to use it because it looked great.

Overall we did have a great holiday - we were in block 1 and the rooms were great, the sun shone and the pools etc are fab. The kids club was the best we've ever used, and my lads loved the soccer schools and high ropes. We found some lovely restaurants - around the hotel and in the Old Town - and we bought all our own drinks and snacks from a supermarket and put them in a cool bag for around the pool, or in one of the plastic glasses you get all your drinks in! Saved a fortune!

Please feel free to ask any questions - I shall answer as best as I can.

Pool towels can be hired from the hotel - 20 euros deposit per towel (we did it on a credit card) - and they are a decent size too. Most people seemed to have at least one or two of their own too, because as you can imagine the reserving of sun beds is rife - so you need some way of distinguishing yours from everyone elses!!

As for long trousers, well, on the one occasion we went to the Italian, my hubby wore three quarter length trouser things and was fine - to be honest, the restaurants are beautifully decorated but it is not a "posh" resort - very child friendly etc, and when it's hot the last thing men want to do is wear long trousers, so I can't see that they can insist on long trousers really. I suppose they just don't want people turning up in swimwear.

Don't forget all the deposits - 20 euros per towel, 30 euros for the air conditioning remote, and 30 euros for the TV remote. Last year we had to pay cash at the Alto, this year they let us put the deposits on a credit card - they tore up the slip when we returned everything. If you are self catering you will also need to create some sort of credit with reception (we used the credit card again) as everything apart from the shop is cashless. The shop is cash only.

Hope that helps a bit
Blue

We are going to the HV 2 weeks on Thursday and i have been concerened regarding the dinner sittings as we are taking a 2 year old and a 5 year old and there is no chance they could wait for the late sitting, here is the reply i got:

Thank you for your e-mail.
We're glad to know that you're coming to join us for your summer holidays.
You'll love to be with us here: the weather is lovely, hot and sunny shine and we have a new splash area
for kids, open since yesterday.
We do have two sittings for dinners and we'll do our best to accommodate you, according
with your preferences on the earlier sitting.
Unfortunately, I can't guarantee you that it would be on this sitting, but we'll do our best.
Could you please tell me which is your booking reference and how old are your childrens?
Thank you in advance.

Whishing you a pleasant journey,

Kind Regards,
Amélie

Nice to know the new splash area is open!

Thankyou. Thats been a big help

Can anyone tell me if the Hotel supply pool towels and if the men are required to wear long trousers to dinner

Gentlemen are requested to wear long trousers to dinner, but the head rep told us on the first day when i queried this that they didn't enforce it.

I wore jeans on the first night, saw everyone was wearing shorts, and then wore shorts every other night including for the a la carte portugese restaurant.

As long as you're smart ie not wearing swimwear and wearing what i would class as "Dress" Shorts then you're okay.

Just to let you know, that I too contacted the hotel with regards to the seating arrangements and recieved this e-mail back:

Thank you for your e-mail.
We're glad to know that you're coming to join us for your holidays.
We do have two sittings for dinners and we'll do our best to accommodate you, according with your preferences.
Unfortunately, we can't guarantee you that it would be on this sitting, but we'll do our best.

Whishing you a pleasant journey,

Kind Regards,Amélie

Which I think everyone is getting now.

Oh well, we'll have to wait and see when we get there

Thankyou.
Im really worrying about the food situation.We go on 26th july and i havent mentioned what ive read to my husband.

I spoke with my husband last night about it, and out main concern is that we will miss the kids club if we are on the later sitting arrangement. My daughter will be fine eating that late.

We are not going untill September, so maybe it will be less busy then, but we said what we'd do, if we were on the later sitting was a couple of night, eat from the snack bar (or go out) and then some nights our daughter will have to miss the kids club .... it's not acceptable as the main reason for booking this place was for the kids entertainment, but it's all paid for now and apart from the food/seating arrangements, everything eles seems great.

What I am doing now, is not worrying to much about it, wait till I get there, then see what happens ... if we get the later sitting and have to eat out etc ... then I will complain, as someone eles pointed out, it was not stated in the brochure ...

Hope you have a great holiday fabat40

Well here we are a week on Thursday we go and still no positive food reviews - we hear of extra staff being hired, a chef being flown in from England - but still every review on this and other sites speaks of the bad food and complaints!!!
I really do not think that this season will see any major improvements - maybe FC will have to admit that they have got it wrong with this Holiday Village which is a real shame!!
Now just thinking about how much money we can afford to take and how to take it euros/english pounds or credit cards - any advice anyone??

Mack if your taking euros I would change them in the UK as the rates are better than the exchanges in Albufeira. Marks & Spencer do one of the best rates.

We go a week on Thursday too, from Manchester, we are now resigned to making the most of it, as long as the weather is good and the kids are happy then hey ho. I'm just looking forward to relaxing when we get there as being in a wheelchair I am used to making the most of a bad situation.

Our glass is half full not half empty, the pros still seem to out way the cons. I think.

Be sure to say hi if you see us.

Hx

Mackmack,

M & S have cash machines now where you use your bank card and it spits out Euros.

Lummie

ALL,
LISTEN GUYS THIS IS THE TRUE REPORT YOU NEED TO HEAR! PLEASE FORGET ALL THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK!
YES THE FOOD IS NOT THE BEST AND CERTAINLY NEEDS SORTING! BUT TO BE HONEST WE WERE NOT THAT BOTHERED AND IT CERTAINLY DID NOT SPOIL OUR HOLIDAY.

THE COMPLEX IS BRILLIANT - WE TOOK OUR 2 SONS AGE 3 YEARS AND 14 MONTHS AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE ( 2 WEEKS)

WE WENT OUT TO THE OLD TOWN TWICE TO EAT AND WAS BEAUTIFUL - GET DROPPED OF AT TAXI RANK 2!

KIDS CLUB FAB / POOLS FAB / KIDS ENTERTAINMENT AMAZING! EVEN MY 3 YEAR OLD BUDDING FOOTBALLER WIGGLED HIS HIPS!

EXSISTING SPLASH PARK BRILL AND THE ONE BEING BUILD LOOKS PRETTY AMAZING! SHOULD BE WELL FINISHED BY NOW?

HOTEL STAFF GREAT! THEY NEED A FEW MORE BUT NOT THAT BAD!

ALL IN ALL AN AMAZING HOLIDAY REALLY ENJOYED IT.

SO TO ALL THOSE WAITING TO GO - CHILL OUT GET EXCITED AND ENJOY!!

WE ARE BOOKING THE VILLAGE IN MEXICO FOR 2009 ANYONE BEEN?

ZOE FROM WIGAN XXXXX

Thanks for the Report on the Village.
One question though, did you go all inclusive or Self catering.
I would agree with you that some people might not find the food problems off putting, but a lot of people paid to go all inclusive and have spent quite a lot of money.Dont really see why they should have to eat out at there expense, because the food is not up to standard
Every other Holiday village can and does have food thats up to an acceptable standard, so why not this one. Dont see First Choice saying, Look we know theres a problem, here have some money back or we'll pay for you to eat out.
It's the old case of,you have paid your money, so Hard luck, Like it or Lump it and as we British dont really like to complain, so they know they will get away with it. Had Germans been in the Camp, you can bet the food problems would have been resolved a week after they were reported.

No-one is in any doubt that the resort is Brilliant apart from the Food, But on All Inclusive, you rely on the Food.

Just my thoughts, Might not be everyone elses. But when I pay for something and it's not up to standard and then the Travel agaents blatantly lie that there is no problem, it makes me even madder.

I completely agree with xor37h.

No-one should have to put up with sub-standard food - and I can assure you that, when I was at the HV Algarve for a week at the end of May, the food was absolutely DIRE. It was so bad that when we got home, none of us could stop eating as we felt like we hadn't eaten properly for a week. Not only that, but my daughter spent one day of the holiday in bed, vomiting, which I am fairly certain was due to something she ate from the buffet (although when I mentioned this to the reps, they said no-one else had reported stomach upsets - but then they would, wouldn't they?).

This holiday cost not *that* much less than a fabulous week we had in the Dominican Republic last August, and there is simply NO comparison in terms of value for money (the food in the DomRep was out-of-this-world).

I haven't actually bothered to complain to FC yet, but perhaps I will afterall if it's not too late.

I also agree with xor37h.

When we booked this holiday, we planned to eat out half the week anyway ... so I am looking at the glass half full as someone eles mentioned, because this is our first family holiday in a 2years and I don't want to be full of dread before I get there.

I am also hoping that this situation improves and if by the time we arrive it hasn't, I will be complaining.

We booked a AI holiday a few years ago as we never had that much money, with the main reason being, that once the holiday was paid for, it was would not cost much more ... it's not fair on familys that have paid with this idea in mind and may not have the option of eating out, also the seating arrangements is far from acceptable IMO.

Hopefully we will all have a great time though

Have spoken to a friend who has just returned from this Holiday Village and she didn't comment specifically on the food situation but she said she had a great time.

I am booked to go there in June 2009 so hopefully all sorted by then.

Would appreciate some info on the transfer time from the airport?

We are also trying to add private taxi transfer to our booking as my daughter gets travel sick on coaches, but having problems with this at the moment as First Choice say it is not available to this resort! Has anybody had a private taxi to this hotel and if so, how long did it take and how much did it cost?

Thanks
Lex

While not wanting to keep complaining about the food and annoying everyone.This might be of interest

Section 3 (2) (b) of the Unfair Contract Terms Act states that a [providing party] ‘cannot by reference to any contract term"¦.claim to be entitled"¦.to render a contractual performance substantially different from what was reasonably expected of him'. The key phrases here are ‘substantially different' and ‘reasonably expected of him'. However, given the potential problems at a property, or with an airline or any other issue affecting the delivery of the holiday, the question to be asked is will this have an impact on the holiday, and could be said to be ‘substantially different' from what was promised or ‘reasonably expected'. You should also pay heed to any term in the contract that seeks to avoid such a liability by citing change. If the matter was brought to court attention would also be paid to the circumstances of the case - again, only properly qualified legal advice can guide you on this point.

Im not going to Post any more info regarding the food and what it might/Might not be like.
I hope and pray that it will improve and that everyone that does go on Holiday and is annoyed by the Sitting times and the Quality of the Food,DOES Complain to FC.
I am sure it will be a brilliant holiday and that they will get it resolved, Just remember, DONT lie back and take it, keep all your receipts if you have to eat out, including Taxi Fares and present this to them when you get back.Dont be afraid to take them to a Small claims court, This website will only strengthen your complaint and Im pretty confident any Claim will be met.
Working in Citizens Advice Bureau im used to complaining to people on behalf of others and This company wont be any different.

Anyway, everyone have a brilliant Holiday when you go and Please,Please, KEEP THE SITE UPDATED.