Cerro Mar

Have just returned from a great weeks holiday to the Cerro Mar apartments. We were apprehensive after reading the reviews but the apartment we stayed in was great with a massive bedroom, separate kitchen, lounge and the largest balcony we have ever had (we booked through Portland Holidays/Thomsons). The pool and the bar on the complex was really lovely too.

The only down side was the steps down to the old town which were hard going in the heat of the day, but a bit easier in the evening and you get used to them.

All the restaurants in the Square are great and its a really great happy atmosphere with loads going on.

It's a great place to go for a relaxing holiday.

Enjoy.

Had reservations about this hotel based on previous reviews but our jaws dropped when we walked through the front door of the hotel. I actually drove past it first cos we thought now way was this what we booked! We were told on arrival we were upgraded to the newly built apartments as part of their april promotion. Our apartment was huge! we had a huge living room with 3 balconys off it...we were at the end of the building over looking the town. bedroom was huge also with another balcony overlooking the pool. Loads of wardrobe space. Bathroom was huge and the kitchen was a god send! it had every kitchen appliance...metal utensils in one drawer and the same in another except wooden! the washing machine was excellent especially after our trip out on the buggys! dishwasher, top of the range electric cooker, pots pans, fridge freezer etc..

we got a brilliant deal for 7 nights but i do believe we wouldnt have gotten the same price for the same apartment had there been no promotion. everything was spotless so Id say we were the first occupants.

The only annoying thing were the steps up the the hotel from the Old town but thats not the hotels fault and it was such a nice, quiet area. We were so happy we didnt stay down by the "strip" and opted to be near the oldtown. its very tacky down there. we got parking right outside on the street every evening though there is an enclosed carpark within the hotel.

I would definately return to this hotel but i dont know if id be able to afford the normal prices for what we got.

We`ve been in the old part and everything was OK and staff was really friendly and very nice to us, location is not good for eldery people.....it is on the hill and that can make it difficult to someone who is less active.

This hotel is probably the best that I have ever stayed in abroad! It is clean, secure and the rooms are really well equipt.

We were lucky enough to be staying in the Cerro Mar Colina, which is one of the new buildings. Our 2 bed room had a dishwasher, fridge, freezer, microwave and toaster amongst other things. We also had two bathrooms and a massive balcony.

We used 2 of the outdoor pools, both of which were clean and pleasant to use. The pool belonging to the Colina even had a snack bar that you could swim up to! The staff were friendly and the food was basic but tasty.

We were only given 1 key between the 4 of us, however we were allowed to use the spare key held at reception if we got really stuck.

The hill and stairs down to the Old Town were hard work, but worth it. The town was full of lovely bars and restaurants and there were even street dancers performing in the square. If you can't manage the stairs, it's only 4 euros in a cab back up to the hotel, but I think that the walk adds to the whole experience!

We went to a BBQ on the Wednesday night which was held on the roof terrace of one of the other buildings belonging to the hotel. It was brilliant! I haven't had that much fun in ages. We paid 15 euros each which included all food and some drinks (including wine and brandy!!). The food was lovely and the entertainment was excellent!

I will definitley come back and would highly recommend it! I would also recommend giving the BBQ a try.

Excellent holiday! Best apartments we have stayed in. Fully fitted kitchen, separate dining room and bedroom. Great pools and swim up bar with friendly staff who cook great cheeseburgers! The local beer was tagus, super bock or sagres and they were all nice and did the trick!!

Didn't get bit once and the mozzies normaly fight to get at me!

103 steps down to the old town are fine, the town is lovely and food is great. The people who moan about the walk back dont drink enough!!

The only negative thing was that there is only one key between 4 adults but it wasnt a problem, just organise yourself a bit more. The barman at the pool has a spare key for the gate if you get stuck.

We have a 1 year old baby and she loved it. we found a website that delivered toys, high chair, milk and food to the hotel for us called little rascals, google it, it worked for us. However there is a massive supermarket called the Modelo 5 euro in a taxi, it sold everything for babies and was cheaper than Lidls.

Great holiday, we will go there again as it was safe secure accom and the pool/beaches are excellent.

We stopped in the brand new block at Cerro Mar and could not fault it - the place was fantastic! Our apartment had'nt been used so everything was brand new. There were only a few apartments in use in the new block, so it felt like we had the place to ourselves. There were a few builders around completing their work on the other apartments, but it wasn't a problem for us. We will definitely be returining to the Cerro Mar.

We had a sea-view, large balcony, and a lovely kitchen with an integrated dishwasher and washing machine. The pool was gorgeous, although with more people, I assume it would get pretty busy. You do have full use of all other facilities in the complex, however, we didn't need to use any.

The location of the apartments was excellent - just a short 5 minute walk down the steps to the old square. The steps didn't cause a problem for us and it was nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of the square on an evening.

We had lovely meals during our week away - but avoid Zavvis restaurant - the food was very cheap but nothing spectacular. We loved the Rock Cafe and there was live music in lots of bars every evening.

We didn't want to leave!

Have just returned from a great weeks holiday to the Cerro Mar apartments. We were apprehensive after reading the reviews but the apartment we stayed in was great with a massive bedroom, separate kitchen, lounge and the largest balcony we have ever had (we booked through Portland Holidays/Thomsons). The pool and the bar on the complex was really lovely too.

The only down side was the steps down to the old town which were hard going in the heat of the day, but a bit easier in the evening and you get used to them.

All the restaurants in the Square are great and its a really great happy atmosphere with loads going on.

It's a great place to go for a relaxing holiday.

Enjoy.

We have just returned from a 7 day stay at the cerro mar and we didnt want to leave! The resort itself was beautiful, with plenty to do and a real friendly atmosphere about the place. The old town was a 10 minute walk down a very steep hill and then those dreaded steps! We managed it with our 3 children (including one in a pushchair) a few times a day until we realised on day 4 that you could get a taxi from the old town to cerro mar for less than 4 euros...well worth it!

The cerro mar empire has expanded lots and has 4 different blocks now, all of which guests can use the facilities of. We were in block 2 which was immaculate, spacious and really couldnt be faulted. The balcony was huge and the view spectacular.

Transfer time from Faro airport was about just over an hour I think, and our room was ready for about 1.30pm, though they did say not to expect to be in before 3pm.

Overall we all had a fantastic holiday and would go back to cerro mar in a shot.

We have just returned from 2 weeks at Cerro Mar and to be honest I was a bit worried about what to expect after reading some of the reviews. I can 100% say that Cerro Mar was a brilliant choice! OK the steps into the town and the hill are a bit of a killer when you've just eaten and drank too much down in the old town - but on the plus side the view from the balconies are excellent.

We were in cerro mar colina which are the pictures shown here on the website. We booked through Thomsons and were advised by the rep on arrival that most of the Thomson guests are allocated rooms in cerro mar colina.The pool and surrounding gardens were very clean and well looked after - my only gripe was that the pool bar wasn't always open and that meant that you had to go out of the gates and over to the other side to get a snack. This probably had something to do with the fact that the weather was still a bit shaky and there were a few days rain while we were there though.

The rooms themselves were clean, modern , spacious and equipped with everything you could possibly need including a dishwasher and washing machine and oven/hob so cooking in the apartments was as easy as if you were at home (although I must admit we didn't do it very often - we were on holiday after all!)

The maid service was every day except Thursdays and there was a plentiful supply of fresh towels. The fact that there was 8 of us in 2 apartments was a bit of a problem as you only had one key per room which meant that if you were going out at seperate times it took a bit of a military operation to arrange who would take the key as access back in to the block was through a gate. Not too much of a problem though and the extra security gained from this again is a plus point. The mini market on site was expensive and only offered basics and a word of waening to always check your change! The Lidl supermarket is about 10 minutes walk away and offered a much wider selection and value for money.

The place itself is brilliant. Plenty of shops bars and restaurants for all ages and tastes in the old town - I have stayed in the new town before and much prefer the old town as the atmosphere is more relaxed but still loads going on. The ages of our party ranged from 13 to 61 and all of us enjoyed it and agreed that the apartments were more like 3 star plus than 3 star.

Overall nothing bad to say about the place or the apartments and I would definitely go back again.

Excellent appartments, very clean and large with great facilities and friendly staff to help at all times.

Its location is best, a short walk to main square but away from it all if you want peace and quiet too.

We stayed when it was not at its busiest but could imagine it being a bit noisy in the corriders, just from the design but dont let this put you off. Its one of the best places ive stayed in.

We returned from the Cerro Mar about 2 weeks ago but it seems like a lifetime ago, it was the best holiday i have had ever! The apartments were absolutely huge and really well equiped. The pool was really big if not a little cold but the pool side bar was great just to chill beside after dinner for an hour { they do really nice toasties and other snacks}. I read these reviews before going away and i must say i was dreading the 100 steps down to the old town but really they are not that bad and that is coming from someone who has a toddler and a buggy, some of the steps are quite far apart so you get a chance to catch your breathe, i used to carry the baby up and down while my husband carried the buggy, lets just say we put no holiday weight on yet ate quite a lot.

The old town is really nice to eat, there is so many different places to choose from or just to have a wander.

The beach was absolutely gorgeous, our daughter just sat playing with the sand while we lay on the beach and we took turns to take her down to the waves, she loved it. We just took sandwiches and crisps to save a bit money and it was nice eating them on the beach. I would recommend making a few meals in the apartment and not eating out all the time unless you're taking a lot of money, thats where we went wrong and ended up having to take more money out of bank a couple days before we left.

If theres one excursion you go to i recommend zoo marine, brilliant day out for the kids and adults to. The only downside to this trip was you got picked up at 11.15 and were there till 6pm, its a long day when you run out of things to do. There was rides and things like that there but obviously we were limited to what we could go on with having the baby. By about 4pm we had seen the dolphin show and the seal and sea lion shows which were absolutely amazing, been on what rides we could go on and done just about everything else then we realised there was 2 huge swimming pools and water rides but had'nt took our swimming stuff, that would have been fab to pass the last 2 hours so remember your swimming suits!

All the staff, especially at the pool side bar and the Cerro Mar bar were so friendly, it was a pleasure chatting with them.

All of that said i would 100 per cent recommend Cerro Mar to anyone.

We stayed for 1 week in the new part of the hotel and it was second to none, the room was great 2 big comfy double beds, 2 bathrooms, 3 balconies, food was supberb, good choice, always hot and freshly made. location great 3 minute walk to square and old town which is a hype of activity in the evening and also about 5 minute walk from beach for young and old (if you can manage the 99 steps down), not too bad. The hotel staff were excellent, helpful, friendly and nothing was too much for them whatsoever.

we had such a brilliant stay we are thinking about going back soon!!! We stayed there with our 5 yr old son and 10 yr old daughter and although there was not much entertainment or kids clubs running they also had a great time too and loved the food, they ate really well all week and not much junk food on offer which was great.

Having just returned back from 3 nights at the Cerro Mar for a Hen weekend, I can honestly say it was fantastic. We were luckily enough to stay in the new complex as part of the hotel's promotion period. The rooms were lovely, the kitchen had every appliance you could ever wish for ...even a dishwasher!! The hotel reception staff were great and bar staff alike. There were plenty of sun loungers (without towels on!!) and just a short walk into the old town. We used the spa facility on one cloudy day and my massage was just peachy. I would strongly recommend the Cerro Mar.

Me and my partner stayed at the Cerro Mar Apartments in September this year and we were really pleased with everything. The room size was good, the beds were comfortable and the view was great. We thought the hotel was in a great location as well, because it only took about 5-10 minutes to walk down the steps into the Old Town. The Old Town is lovely and don't let the title 'Old' put you off, as there is plenty to do, with loads of great restaurants and bars, that are also open until late. The Apartments were cleaned regularly and so was the pool. We found the apartment very well sized and that it had everything and more than what we needed. However, we did stay in the new block and must admit if we had been placed in the old block we may not have been so pleased! Overall, the Cerro Mar is perfect for couples, groups of friends and familys. However, if you do have difficulty walking be aware that it is quite an uphill trek back to your room. Finally just some recommendations...Bank is a lovely restaurant and you would be silly not to go there! The Beach is beautiful with plenty of water sports to keep you occupied, the bars are lovely and relaxing for both the daytime and the evening, but be warned it can be chilly in the evening...so don't forget you cardigans! Overall, i would recommend Albufiera to anyone as it was one of the bext holidays i have ever had and i will without any doubt go back!!..the New Town is good especially if you fancy a late night out..however, i think i prefered staying nearer to the old town and travelling into the 'The Strip' on the tourist train. The tourist train is something that i would recommend to everyone as it will show you all the three main areas!! Please feel free to ask me any questions!

We went to both AquaShow and Slide and Show waterparks. They were both a great day out, however i would say slide and show has more to keep you occupied all day and AquaShow has some more white knuckle rides!!

Just home from 4 lovely days in the Cerro Mar apts. Had such a lovely time here, probably the nicest apts that I have ever stayed in while to any european country. Apt for the 4 nights cost €220.00 for three of us absolutly for nothing. Will definatly be returning ASAP. Only draw back for the elderly or people with mobilty problems will need to access the town by taxi as there are 96 steps followed by a steep hill up to the apts!! Loved it!!

Wonderful apts we all had a fabulous time. We stayed in the new complex which were great and our friends were in the old complex and had an equally good time. Definitley recommend these apartments

We have just returned from an 8 night stay (May 19th-26th 2007)at the cerro mar apts. Alufeira and have to say we had a great time. These apts. were booked because of all the excellent reviews on trip advisor and I must say we were not disappointed, they would have to be the best apts. we have stayed in.

We flew Easyjet Belfast to Faro and transferred using Sul Travel based in Albufeira (60 Euro return and a very good reliable service - [--]) The Cerro Mar was booked using Easyjet Hotels ([--]) (Hotelopia)

We were given apt. 412 in Block 3 (Colina Building) our apt. was an end corner on the 4th floor, with spectacular views out to sea at the front side, a pool view at one side and mountain view on the other (Only spoilt slightly by a telecommunications mast)

We arrived late on Saturday night and had a little trouble finding the room but once we opened the door it was definately a "wow" moment. There was a huge lounge with two big comfy sofas, satellite tv, remote control air con, dining room table and chairs with the bottom end of the room partitioned off with 2 single beds inside...ideal for the kids. The main bedroom was a good size with twin/double beds a huge wardrobe and safety deposit box. The bathroom was spotless, beautifuly tiled throughout with a lovely hot shower and a bidet. The kitchen was superbly kitted out with fridge/freezer, oven, hob, diswasher, microwave, coffee maker and the added bonus of a washing machine. In the drawers are all the utensils you'll ever need, the only downside was the toaster where a few fingers got burnt over the course of our stay! The balcony was fantastic to say the least, it was about the size of a badminton court and basked in sunshine from dawn to dusk, I recommend room 412! The pool in our particular block was great, it is the one in the picture on this website in fact I think that picture was taken from our apartment as I have a very similar one right now on my camera! The pool side bar serves a good range of snacks and drinks and at 2.50 Euro a pint it is as competitive as anywhere we went in town.

Now the down side...the Cerro mar sits at the top of a hill, a very...very...VERY steep hill...lol

To get from hotel to old town it is a walk down the hill, then down 100 steps which takes you right into the centre at the "square" going home I throughly recommend a taxi (around 3-4 Euro) although we did walk back up a few times, stopping every 10 steps to "Admire the scenery" lol

The old town is a full of bars and restaurants all touting for business which can be a pain sometimes...especially after you have just eaten and you can't walk too far without another menu being stuck in your face but nonetheless a pretty nice place. The seafront area is a bit under construction as is a lot of old town albufeira, from our balcony we could count 7 large cranes so do be prepared for a bit of building work. The beach is clean with wonderful sand and very cold atlantic water! We recommend the Baracuda english bar for superb breakfasts, anywhere else for dinner was great...no complaints about our dinners at all, our 2 yr old boy who eats very little at home cleared his plate every night...definately a good sign! I will also recommend the "Alibaba" chinese which was very good indeed with good natured staff and good value tasty food.

We ventured twice to the new town and the strip which is nice also, good value bars and restaurants, can recommend the Costa Rica restaurant at the junction near the Kilt and Kelt for a great steak..superbly cooked and tasty, the waiters are excellent with kids also. Walking time to the strip from the cerro mar is around 20-25 mins...again a taxi home is a great idea (3-4 euro)

Ok..now another downside...only use the hotel supermarket for necesities... extortionate prices and the old girl at the counter had trouble counting your change which strangely always ended up in her favour?? Follow the road at the rear of the hotel and go across the main road to Lidl, 10 mins walk and...u guessed it...a taxi back! only due to the fact that I filled a trolley and couldn't handle all the bags on the walk back, I recommend a cheeky little german beer ...Perlenbacher...dead cheap and nice chilled with lays crisps...lol.

So in finishing....a nice holiday, great apartments if you don't mind the hill, nice clean old town with plenty going on, friendly people and would highly recommend. We would go back again and would also recommend to friends and family.

Sorry for the long winded report but do contact me if you feel I can be of any help!

David

just back from cerro mar apartments and very impressed. everything is brand new. apartments contain washing machine, dishwasher. fridge freezer etc. very clean and tidy and at this time of the year you have the run of the place as not many people in apartments

We had stayed at Cerro Mar2 this time last year and booked with via Ideal Spaces this year in Cerro Mar3. The hill is steep to the old town, but only takes 10 minutes walking. The upside is that it is out of town and you get very little noise. Ideal Spaces and Brava Tours who arranged the airport transfers were both fantastic. We stayed in apartment 409 which was superbly kitted out, large fridge, washing machine, dishwasher, dvd, tv, some cable channels, air con if required, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, large balcony ,spacious everything working-excellent. Cerro Mar 3 has two good size pools, one with a bar & both very clean. Theres another pool at Cerro Mar 2 and an indoor small pool at Cerro Mar 1. Barbeque on Wednesday night was very enjoyable and good value. Cerro Mar 4 is currently being completed but is far enough away to be not too offputting. The old town has no end of restaurants and bars. We found the Minar Indian restaurant excellent and good value for money. The Shalom was also good, but the menu a little narrow. We fancied a dessert one night and went to the Bank Pub and Restaurant. My wife ordered profiteroles at 4 euros and received -three of them! We were also asked for our order by 4 waiters inside of 10 minutes. We kept well away from this place thereafter. We would definately recommend Cerro Mar and old town Albefeira.

We arrived at the Cerro Mar on the 23rd Sept 06 , we were hoping that we would not be affected by any of the building work that was mentioned in earlier reviews. We were not dissapointed ! There was building work happening over the road but it did not bother us at all , you never really heard much from them. We were put in rooms with a lovely pool and sea view and we were also put next door to the couple we were travelling with , which we were all pleased about. The balconys were spacious and provided us with many, pre-night out drinking sessions. When we first arrived in the rooms we were amazed at the size of them. They were large and also very clean. Spot on air conditioning also if needed. The cerro mar has three pools the one we overlooked was peaceful , but there was also a large kidney shaped pool about 20 meters away which provided music and a good swim up bar, this was the pool of choice and the guy behind the bar was superb , he was always busy but always polite .At night the old town in albufeira was great , and the strip was also worth a visit . The only thing I would say is that with the Cerro Mar being up a steep hill, its probably not ideal for people with walking difficulties. Although taxis are very affordable. All in all this was my second visit to albufeira and it was even better the second time round. Cerro Mar is definitely recommended.

Visited Cerro Mar mid September 06. Cannot fault it in any way. Sizeable apartments, (with free Air-Con), good bar, pool, staff. The apartments were cleaned every day with fresh towels provided. It's on a hill, which isnt a problem, cos its only say two to three hundred meters from the main square where there are nice bars/restraunts. (no youths being sick and falling everywhere) only decent holiday makers/locals. Get a taxi on the way back up, only £2.00. Very recommended.

We have just returned from the Cerro Mar (Colinha) and had a wonderful stay. Reception staff were friendly and helpful on arrival and throughout holiday. Accommodation was very clean and comfortable especially having air conditioning. Kitchen fully equiped with dishwasher, washing machine etc. Pool area is very clean and well kept, and pool bar serves a selection of snacks along with our fave cocktails! Enjoyed the bbq evening (worth a try). We are planning our next trip to Cerro Mar already (the steep hill hasn't put us off). Would highly recommend these apartments.

Just back from a fortnight in the Cero Mar and i have to say that it was excellent.

Fantastic apartments, excellent size of rooms and really clean.

We stayed in Cerro Mar 3 the newest (so far) of their buildings.

There is building work taking place right on your door step, as the Cero Mar empire expands.

There seems to be loads of more apartments getting built, but to be honest it does not spoil the holiday in any way, or at least it never spoilt ours, although the initial sight of the the two (very large cranes) left a few bemused expressions on our faces!! The work does not start that early either. So be prepared for an initial shock, but do not let it put you off in any way. Fellow guests from Edinburgh had not been told about the building work, but had instead been told by the rep that they booked the holiday through that there was an archaeological dig taking place close to the hotel!!!!! Some dig!!

Staff at the hotel are really nice and very, very helpfull, especially the ones in the bar area.

Was dissapointed with "the dreaded steps" when I found them. The ones that lead you to the "old town centre" but only to the extent that I was expecting them to be like climbing the side of everest, according to other posted reports!!

Having said that, there was certain times (when very hot!!) that going up the steps did seem just like climbing everest.

Joking aside though, I can understand the concerns regarding the steps for more elderly visitors or anyone who has a walking disability. Going down might be fine, but call a taxi for the return!!

The hotel is about 10 mins walk from the beach, but it is also far enough away from the real hustle and bustle of Albufeira nightlife.

I would certainly stay here again and would try to get the same apartment, which out of interest was 501 in block three. Superb views of the sea and looks down on the old town and "strip area can bee seen in the distance. A "Mcdonalds M" sign became our landmark for directions on more than one occassion, just as well it towers so high in the sky and is lit up with neon at night time.

Of the waterparks i highly recommend Aqua show and the white water drop or whatever it is called that nearly had me cacing myself when I went on it!!! Zoomarine is also a must for the kids and why not treat yourself to a trip on the "Mara" and a BBQ on the beach, but take your own supplies for eating or drinking on the boat, it would be much cheaper. Also once you get to the Algarve, shop around for the tickets to parks etc, it may save you some cash to book the trip at one of the boothes in the Mondelo (think that is what it is called!!)supermarket etc rather than book through your rep at the hotel........hindsight beeing the fab thing that it is!!! I would have saved a small fortune on the ones I booked............novice or what!!!

Enjoy Cero Mar..........I hope to post photos soon!!!!

We have just returned from a week at the Cerro Mar,The hotel was magnificent and we have never stayed in a nicer room with fitted kitchen with dishwasher and washing machine even thought we never used them. The only down fall to this holiday was the steep hill which then led to 99 steps down to the old town (the square).

Also there is 3 hotels u can stay in when booking at Cerro Mar but dont worry there all together. If you are the lucky ones you will get to stay in 2 of the 3 brand new buildings which is the ones im showing in the picture. The reception to this hotel is just over the road from the main picture iv shown.

I would not advise this are or hotel for the older generation or people who struggle to walk or in wheel chairs as u would have to get a taxi every time u wanted to go down there, and thats where all the shops and places to eat are. Other wise you tide to the hotel.

The staff are really friendly and speak good english, There is no life gards at any of the pools so u need to keep an eye on young children.

The maid service was good but did not come to are room on the wedesday or Thursday are beds where only changed twice.

But dont let this put u off as the rooms and hotel are brand new and very very clean.

The meals are cheap as me and my partner paid around 30 to 40 erous and that was for one soft drink a large larger two main meals.

stayed at the cerro mar from 11/9 to 18/9

the apartments excellent all round. advise that you do ensure that you are in new block which is quite new. old block around the reception is very dated. on arrival we were given ground floor apartment but we were under road level more or less so i went to reception and they gave us top floor sea view apartment. huge apartments with living area, kitchen, bathroom. new and modern and clean. big balcony. pool area nice with lots of sun beds and nice pool bar with food and drink. didnt have much to do with the staff but they seemed nice enough. mini market on site which was ok for basics. lidl around corner and supermarket in new town.

the location is good. just on the edge of the old town. only 10 mins away walking but in quiet enough location. good really. yes the 100 or so steps down into the town can be testing in the heat but the hill up and down to the steps was probably more testing. great views from top of hill and upper floor apartments.

albufeira is great. the old town is lovely with plenty of bars, restaurants and shops. real buzz on a night with great atmosphere. the beach is also very good. the new town or 'strip' is very souless and around main road with little atmosphere. didnt venture here but people told us this and we drove through it. looked very tacky. definitely head for the old town.

transfers from airport average about 1 - 1 1/2 hrs.

if you want any info you can email me at john.benson@hullcc.gov.uk

very clean and spacious apartments, fantastic pools (two) and very nice well maintained gardens, only one problem, its on top of a great big hill! to get to the square in the old town you have to go down a very steep hill, and then 98 steps! not too bad going down but an absolute killer when you are going back! if you are elderly or disabled you should avoid these apartments. the town itself is fantastic, the portuguese must cook the best steaks and seafood in the world, the algarve and its people are not to be missed

Have just returned from an excellent week at the Cerro Mar. We booked through Portland and were in the new block. The apartment was one of the best we have stayed in. It was large with a fully equipped kitchen with washing machine, dishwasher and a huge fridge freezer.

We stayed bed and breakfast and by european standards thought the value excellent. Towels could have been changed a bit more often ( only once in the week ) and you could only access facilities in other blocks by a series of keys which was a bit of a bind. Otherwise we couldnt fault it.

The pool area was never overly busy and there were always sunbeds available. Staff in all areas were helpful and friendly.

Would definitely stay here again

Cerro Mar Garden is definitively above average, but that's obvious since it's only one year old. There are however some things that make you wonder why they did not fix them. First there is nowhere to hang your tower while you are in the shower. Secondly the room is equipped with a traditional key with a huge key holder. Why don't they have card keys like all the modern hotels seem to have these days. Also the safe's lock was with a key and not a code.

The balcony was huge, but it had only one small table and 2 chairs. There would have been room for sunchairs and then we wouldn't have had to "fight for them" by the pool side. There weren't enough sunchairs and that made people to reserve them as early as 7 am! And of course this was against the rules, but the hotel staff did nothing to prevent that. Also our balcony was a bit dirty. There was bird crap in one of our chairs and it was not washed during the whole week. The cleaning ladies did not do very well with the apartment either since you didn't geel like walking on the tile floor with bare feet. The cleaning hours were also a bit strange since our apartment was cleaned around 4-6 pm!

The breakfast buffet was the usual scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, bread, ham, cheese, yougurt, cereal and fruits for desert. Everything was good and there were never any empty bowles, but we would have wished for some changes into the menu and also some dessert would of been nice. The coffee came out of a machine, so that was also a small minus. The hotel serves also dinner buffet, but we did not try it. We did try to eat their a la carte, because the hotel gives you a coupon for a free bottle of wine with a la carte-dining. However the restaurant did not want to sell a la carte, they insisted that we try their buffet, so we left and walked into old town Albufeira. There are plenty of good restaurants with delicious food with reasonable prices.

Now finally to the good things since there are plenty of them. The kitchen was well equipped and the fridge was huge. There was also a small freezer. The air conditioning in the apartment worked with two separate machines which was really good, since you could turn off the bed room during nights. We also enjoyed the hotel's indoor pool, which was warm enough to swim in. The gym also looked very good. The hotel also had 2 squash courts, a tennis court and bowling. However if you want to bowl you need your own shoes, who has bowling shoes with them on a holiday?

The closest store is at the hotel next door, but it is definitively worth the 15-20 minutes walk to Lidl, since the mini market had very high prices, limited selection of goods and very unfriendly sales lady.

The walk up and down the stairs to old town Ablufeira is nothing if you are a healthy adult. With knee problems or with small children & trolleys it is another matter. The view from the hotel to the sea is so beautiful, that walking the steps is worth the while.

We stayed at these apartments until the 3rd July 2008. They where excellent apartments everything you need and more, spotlessly clean with maid service everyday, washing machine and dishwasher to. Apartments very spacious, pool area was fantastic and not overcrowded with plenty of beds and umbrellas. Great for familes and very friendly. It is about 5 mins approx walk to the main square down a very steep hill and about 100 steps which sounds like a lot but it really isnt that bad. There is a bar in the main block across the road which is very cheap with stunning views and very friendly staff this bar is also ultra modern. The square itself is very lively with loads going on, plenty of places to eat and drink with loads of entertainment for everybody, there is also plenty of shops but they all sell the same things. We ate out every night at different places each night we can honeslty say we didnt have 1 bad meal, our fav was an indian restaurant called minar which is up a side street from the beach front quite cheap and delicious. All together we loved our holiday and would strongly recommend it to anyone, we will be returning next yr.

We stayed at Cerro Mar in the first week of March 2008. Managed to check-in several hours early without any problems and was pleased to be given a room in the new block (room number 107). First impressions of the apartment were above average - the kitchenette is very well-equipped with more utensils than you would really require on a holiday. There is also an oven, full-sized fridge, washing machine and diswasher. The entire apartment appears to be newly-built and all the furnishings are contemporary in style. The bathroom is massive and decorated in a classy manner. However, it must be said that you should bring your own toiletries as the hotel only provides shower gel and toilet roll (but no toilet roll or bath towel holder). Apart from this, we were also slightly disappointed that despite asking for a double bed or larger, we were given 2 single beds which were pushed together. Also, although there is a safe in the bedroom, you are expected to rent the lock for it at 9 euros a week (with a 15 euro deposit). Most mornings, we were also awoken by the sounds of construction work above us so we assume parts of the hotel are still being finished off. As long as you don't intend to still be in bed past 10am, you should be alright.

The hotel itself has all of the basic facilites you would expect - indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, gym, massage services, restaurants, bars and a tennis court. There are lounge chairs and parasols around the outdoor pool but you will have to rent towels at 2.50 euros each or use the ones in your hotel room. The outdoor pool is not heated so no one actually used it whilst we were there. However, the indoor pool is heated but you will have to buy a swimming cap at 2.50 euro to use it or bring your own.

The distance to the nearest beach from the hotel is approximately 10-15 minutes by foot through the centre of town. There are exactly 98 steps leading to the centre and it is advisable to wear comfortable, padded shoes as the pavements are cobbled. The beach is fairly clean although not exactly pure white sand and the water can be cold even in the midday sun. There are no mats, towels or umbrellas to rent anywhere nearby so you will have to bring your own. Despite reading on the web that there are activities like jetskiing or parasailing which one can do, we found no sign of any of this (unless they were referring to other beaches).

All the eateries can be found in the town centre or along the little streets near it. Price-wise, you can get meals from as little as 5 euros per person but these will be in little snack bars or cafes. As personal preference, we ate out in fairly decent restaurants for dinner. Starters, drinks, main course and dessert for two would usually came up to about 50 euros altogether (including tipping). Although Albufeira seems to be proud of their seafood offering, we weren't exactly blown away by the quality and freshness of it all (some things like prawns tasted like they were cooked from frozen and shellfish like clams and mussels often tasted very strong of seawater). Two Portuguese dishes probably worth trying at least once would be the cataplana and piri piri chicken. We personally enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere of Cabana Fresco (on the beachfront) and also a Thai restaurant a little bit further from the centre called Royal Orchid (nice romantic atmosphere and good food).

We chose to cook our own meals for lunch on most days and easily bought ingredients from the nearest supermarket (LIDL) for this. If you must have fresh mik however, bring it with you as we only ever found UHT milk in all the supermarkets we saw. It is also difficult to find English tea (the hotel does not provide any) so bring your own as well if you are particular.

A taxi from Faro Airport to Cerro Mar is 65 euros and easily available as soon as you exit the airport. For our return trip however, we booked a shuttle bus with a travel company located in the town centre and this cost only 20 euros (and they picked us up from the Cerro Mar reception building). You could also book the shuttle bus to the hotel from the airport but you will have to do this in advance prior to leaving your country.

The weather at this time of year is fairly sunny throughout the day but can get quite chilly due to the wind. It is necessary to have at least one cardigan/jumper on hand when hitting the town in the evening. However, we did manage to get several days of decent sunbathing.

On the whole, we could see that both Cerro Mar and Albufeira seemed to appeal mostly to older tourists (whether this is true all-year we don't know). The whole area is quite laidback and touristy although there are a few livelier bars and pubs around.

We stayed at the Cerro Marr early November 2007, myself, husband and 2 year old.

We booked our trip through Expedia and got a very good deal, but were not in the new block and were put in Block B. To be honest, the apartment we had was fairly good for what we paid, a 1 bed, we had a washing machine and all the kitchen necessities. One piece of warning, if you are staying here, make sure you take everything except toilet role with you. We had to make a trip to the Lidl straight away, as we weren't even give hand soap or a welcome pack with the immediate arrival.

All in all we had a pleasant stay, although as we went off peak, the hotel did feel like a ghost town, not that many people staying there. The walk from the new building to block B is not an easy one, especially with a push chair as the hill is fairly steep. We paid extra with expedia for breakfast, but to be honest, I wouldn't advise you pre book breakfast, all we got was Bread, cheese, Jam/butter and a plate of fruit with tea and coffee, being vege we asked to have our breakfast without ham, so that was a waste. I would recommend ordering of the menu and paying once you're there as the price was cheaper there and we paid more on expedia.

Restaurants, we didn't think much of the restaurants, but would recommend in the Old Town - Bank had a good menu with a mixture of cuisines (service wasn't too great though) and the best restaurant we found was Za Za at the Old Town, very good Thai/Japanese Noodle Bar, we ate there a few night and my little one loved their noodles, On the Strip Liza Pizza & Pasta was good.

Food Shopping - would recommend you go to Modelo, as it's bigger and has a lot more variety than Lidl.

All in all we thought the Cerro Marr was an okay hotel

I can honestly say that I was so pleasantly surprised by this property that I cannot beleive that it is only a 3 star.

Reading some of the other reviews I think it can be that you are either lucky or unlucky. We stayed in one of the newest blocks & after chatting during the week to the staff we stayed in the block that is not sold off as Holiday lets.

The apartment was spacious & modern, the kitchen was fully fitted & although on Holiday I did most of the washing before I came home, lovely not to have to rush tomorrow & do it.

We were one of the very few people there so it felt like we had a private pool, bar etc.

Ok the bars kept shutting early, in the Hotel, but we spent a lot of the day & evenings in the old town, the walk down was a bit much but in the end we just resorted to Taxis & at 4.05 Euro a time I thought it was very reasonable, I was in Benalmadema in October & the same distance was normally 9 euros, so we thought it was very cheap , especially after a couple of free glasses of wine & port. The great thing about going in the winter is that the restaurants & bars want your custom & will offer lots of discounts & freebies.

The downside of the winter is that it does get chilly at night, I mean end of November & I need a Jacket or Cardigan at night!

As well as air conditioning the apartment has heating in the lounge/kitchen & bedroom so you could not get cold, unless you did not use it.

My experience was so great that I am alreaddy calculating when I can next get leave to go again. One of the best times I have had & the accomodation was BRILLIANT.

we booked with Venere.com and took all the reviews from tripadvsor under consideration and hoped we wouldnt end up in the block everyone seemed to have problems with but we were given room 504 in block 2 Collinas. We booked a 1 bed apartment but 504 is a 2 bedroom sleeping 6 so it was very spacious and clean. excellent facilties - no hassle with keys or cleaners or changes in linen so maybe we were lucky with time of year. The bar in the main block 1 closed on Sunday 21st October and the only reception was in block 3 but all was well signposted and advice given prior to this happening. Some of the apartments are privately owned so I guess it depends on what website you book with perhaps as they all seem to advertise seperately.

Looks like a fourth block is close to finish for next year too.

The journey back from town to Cerro Mar is a bit of climb and on a full tummy is to be taken slowly or taxied and not the best of routes if infirm or with buggies.

The beach is lovely and clean and worth a day out but sunbed hire is expensive so take a towel and umbrella to save yourself the EURO17.50 per day !

Weather was ace too at 25C daily and nights getting chilly !

We stayed Oct 16 - 22 Inclusive

I cannot really fault anything for this accommodation except 1 teeny thing- it would have been nicer if we had extra pilows available but hey - I didnt ask so not complaining !

Feel free if anyone would like more info to contact me?

Just got back from the Cerro Mar, glorious weather for October, not what we expected, well into the 80's. On the beach every day, the square was buzzing with entertainment every night.

Went with my wife and two kids aged 5 and 12 and they loved it, both said it was the best holiday they had every had, plenty to see and do.

We were in the old block, room 308, very large and clean and quiet both day and night. The view from the balcony was second to none, overlooking the old town and the sea, while the back window looked onto the swimming pool area. Yes, there was building work going on around but this did not distract from the glorious views and it looks like the work should soon be finished.

I found the staff to be helpful and courteous, they let us into our room on arrival at 11.30 although we should not have been allocated our room until 3pm. They could not do enough for us during our stay.

We did have a look at the other blocks over the road and yes they were new but they did not offer anything that we did not have in our complex. The pool area was great for the kids and the adults to relax, the food at the poolside was also good and reasonably priced. As for the steps down to the old town, we found them very easy and a pleasant walk which only took a few minutes. We would definately return to the Cerro Mar and would not mind staying in the old block again.

Booked through travel republic. All went smoothly. checked in and was a little disappointed to find we had been put in the oldest block after reading some reviews, but it was absolutely fine, spacious, well equipped and spotlessly clean. The maid cleaned daily and changed beds and towels every other day and all the staff were friendly and helpful.

Stayed at the Cerro Mar 2 in June 07, the apartments are large and very clean. The Cerro Mar apartments are located above the old town square which you reach via 90 some steps that are quite steep (especially after a beer or two) so not realy suitable if you have any medical problems. I certainly would stay at the apartments again but would book direct with the apartment management as I gather the are very reasonable. All in all a very enjoyable first trip to Portugal.Resort busy enough to enjoy but also nice enough to relax.

We returned to these apartments this year for the 3rd year in a row as we couldn't fault them. We went later this year, 18th Sept rather than Apr/May. We were accomodated in the 'Monte Rio' building across the road from main reception which has an indoor pool/sauna/steam room and was excellent. Rooms were spotless as usual, even with a dishwasher and maid service every day except Thursday. As has been mentioned there is now a mini bus service down to the town, which leaves apartments at 10, 12, 2, 4 & 5.30pm. Good for those who have problems climbing the steps. Also the small supermarket next to reception is very handy. Taxis are fairly cheap, but expect a long queue at busy times, and a long wait.

A couple of tips.. if you book through a travel agent and get what appears a cheap accomodation deal, you might find extras like access to the indoor pool and sauna/steam room will have to be paid for locally. Check the small print on the offer, this may say 'local charges may be payable'. This could be around 8 euros per person per day. If you go through Expedia, as we did. you get the full package, slightly dearer but worth it. Expedia also offer a cancellation voucher costing £6, so if you need to cancel your accomodation you get all your money back, no questions asked. Could be helpful if you need to cancel and don't fulfil the criteria for claiming on your travel insurance. No excess deducted by Expedia.

There is entertainment & a barbecue Wednesday evenings in the main bulding. Also new is the Cerro Mar 'B' complex across the road. This is a new build apartment block, like a palace, with indoor facilities including tennis courts etc and a beautiful restaurant and a bar, which can be used by guests of the Cerro Mar complex. Once again a truly enjoyable stay, can't say enough about it. Bar staff and reception very helpful as always. Can’t wait to go back.

exact same comments as previous guest ORINOCO 77, Bristol 18th July. I' ve just read there review and i thought that i had already written mine! One thing to add though, there is a free courtesey bus to and from the beach if the walking puts you off!

My husband and I stayed at these apartments at the end of June. We were pleasantly suprised how BIG the one bed apartment was - it had a full kitchen (everything you could require), air con in both the lounge and the bedroom, a full bathroom (including a decent size bath) and a good size bedroom.

The only downside of the apartment was that the furniture was quite old and creaky - I found I was waking myself up in the night by moving in bed and it making a (considerable) noise.

That said, the apartment was lovely and kept clean.

We had a nice spacious balcony with a great view of the sea (slightly obscured by a crane which was building next door).

I should note that we were in no way disturbed by any of the building work that is currently going on in Albufeira.

Also, to mention, staying here is not for the faint hearted.

My husband and I like to explore and do some walking around but, tackling those steps and that hill more than twice a day is testing!

It's 100 steps (which are quite managable) but the last bit of the walk (back to the apartment) is a reasonably steep hill. However, it's a good chance to walk off all the marvelous food and cocktails.

Try the Cataplana - it's DELICIOUS!

Overall, I would recommend these apartments. We booked with Style and the block we were in had very few english people. I understand that Thomson also go to these apartments but I think they must have been in a different block.

The blocks are seperated by small roads and you are free to use ALL the facilities should you wish.

we stayed in the cerro mar during the last week of June, and i found my stay very enjoyable and relaxing, the resort of albuferia itself is perfect.

The hotel is in an excellent position, in terms of getting to the old town where there are plenty of shops and also all the bars and pubs for nightlife, it is only a ten minute walk. saves on all the taxis fares, the only annoying thing is the walk is up a steep hill that is not suitable for the eldery or those with walking difficulities.

I was quite nervous on going after hearing about the building work, but honestly it doesnt spoil anything. There was no real noise disturbance at all.

The rooms where spacious, clean and had air conditioning which makes a massive difference in the hot summer months! There are maids everyday, clean towels etc.

The hotel doesn't offer anything in terms of entertainment, so children might get bored, But, with the old town and new town, or 'the strip' ( a lot more livier, more of a club scene than the old town) entertainment wasn't really needed.

The hotel itself was set out in 3 different building blocks, we where in the older one and the pool wasn't as good. however, the new building is only just across the road the pool is a lot nicer, so that's where we ended up most days. I would advise you to book through thompson as i think they had the exclusive on the newst building with an indoor pool, gym etc.

As i stated before, there is plenty to do in albuferia. Trips to the water parks are recommended, zoomarine etc. overall, nice hotel good value for money.

Not much to add to the other decent reviews, suffice to say that they are not exaggerated. The hotel is very nice with an excellent pool which is a proper sun trap. Our room was huge with decent facilities and I would recommend it to virtually all travellers. It does sit on a hill so those less mobile may suffer, however, otherwise, if you are staying in Albuferia make sure you consider here.

It's location to the old town is almost ideal and ensure you try the grandmother's restaurant down the hill - fab!

This was the second time we have stayed at the Cerro Mar, and once again the accomodation was superb. We had booked a "2" bedroomed apartment althought really it was only a 1 bedroomed with a room divider in the lounge which concealed

2 beds behind it. Even so it was clean and spacious with the biggest balcony we have ever seen.

Overall the staff are friendly enough, especially Duarte (the pool bar) and Anna (the main bar).However, one of the receptionists, Sylvia, was extremely rude when we asked her to book taxis for us!

Yes there is a lot of building work around the complex but it didnt

affect us at all, not much noise really.

The town square is nearly finished although we thought it had lost some of its original character maybe a little bit too "modern" in parts. But it wouldnt stop us going back.

We booked for these apartments early this year, read the reviews, but we went with an open mind. Unfortunately we were put in Cerro 1, which is very high up, and they did not have any lifts, so they had a bus to take the cases up to the apartment block for you. They were very helpful, but as I say we were not youngsters, so up and down the stairs every day was a bit of a bind. The pool was ok, but hardly ventured down into the town during the day time. In the evening it was possible to walk down, stopping at a few hostelries along the way, but definitely had to get a taxi back. Another bug bear of mine was that you had to pay 1.50 for a mattress for the sunbed!!! There were some sunbeds there that did not need matresses but they do not alter at all. Although I enjoyed the fabulous views, the apartments were very dated, and as I say would not go back as far too high. We were also placed in Block B6 which is right facing the night club.... noisy isnt the word!!!!

my boyfriend and I stayed here for a long stay for aproximately 3 months in 2003. We spent Christmas and New year here. We stayed in the old block on the ground floor. It was equiped really well in the kitchen, but we didnt like the decor in the living room much. Looking at those blue tiles for three months was a bit much. We were suprised that it had a seperate bedroom with it being described as a studio. There werent many other people staying cos of the time of year. There was nothing going on entertainment wise, just the bar with a pool table. We found the staff ok but just a little too laid back as though they couldnt be bothered if we stayed there or not. The reception was left unmanned quite a lot and we helped ourselves to our keys many times which is quite worrying cos anyone could have done the same and gained access to the appartment. The maid came 6 times a week which was anoying cos we like to be left in peace. She did a good job but she huffed and puffed while doing it as though she was anoyed at having to tidy up after us, even though we always tidied up before she came. The steps leading to the old town are quite exausting, there was a mini bus service from the town back to the hotel which we used sometimes (if they decided to turn up, which sometimes it didnt.) On the whole we enjoyed our stay, but wouldnt stay for that long again. Oh and we found out there was a lovely roof garden on our last week of staying. Would like to see the place in full swing to get a better aptmosphere.

When me n my mates booked this hotel we thought great it looks amazing, then we arrived and realised we were in the oldest block aswell just like most of the reviews said on this website, the brochure was quite deceiving as we booked thro thompsons and the pictures in the brochure looked great of the hotel over the road but we could use their pool and bar which was very nice. But do have to say that the old block is not actually as bad as you think, although we were on the ground floor and there was quite a bit noice at times but nothing to really complain about, n there is building work going on but there is no disturbances from the builders! We were very near the town square and there is exactly 97/8 steps to walk up and down everyday/night plus a slight hill back to the apartments, which certianly keeps you fit and not recommended for the less able as a lot of people have also stated!! Overall i would def go back to old town Albufeira as it is an absolutely lovely place with plenty to do day and night, but would probably stay in a different hotel!!!

we stayed at the cerro mar for 8 nights from the 18th sept 08. on reading reviews we asked our travel agent to try and get us a room in the new block but this was not to be as we were told it was fully booked. we were put in the old block on the ground floor beside the cleaners store who came in at 6.30 not very quietly and a night gate were anybody comming back after 12 had to use. the room itself was to a good standard apart from the layout which had the bed as soon as you came in the front door with the main sewer line of the toilets running past your door,although there was never a smell, any time somebody flushed the chain you could hear it whizzing past your door. we also had a slight problem with the army of ants that lived on our balcony.also the view from the balcony was a bush and a chain link fence. anybody with walking problems should stay clear as to reach the old town there are 98 steps and quite a steep hill after these on the way back. this was our 4th time in albufeira and this would be our worst hotel there. have a look about there are better hotels to stay in, in what is a brilliant resort.

The thomson brochure advertises the brand new part of the Cerro Mar, do not be fooled, we were placed in the older part of the building and the apartments bore no resemblance to the brochure or its description. Please also note the 99 steps to the apartment and the very steep hill.

this is the newest of this chain. we were upgraded to it from the cerro mar colina. apparently they are going to renovate the other cerro mar hotels. they are still completing a new one across the street. the gardens is still a work in progress. the restaurant was not open and the staff had no idea when it would open.(this was february). the bar would serve breakfast upon arrangement. since this is an apartment hotel not a problem.

some work is still being done on the hotel.

there is a small minimart across the street (owner is very nice) and the LIDL market(an uphill walk away) or if you took the hotel van to old town an ALISSUPER market where the city buses stop.

the location is spectacular, overlooks old town and fishermans beach but you can not get there directly by car. you can walk down the 100 steps to the town square. all rooms have a south view but get one on the higher floors since the reception area has a high dome that obstructs the view.

i would not advise older persons without a car to stay at this hotel

because of the steep walks. there is public buses(gyro) but you have to walk to the stops. the local restaurant is the montahna and is quite good. there are two bakeries in the same area.

Ok first of all I booked my accomodation at the cerro mar via travel republic who I have used before sucessfully on a number of occasions. They are efficient and good value. However a little warning about booking the Cerro Mar through them, they pass your booking onto a broker who then passes it onto another broker so any requests or things you discuss with travel replublic does not get passed on or is just lost in translation. Having read so many reviews it was clear that the new block which is number 4 was the way to go and so booked a good 6 months in advance and instead of just booking on line I spoke with an agent at Travel republic and requested the new block, wihch they said would be no problem. They even said they would be in touch with the hotel and pass this onto them. In addition to this I e-mailed the hotel 5 times to confirm that this would be the case and did not have one reply. When we turned up I asked about our booking and got blank looks then I was shown the order placed by the broker of a broker and guess no request had ever been made. I was then told that the new block was full and we were staying in the oldest block. We were then shown to apartment 307, the apartment was very big and very clean but was in serious need of updating. Then we went out on the balcony and the view was the side of a half built set of apartments and a couple of sweaty portugese builders and a crane. The chap on reception with the braces on his teeth seemed reasonable and said he would move us the next day to block 3, which are alot newer. Again we had number 307 but this apartment was alot more modern with a great view over the garden terrace and the sea. Also had a dishwasher which for those niggling pots was a great help. However block 3 has no outside pool or bar, just an internal pool in the basement. So if you want to lounge by the pool you have to cross the road to block 1, 2 or to block 4 which is new and has a very nice pool and swim up bar. To confuse matters there is also now a Cerro Mar block B across from block 1 as you start down the hill to the main resort. This is the new super exclusive complex, but nobody tells you that when you arrive. The rules are you can use the resteraunts and bars but not the pools or the gym, even though we did for the first week until we were abruptly told otherwise. We were told no brits were allowed or the exclusive residents would complain, which was strange since it is promoted by Thomson. The gym thing became a bug bear as the other cerro mar gym that was in block 3 was a waste of time. The running machine was broken even though they stated that someone was coming to fix it every day the bike was broken, the weight machines in dia need of repair and oh no air con so any exercise in 30C heat is nearly impossible. I know I know excercise on holiday must be mad. What abruptly became apparent was that block 4 was nearly empty although we couldn't be arsed to argue and the residents were 95% german, I only saw one british family actually coming from inside the apartment block. Also the staff at all the complexes were lazy and rude (except the chap on reception with the braces on his teeth.) There was one in particular on reception with glasses who looked at you as thought you were scum if you asked a question or spoke to her. It has got to be said that from looking around Albuferia and being a bit nosey that the Cerro Mar newer complexes are a cut above what else is on offer. The location is ideal if you are averagely fit there is a little trek but it is very peaceful at night and has good views from most of the apartments. I would have slit my wrist if I had booked some I saw like the Hotel Balum to name but one. Anyway enough about the hotel little niggles really. Beaches, by far the cleanest and nicest beach is at Villamoura, although this is the most expensive for food and hiring sunbeds etc. Albuferia beach is ok, Fishermans beach is the best side at Albuferia and seems the most popular. We also went to Carvoeria main beach is ok but if you look around it has some great little secluded beaches at the bottom of cliffs, if your a good swimmer there are some excellent caves to swim into and also around to other beaches were there is nobody else. Lagos beach was small but ok didn't really use it so not much more to comment on. Towns Lagos was horrible and just reminded me of the scruffy end of Sheffield but with sun. The rats topped it off for me there. Silves is a lovely caslte town with some great cafes. Carvoeria is like a typical tourist town but alot smaller and quiterer. Albufeira is ok the old town is def the place to be if you like things a little quieter. There is a lovely square in the middle of it and there is usually something goling off. Although there is the usual street sellers marketing crap like dancing cows etc. Resteraunts and bars. Well I was really quite suprised we only found three resteraunts that were really anygood these were cabana fresca on the front at fishermans beach as was Druit and Bailote on the same strip as the tunnel to the main beach. Bailote was very very good food a little more expensive but the staff, service and quality was exceptional and to be fair it was only an average of 6 euros overall more on the total bill compared to other places. The fillet steak on the stone and the grilled prawns were fantastic. Cabana Frescsa I think was german run and so the quality is also very good as they normally are. What was nice is that they strayed from the norm and didn't just do what every other resteraunt everywehere we went did and were a little more al a carte. Druit just above Cabana Fresca were excellent at fresh fish but a little too expensive for what you got quality was there but with a price tag. God everywhere else was awful especially the one next to Rock Cafe in the square something Jardin. 48 euros for garbage, soggy veg and salad grumpy waiters and steak that my wife had that was barely edible, stay away. There are also alot of so called tourist menus and 4 course meals for 15 euros etc all I can say is that you would have to be desperate of brave. I think the average price we payed a night was between 55 and 60 euros which is def more expenisve than alot of the places we have travelled to so far. What was odd is that for the middle of Sep most of the attractions were shut like the water parks and most of the time everywhere seemed dead. I did ask and they said that had been a little decline recently but this was the expected norm not a good place to invest in property to rent average price for studion apt £85000 and not filled for at least 4 months of the year. Finally bar Al Cafe, what a great place loads of atmosphere and great music this bar is done out morrocan style and is a must for a chill out evening. I have got some photos will get round to posting them.

Hi there are two cerro mar apartments. One is a four star one a 2/3 star when booking make sure you get the right one check before booking. We booked the cerromar to get there and be told we were staying in the cerromar 1 which is a very dated old hotel opposite the new building. You cannot use any facilities and the two are worlds apart. The new building looks amazing so please make sure you are booked into the new one.

I’ve just returned from the Cerro Mar and am glad to be home! Booked this hotel after reading all the good reviews and was so disappointed when I got there. Everyone else who reviewed this hotel were obviously staying in the new block, I got stuck in the old one and it is horrible, even though I thought I had booked an apartment in the new block (at least that’s what the booking agent told me!)

The Cerro Mar consists of 3 separate blocks, all divided by busy roads. All of the travel agents and booking agents use photographs of the new block to advertise this hotel but there is no guarantee that you will be staying in the new block and I can assure you that the old block is not of the same standard and it is ridiculous that they sell all the blocks at the same price. Block 1 is ancient and in much need of refurbishment, it has a small outdoor pool with limited space for sun loungers. Block 2 only has an indoor pool and Block 3, the newest block, has a nice outdoor pool but no reception or kitchen, the waiters at the pool bar cook the snacks. The limited snack menu is the same in all 3 blocks and consists of salads, burgers and toasties, which I consider a very poor menu for the size the Cerro Mar has grown to. The staff are lazy and incompetent.

Because the blocks are all separated by busy roads you are issued with a key to get in and out of each block, which is useless when there are 4 of you and you only have 1 key. We used the pool at the new block each day but if one of us had to go back across the road to the apartment they had to take the key to get back into the other block but then nobody else could go anywhere until they got back as they wouldn’t have a key to get back in. The reception closes at night and you need to enter the building by a little door further down the street, all internal doors are locked which means you need to use the old lift, which I think is a fire hazard.

They are now building another block, which is on the same side of the road as the old Block 1 and we had the pleasure of our balcony facing right onto it and being wakened very early each morning with the sound of the building site. We also had the pleasure of the noise of the building site while lying at the pool every day!

The apartment itself it fairly spacious, which is the only positive thing I can say about it. It doesn’t have any of the modern facilities the new block has, ie. no dishwasher, washing machine etc. Our sheets were only changed once in the 2 weeks we were there, the towels were changed twice and one of these times was because I asked for clean ones. The sockets were hanging out of the walls, there were plastic sheets on the mattress underneath the sheet and the sleeping arrangements in the lounge were the sofa and a camp bed, which was not what was described in the hotel description.

The resort itself wasn’t much better. We struggled to find a good restaurant, generally the food is awful. Particularly bad restaurants in the Old Town were O’Fernando and Oceans, bad restaurants on The Strip were Paella, Steak House (lots of flies and cockroaches at the bins downstairs), and we tried a Mexican Restaurant at the Marina called El Panchito, the food was stone cold, we sent it back and they microwaved it! Also the Marina is dead, it’s like a ghost town, we couldn’t find a taxi to get back and had to go into a wee local café where they didn’t speak much English and she gave us a taxi number to call from the payphone to get back to the Old Town. OK restaurants at the Old Town were Bank and the best restauraunt we found was Za Za at the Old Town, very good Thai/Japanese Noodle Bar, Bravo had nice steaks and on the Strip Liza Pizza & Pasta was good but quite a limited menu.

The beach is nice but the sea is quite rough and by the afternoon the large waves cause a lot of seaweed to come in. The cost of 2 sun loungers and a parasol on the beach is 15 euros.

This is the first holiday I’ve ever been on when I’ve wanted to come home before the end of my 2 weeks. I definitely won’t go back to Albufeira and would warn anyone against the Cerro Mar. You’re taking a gamble with your money and if you’re lucky you could get a nice apartment in the new block but if you’re very unlucky you’ll be stuck in the old block which is a complete waste of money.

Please contact me if you need any more information and I’ll be happy to oblige.