Jess Barnett
Honest review of this hotel, we were there for 5 days. Not sure how it is a 5*, it must be because you can use the sister hotels and the complex looks smart from the outside. Apart from that, it is definitely more a 3*.
Good points:
- The location is great, 5 min walk to the nearest beach and about a 7 min uber to Albufeira town
- Rooms are a very good size
- Can use sister hotels and there is a free shuttle between them (usually late afternoon/ evening only)
- Salad bar is nice and fresh
- Pool area is quite nice
Not so good points:
- We were all inclusive, don't bother, the drinks are extremely watered down and are given in cheap plastic cups. In the evenings, we asked for a glass for the wine and they said no.
- The dining area is dull and dark and is too small. There isn't a lot of food choice, one of us is Vegetarian and theres literally nothing except pasta and salad.
- The downstairs bar where the 'entertainment' was is very dark, dingy and small - we went one night then went out of the hotel for the rest of the nights as it was depressing.
- The pool bar is tiny and offers slow service. There isn't enough staff and the ones that are there are very overworked.
- When you get there and you see all the restaurants that you can visit in the sister hotels you think woah this is great, wrong. We went to the Italian on the first night, nice setting but the pasta was very watery and had no flavour, none of the food was nice. We also went to the Mexican which was AWFUL, the 'restaurant' (if you can call it that) was dirty inside and the food was so bland and the portions were tiny! We had the Chinese booked also but didn't even bother going there and instead went out to one of the restaurants near our hotel and had a lovely seafood meal.
Overall, if you are looking for a 5* (or even a 4* hotel) then don't book this. If you want a 3* then go for it.
All that being said, Portugal is an amazing country and we loved visiting all the different beaches and areas so the hotel didn't ruin our holiday, we just went out every day instead :)
Niels Monshouwer
We had a lovely stay in this hotel as a family.
Not crowded very nice staff.
Family friendly with like entertainment every night and also during the day.
We tried out some other hotels from MGm during our stay with the free shuttle but we didn't feel the same there was more disorganized, to busy no beds available at the pools and also the food was not like in Forte de vale.
The food didn't disappoint us any time I will say it was all above avarage for a hotel buffet.
I loved the theme dinners.
For sure the Mexican since the staff is Mexican this night was amazing. from the theme music on the background everything pretty warm and enough didn't matter or you came late or early.
Only tiny disappointed thing was not having savory snacks during the day and was written during booking that there Wil like 30 places available to eat and dri m but during winter it is less.
The drinks could be a bit more advanced but hé pricewise it is ok.
We loved the free shuttle to connect us to the other hotels.
Also the spa very nice the sauna aldough it is a bit old it is clean and maintained.
70/80 degrees quite good.
The rooms are a bit outdated but everything works.
The matress 6 star plus I never had such a good bed.
The internet is quite poor I have to say.
The staff is amazing very friendly and helpful.
Also the kitchen staff extra star for the Mexican waitress and the Lithuanian bartender.
The kids didn't want to leave they lived the animation team.
So kind of only - point is the old fashion room will not say it is 5 star looking.
And the missing of savory snacks between lunch and dinner.
This was quite a bummer (we know in summer will be more but now there was nothing besides some cakes)) .
Also the coffee is not the greatest besides the one in the picadilly bar but only available in the evening.
And found it ridiculous that bottle water is not included water in glass yes but the tapwater tasted chlore.
What I already said earlier this hotel felt more calm and maintained as others we visited. Definitely could feel the extra star compared to Praia club and even compare to the 5 star beach club view forte de vale was more calm and better food.
Maybe for the owner change the names to not almost exactly the same name will stop confusing during booking.
We will come back for sure
Janet Wgy
Just spent 5 full days here on an all inclusive basis. 3 adults in a spacious apartment.
Apartments are incredibly spacious with everything you need. Plenty of towels, rooms cleaned daily, small balcony to sit out. Fully equipped kitchen.
Being out of season, the hotel was quiet, therefore only one restaurant open for breakfast/lunch/dinner. No snack bar available. The restaurant is lovely and the food was typical of an AI buffet style. Plenty of choice, staff wonderful, always something to eat
Reception staff were always readily available. They were friendly, helpful and would call a free transfer to take you to one of the other MGM hotels.
Pool area is lovely with plenty of sunloungers and a little poolside bar.
Location is fantastic. Tourist train right outside hotel, 15min walk to beach, few shops/restaurants nearby, far enough away from the strip to escape the noise but only few euros in a cab. 5mins in cab to old town.
Tim Mason
Nice hotel. Didn't feel quite 5*. Good points: the rooms were clean, spacious and comfortable, although my partner found the bed and pillow uncomfortable for her back. Access to the other MGM hotels for their locations and restaurants, and the shuttle bus, was excellent. Staff were friendly and helpful.
Buffet was "fine". Coffee was "different".
Bad points: cocktails were limited and half were plain bad. Management force the bar to use cheap and sometimes simply wrong ingredients, clearly cost cutting. Not 5*. Eating at Forte do Vale was limited and other restaurants at other MGMs were not open when we went in May. It's a bit of a walk to the beach, but the shuttle will take you to the closer MGM. I don't know how that will work in high season.
Chris McCarthy
FOOD IS ROTTEN, DRINKNIS ROTTEN, SERVICE SO, SO. .A very disappointing all-inclusive. Breakfast was ok. Lunch and Dinner was less than terrible, disgraceful really, the spirits were not drinkable, they were so poor. 5 star food and drink... not a chance, they called there own local brand "premium", a joke not drinkable, then €6 for a Jameson. Staff could not make cocktails, just threw a few things into.plastic cups. After 11pm no drink and no food, no room service, nothing. They offer you the use of their other hotels, but again the food and drink was shocking. We spoke to several people staying at the hotels and it was tne same complaints.... The only thing going for this hotel was the internal communal areas big, the pool area was again poor with broken sun loungers, which were scarce, a broken table tennis table. And you have to pay for a pool towel... where in the 5 star hotels in the world charge you for a pool towel! Would advice people to go to one of the many lovely hotels in the area, restaurants and bars are plentiful and good value, it is not worth going all-inclusive. No I did not reach out to staff, if this was a true 5 star hotel the on duty managers would have this in order, no staff were going to improve the drink or food quality. The bathroom was literally disintegrating , see photos, and shower curtain filthy. SHAME ON MANAGEMENT AND OWNERS.
