Quinta Pedra dos Bicos

Returned from the bank holiday weekend trip yesterday and we had booked a one bedroom apartment for three nights. When we arrived we were disappointed with the one bedroom being a double bed, a sofa bed and the living area all in the same room. We thought they had given us a studio instead but apparently not, so we asked for an upgrade. We upgraded to a hotel room for no extra charge, which was much better and much quieter than the apartments which were servicable but basic.

The Hotel was spotless and the pool although small was much warmer than the pool at the Oura Praia Hotel which we stayed at for Easter.

Both Oura Praia Hotel and this hotel are ideally located and immaculate I would find it difficult to chose between them.

If you chose the apartments please bear in mind that if you take children with you, they will be sleeping in the same room as you, at the bottom of your bed on a sofa bed - not my idea of fun! You will need a two bedroom apartment even if you take one child.

We stayed at the Quinta Pedra dos Bicos for May Bank Holiday 2009. The hotel is brand spanking new and is totally spotless. Because it is far enough away from the Strip, it appeals to the higher-end of the market. Within a short-walk to the Strip itself it is a quiet little complex which is totally spotless and also reasonably priced. The beach at Oura (Praia da Oura) is only a five minute walk away. We didn't actually stay in the hotel itself, but in one of apartments witihn the complex which included a private pool/bar area with kids swimming pool. The security was fantastic and there was even a bouncy castle for the kids to play on.

This place is ideally suited just 5 mins walk from the strip and on its own private access to beach (3 mins walk). Breakfast each morning was ideal, plenty of fruit, breads, cereals and juices. There was also hot food available. Rooms were a nice size, cleaned everyday and had own balcony. One problems was that we did not get a double room as requested, it was a twin. There is a supermarket and a host of bars/places to eat within 2 minutes of the hotel but we found that it was best to get a taxi to the old town (€4) where there was much better fare to be had. Overall will definitely return next year.

My partner and I found a last minute deal at the end of october begining of nov 08. We come across this accomadation and thought we'd treat ourselves and book with them to stay. Never had I or m,y partner been to Portugal before apart from when I were 1yrs old so didnt really remeber that :)

I had been a travel consultant for 2yrs so like the travel industry so try get as many holidays as I can. Always us the excuse that trying placs myself makes it better and easier to sell to customers!!

Anyway, when we landed in faro, we were then driven with a few other people to the hotel where we were greated with respect and kindness by the staff on reception.

Then given a key to go to out appartment. Wow we were shocked to how huge the apartment was. So spacous, clean and modern.

Only will say, you may find it bit difficult to open your door but clue is, if you pull the handle back and in when turning you should be able to open it. We spend firstly bout half an hour trying to get in.I then went and askedd one of the cleaners about and he literally unlocked it in 2 seconds haha! :)

There plenty of things in then apartments like kitchen things and things that are usefull like hairdryer and facilities. At night it were quite as mouse, only it may become bit more noisey being mid season as more popular but you would find the same anywhere you go.

The pools are gorgeous and big enough to have some fun though I iwll say because it wernt the warmest being winter time, the pools were freezing cold and nearly kille dmy partner when he jumped in it not knowing, the shock on his face was funny though, never seen someone get out so quickly, but im sure in the summer time and autum, it will warm up more. Wee I hope it will actually as we are bothe going back there for 2 weeks now in a weeks time so excited and hope the pools warmed up a bit!

Theres plenty to do there, the beach is literaslly at the bottom of the garden, will say though you have to walk down 96 steps down to it, we werew that sad to count them. It wasnt to bad walking down them, its just walking back up. The beach is gorgoeus and has a beach hut where they serve food and drinks, day and night.

Food and drinks to buy are reasonable and so many places to find to eat and drink. One really nice bar is just in front of you when coming out by the hotel, forgotten whats called but its on the corner, oppposite a sweet/cake shop. There one restauant we paid a visit to, a buffet chinese on the side of another one but cant remember that were called either but you should see where im on about as its literally round the corner. Though theres a wide range of restuarant, including italian, indian, japanese and english so suits everyones taste buds.

I cant wait to go back in a weeks time and just hope its as good as we stayed in nov. Im sure without a doubt it will be or even better.

One person we made friends with was George, he worked on reception and a really nice guy. We went out for few drinks with him sometimes just hope he's still there when we come back as we promised we would,

Hope this help some people and any questions you have im happy to answer and will say anything else after another 2 weeks in a week when back.

Have fun if your off, stacy and Rob :) x

Sure there are more luxurious places, but as far as the resorts in the actual town of albufeira (ie near the shopping clubs pubs etc.) they are all either pretty grotty or far from the beach or both.

This place is 100 yards from a proper supermarket a fish and chip shop and a bus stop and taxi stand, yet you dont hear any noise ever in this quiet cul de sac.

The place is 300 yards down a quaint wooden pathway to easily the best and most picturesque beach anywhere to the east of albufeira.

The acomodadtion is really pretty good, only 3 english langugage channels, Free wifi is available in the 4 star hotel part of the resort where you check in.

Cleaning was good and reliable and non-intrusive, furnishing of a good standard and a reasonable bed. Showers good too. Kithen quite adeqaute.

Once again we had the pleasure of staying in Quinta Pedra Dos Bicos, and once again we were not disappointed.

The apartment, the pool, the area, the people - all fabulous!

For those of you who have to deal with the reception (we didn't as we booked direct with the owners), it is now in the brand spanking new four star hotel also called Pedra dos Bicos, directly opposite the old reception.

This one is open 24 hours and I am told that the people working the reception are very good - maybe they got rid of the deadwood that was in the last one?

We had a mooch around the hotel and it looks impressive, but we love the freedom that an apartment gives, and the apartment in Quinta Pedra Dos Bicos particularly, as it is so well furnished and equipped, AND the apartment pool is lovely, and set in such beautiful surroundings...

Fingers crossed we will be returning again next year!

Went for a quiet week in the sun the last week of May. The apartments as well as the pool facilities were spotless and cleaned regularly! It was a quiet place to stay and very suitable for families with small children. Apartments were spacious and well equipped with everything you might need. Kitchen even had a microwave. Pool bar/café food was lovely, perfect for lunchtime snacks! Pool area had a park for kids. Apartments less than 10 min walk to private beach area. Only 15min drive on the tourist train into Albuferia old town, where there are lovely restaurants and shops. The main strip was 5min walk from apartments again with shops and lovely restaurants! Staff very helpful/hospitable people! All round excellent holiday, I could not fault the apartments or the Pria Ora resort/surrounding areas! Very clean place all over!!

My Wife and I stayed here back in September 2004 and were that satisfied by the experience that we had to go back. Nothing has changed Quinta Pedra Dos Bicos is still as good as ever. The overall cleanliness of the apartment was good, the staff were on hand when needed. The Cleaning ladies were around daily. I love the peaceful atmosphere that you get from this accommodation. A special mention has to go to Chico the barman at the pool. He is a very friendly guy who speaks very good English and is always smiling. If you are staying here he will keep you entertained. I will return to Pedra Dos Bicos in the future as it offers everything needed for a good holiday experience. One thing I'd have to say if you are going between April/May, the pool is very cold. But it is a great hangover cure. Also they have a park for the children with a bouncy castle to keep the young ones entertained. I booked Quinta Pedra Dos Bicos thorough www.flightline.co.uk I had an excellent holiday and will tour with them again.

Stayed here Oct 2007 in a 2 bed 2 bath apartment. Everything was perfect. Stayed at Praia da Oura quite a few times but these beat them. Very spacious, very clean & very new. Great location on a quiet complex with easy access to the beach. Only downside was the beds and pillows - could have been a little more comfortable. Booked through algarve-rentals.com

Stayed here in Aug. '07 with family (2+3). The complex is laid out like small terraced housing estate with blocks sub-divided in apartments. reception is on main street with apartments located closeby.

The apartment was very spacious and well laid out. Seperate kitchen with table/dining area. Bathroom, large bedroom and living room with TV which converted easily to bedroom for 3 kids.

The Strip is 10 minutes walk and the area is well serviced by numerous restaurants.

The pool is a 2 minute walk to a well seperated and secure area. Not too crowded and no problem getting loungers. Shop at pool sells snacks and ice creams. The only problem with pool was transition from shallow to deep which was quite sudden.

Took one trip to Zoomarine (well worth it), but otherwise were happy to stay on site. The beach is 10 min. walk down steep steps and is very good.

Well, our second stay at this property, this time with two children as opposed to one!!!

The irony, we got the same 1 bed apartment as the first time!!! They provided a cot for our little one and when we arrived, the cleaning lady was still there and she showed us(even though she hadn't a word of english) how to set up the sofa bed.

Our only problem were the noisy neighbours upstairs who loved slamming doors at 4 in the morning, having arguments at that time too...but they left quite early in the holiday.

This place is really close to EVERYTHING. The strip, the beach and some decent restaurants. The pool is chilly but it does get warm if you stay there a little longer!!! Second and third the comments about Chico, he's lovely and very chatty!

There is also building work going on, they're building the Pedra Dos Bicos hotel and resort....it looks lovely on the plan. The work will not disturb you at all...there were days I wondered if they worked at all they were really quiet.

We went to Zoomarine twice - the kids loved it. Went to Algarve Shopping, the Old Town(if you go there, find the tunnel/cave and through there, the restaurant on the right is lovely and its cheap) and the Modelo.

Would go here again....

My partner and I stayed at the Quinta Pedra dos Bicos last week (22nd September - 29th September) We booked a one bedroom aparment ant it was huge! It had a kitchen with hob, microwave, fridge, dining table & chairs, a large lounge with 2 sofa's, TV and a blaconly with table and chairs. A double room (2 singles put together) 2 large wardrobes and a good sized bathroom with shower over a bath. You pay a deposit on arrival for the controls to the TV & Airconditioning and we also hired a safe for the week for 10 euros and 20euro deposit.

We didn't do much on this holiday apart from sunbathe and go for nice meals and walks. The pool area was just fine, with plenty of sunbeds to go round, the cafe is good value (much better than the cafe's on the beach). As people have said before, the pool is rather chilly, but provided a good means of refreshing yourself after a hot nap in the sun. The pool could use a little bit of re-tileing this winter.

The apartments are situated about 5 minutes walk away from the begining of the strip - which is very very english... lots of pubs and cafe's all promoting that they do an "english breakfast" fine if thats what you want on holiday, not great if you want to get away from feeling like your in the UK with sun.

Old Town Albefuria is nicer than the strip, but still has a lot of english influences and not so much portugeese experiences.

We didn't do any trip, so I can't advise on that, but I highly recomend the apartments and I am a girl who has high standards.

We booked the apartments in April after reading some great reviews! We knew we wanted somewhere with a nice pool, close to beaches and fairly central. This is exactly what we got!!!

There were 4 of us staying in a 2 bedroom apartment ( 2 couples aged between 19 and 21), and we could have easily fitted in more!!! It was massive! Very clean and air conditioning was a bonus! Kitchen equipment wa more than adequate, with toaster, microwave, 2 cooking rings and a huge fridge! (Although we did not need to use this much apart from storing beer and wine!)

The pool area was lovely with enclosed gardens so was nice and private and only people staying at the apartments could get in. There was a snack bar which did lovely food and the drinks were cheap - ideal for a pint whilst lying next to the pool! Chico - the barman - was absolutely lovely and nothing was ever too muich trouble for him. He always took time to come over and say hello and check everythign was ok~! decent bloke!

Albufeira itself its a very nice place. You get the best of both worlds! The strip is only a 5 miniute walk away with plenty of bars and restaurants to eat at! Reno's was a nice restaurant and had a lively bar next to it which we enjoyed. We walked past 'Matt's bar' every night, which had a bucking bronco outside, however we did not go into this bar as it seemed too 'englishy', although was quite busy so Im assuming it was nice! Lots of nice chinese resaturants around, all quite similar in price and value! If you are looking to treat somone to a nice meal go to wild and co. restaurant. Absolutely gorgeous food, but can be quite pricey. Dont have the Fettucine with mushrooms though - was not nice! - smelt of feet!

The old town was a lovely place and you can get the little tourist train down from the strip which is only 3 euros to get there and back! bargain! Traditional portugese town with a lovely beach that does great watersports! go on the sofa thing -- but hold on tight! very scary and you may scream - alot!!! haha!

Took a lovely boat trip out from Albufeira Marina, on 'The Black Runner', this was a fast speedboat that takes you all the way along the coast and into the caves! some are pitch black but absolutely amazing!

Went to Splide and Splash waterpark which was a great day out - fun for everyone, and also went to Zoomarine where I swam with Dolphins! The best bit about the holiday!

Algarve Shopping Mall is also a good day out (we did quite a few trips as you can see!), with lots of designer shops and you can get a taxi there for only 10 euros!

All in all it was an absolutely fantastic holiday, and I would recommend these apartments to anyone! I noticed an earlier review saying no-one under 30, but we are young and we loved it! Ideal holiday and would definitley go back again!!!

Hope you enjoy it!

we have only just returned from holiday at the quinta pedra we were not dissapointed. we had read the reviews faithfully and were really excited about our trip. . the appartments were very spacious and beautiful we had a two bedroom apartment. the kitchen was huge, one room had a balcony and en suite the lounge had a balcony also which gave us a balcony to the front of the appartment and one to the back. there were 6 of us and we could have had two more to stay easily in the appartment.(if you are planning on staying at the quinta remember to state you require a balcony as all of the appartments don't have one.)the pool area is lovely with a baby pool ,a childrens pool joining the adults pool with ornate showers,the children seemed to have fun with their lilos lying under the showers.there were plenty of loungers around the pool but a wee tip take lilos with you from home as you have to pay for the thin mats for the loungers and that can add up after 2 weeks (we found some in the pound shops at home which were ideal) there is a bouncy castle and play area for the children on the pretty grass area you can lounge on this area too if you want some shade during the day. the small bar at the pool was reasonable for snacks and drinks chico and alfonso were great (tell them my boys andy ryan and dale said hi.)they went on a night out with chico and some kids from london and had a great time on the strip.the views on the way down to the beach are lovely ,you may be a little tired on the way back up but it is all worth it. the strip is 2 minutes walk away and there is something for everyone. all in all the holiday and the location was just perfect ,we cant wait to go back!!!!!!!! we are happy holidaymakers who travelled on a globespan flight from glasgow on the 18th june 2007.

We booked this holiday about 4 months before we left, there were 4 adults and 2 children so we booked an apartment. We paid just over £600 for accomodation so £300 per family was great value. We got there at 9am and were a little annoyed that we couldn't book in till 4pm.

They did call up to see if the apartment was ready but it wasn't, they suggested we went back at lunch time (as booking out time is midday) The apartment was ready this time so we didn't have to hang around too long (not great with a 3 & 6 year old!). Reception couldn't have been more helpful.

We opened the apartment door and were greated with a kitchen, two bedrooms, on front room/double bedroom and two bathrooms. We were over the moon, the accomodation was so spacious we could have fit more in there as there were also two sofa beds. They had everything you needed to cook and drink though the food out there was so fantastic we didn't eat out once.

The pool is great for the kids, we had great access through the back of the apartment and the whole compound was very secure. They also had a bouncy castle for the kids and the food at the snack bar was good too (the breakfast was especially good value).

Other great places to eat as as follows.... The most fantastic place was the Japanese Restaurant which served sushi but also very chinese style food so please don't be put off by that, two of the adults were not keen on going here but thoroughly enjoyed it. With certain meals (I had chicken & beef & hubby had prawns and beef) They cook egg fried rice and veg in front then cook the meat, it's a real art and the skill they have with the knifes is amazing! Food was delicious too. Next was Paulu's which was next door to the Japanese, great Italian and always fairly busy. The American Diner did amazing burgers, subs and Pizza's, they also have pancakes for breakfast.

If you fancy more of a trek you can walk to Koala Garden, service was great, atmosphere was good and they are great with the kids.

You will find the strip is quite a lot more expensive than anywhere else to eat, though the ice cream parlours have a fantastic range of flavours.

The private beach for the apartments was clean though and had a great snack bar. There are 100 steps to get to the beach but it's not steep, the children were fine though wouldn't want to do it with a pram, I get the feeling most of the beaches in Albuferia are downhill so expect some hills! You can walk along the beach either way to get to Praira d'aura beach and whatever was the other way which is nice as you come to some rocky cove type places. The sea is lovely, can be rough though so be careful, though we were pleased to see life guards on duty.

You do get lots of lookie lookie men but you just say no thanks and they get on their way, you will see it a lot of that and you can get a little inpatient but at least they're not pushy.

I can't believe some of the previous reviews saying they wouldn't go back and it was awful etc as they can't have been staying in the same place as us! We have travelled quite a lot in Europe and outside and this is one of the nicest apartments/hotels we have ever stayed in.

They change the sheets once a week and changed the towels twice while we were there, this is not a conventional place where the beds get made daily so don't be disappointed with that. The only watchable TV channel is CNN so wish I had taken a radio or a CD player.

Really don't have anything bad to say about this place at all, the strip is the more lively area but for families this is great and the strip is only a 5-10 min walk anyway, nice to be far enough away! If you are going you can certainly look forward to it.....! Hope you have as good a time as we did.

Myself, partner and children have stayed here for the second year in a row, 2 bed apts are huge, we had ground floor and it is great to have a small outside space for the kids to play in, pool area is fantastic, playground and bouncy castle are great for the kids when they have had enough swimming. There is a bar beside the pool which does lovely food also. Is in a lovely quiet location and the "Strip" is only a 5 minute walk away, reception staff are very helpful, particularly Ricardo who will go the extra mile if you need something. Overall if you are looking for good quality apts for a relaxing holiday then these apts are prefect.

To start with, the only reason I booked these apartments were because of the reviews I had read on this website.

We were allocated a one bed bedroom apartment which was pretty big for what I had paid £120 for the whole week!!!. It had all the amenities you would need, microwave, fridge all the cutlery etc...

There was plenty of hot water and the shower was fantastic.

The location was excellent as we were next to all the restaurants and supermarkets and just the right distance away from the strip, about 5 mins walk. The swimming pool was again excellent for the complex and plenty of subeds to relax in and the view from the swimming pool was incredible as you can see the Sea from the pool area. The nearby beach is well worth visiting and there stairs are not too steep.

Overall I have stayed at great hotels around the world and although these were self catering apartments, they provided me and my wife with exactly what we needed and more. So if you want a relaxing holiday in a great location and no hassle as you would usually get near the big hotels, then I would definently recommend you stay here.

Looking forward to going back to the Algarve and these apartments.

Ishy, Bradford, England

My partner and I stayed here last week, we had booked a studio but on arrival we were told that they had upgraded us to a bigger studio for free. When we arrived at our apartment (which should no way be called a studio) it was huge.

We had 2 massive bedrooms, a large bathroom and a smaller bathroom, a good sized lounge with a sofa and a sofa bed and a huge kitchen with tables and chairs and loads of clean cutlery, crockery, kitchen utensils and pots and pans. We had 2 balconies (one overlooking the beach/sea and one overlooking the pool. We were ecstatic!

The pool area was very pretty and secluded and the beach a 5 minute walk away, although this is down a steep hill and stairs and would not be suitable for less able bodied / the elderly. The beach was gorgeous and quite private with lots of hidden alcoves to sunbathe in.

The apartment was local to some fabulous restaurants and a good few bars nearby, the strip which we found a bit too boozy and busy is a 5 minute walk and the 'Old town' was a 15 minute walk away.

I would recommend this holiday definitely to couples, families and older groups of friends but beware of the timeshare guys they are everywhere and very persistent.

A much enjoyed holiday and we will be returning again soon with our extended families.

There is certainly enough room for 6 in a 2bed apt. All for £135pp through Expedia. My only complaints would be that although the towels are changed each day, the bedding is only changed once a week which is a bit urgh. Also you will need to pay a €20 deposit for your remote control but reception is only open between 10am - 6pm so if you have an early or late flight you will need to return it well in advance.

You can hear people in other appartments coming and going, so may not be great for light sleepers.

We booked a week a quinta pedra dos bicos through Expedia. When we got there, we were allocated a first floor one bedroom apartment. We were travelling with our 16 month baby. They provided a cot but no high chair. Her cot was in the bedroom and we slept in the lounge! The sofa bed was comfy. Nb for parents - the curtains were excellent! Totally blacked out the room. We had a tv but there was only CNN and Eurosports. We had a small balcony from the lounge and this was adequate for the 3 of us. Our daughter had a wonderful week shouting hiya from the balcony to everyone below! NB, we requested a balcony through Expedia after reading reviews that some people didn't have one.

There was a kitchen diner with a kettle, microwave/grill and 2 hobs which never reached a sufficient temperature to boil water for pasta which was a little annoying as we had to cater for our daughter.

The maid came 5 times over the week we were there. The bathroom was lovely with a bath and plenty of hot water.

The pool area was lovely however the pool was very cold. There was a small park area with a slide and swings but the black floor was too hot for our daughter as was the metal slide! We used the park in Club Praia D'Oura next door. We accessed the beach through CPO as there were no steps to take the buggy down. It was a slightly longer route but easier for us.

The area was great - loads of restaurants. As we went out early, we were usually the only one's there and the waiters looked after our little one. Good restaurants included the American Diner (amazing burgers), El ranch - lush kebabs and Reno.

We went to Albufeira a few times. You can take the tourist train which you pick up at the far end of the strip or the bus. You need to take the green bus into town on the opposite from Quinta Bicos and the blue bus back from town. There are 2 buses that go around a circular route but they go in opposite directions! We walked on a couple of occasions - it's a nice walk and took about 40 mins - I wouldn't do it on the return though as there are too many uphills!

All in all, we had a lovely week, not one horrible meal and only one rainy day! I would recommend this resort for people with kids.

Stayed here October 2006. Location is excellent - 2 seconds away from lots of places to eat and supermarket, and 5 minute walk (if even that) down to the beach. Situated about 10 / 15 minutes walk from the strip should you be desparate enough to want to go there. You could holiday here as we did without even knowing the strip was there (the strip makes Blackpool look high class). The beach is accessed by way of a steep series of about 100 steps - fine going down but may be harder for older people coming back up. The beach itself is beautiful (Praia dos Bicos) and well worth visiting. Only criticism of the apartment was that there was no balcony - it was a studio flat - other flats seemed to have balconies but advisable to check if its essential.The complex has around 300 flats, most of which appear privately owned and is generally spotless and really quiet. Felt very safe. No trouble getting lounger by the pool. Only a couple of kids playing but don't know what it would be like in high season. Reception was closed when we tried to check in but called the number on the door and guy was there in around 2 minutes. Would recommend this place and likely to go back nexy year.

booked through panorama holidays my self, husband and our 2 children went to quinta pedra dos bicos on the 3rd june for one week. we booked a 2 bedroomed apartment. when we arrived it was really late at night so copuldnt really see very much. the apartment was clean spacious and huge, we did request a sea view or balcony. however when we awoke the next morning and pulled back the curtains we couldnt beleive it, the sea view was beautiful. we had abalcony leading out of the bedroom and used to sit out there every morning for our breakfast, the pool are was also clean and tidy and our kids had great fun and it wasnt too cold either.

snack bar on site is good for light lunches and also had agiant screen as the world cup was on at the time the beach is only a 5 minute walk away, aand lovely

the lively strip is only a 10 minute walk which is ideal for evenings out and you dont get any of the noise when you come back.

you catch the tourist train at the top of the strip into albufeira, really worth seeing the old town, we also did a daytrip to zoomarine which was fabulous and great value

I WOULD DEFINATELY GO HERE AGAIN, IN FACT I HAVE JUST BOOKED FOR NEXT YEAR.

brill brill brill - that's all i can say!!!! Everything was fantastic i have absolutely no complaints whatsoever!!!

We have been holiday coming to Albuferia since we were 17 (we're 23 now) so we've stayed at a few places and this was undoubtedly the best yet!!! We're definitely returning next August!

One Tip - the hill to the beach is a nightmare getting back to the hotel! I'd recommend walking down a little bit to Oura beach and going up the road of the main hotels - it's a steady slope and no steps - much easier on the calf muscles!!! Oura beach (the main beach further down from the hotel's private beach) has a lot less stones and gravel and is pretty much lovely and clear to walk through - the hotel's private beach is a lot better for those big waves!!! However watch your toes on the rocks!!!

Amazing holiday resort, amazing hotel and complex - staff were very friendly and tended to all we asked! This should have a defo 5*!

Just a short walk up (away from the roundabout) is the lovely sizzling stone restaurant - worth a visit! Just next door is the new Wild & Co bar - brilliant cocktails and v entertaining stars and acts - (i recommend the roses and june bug cocktails!)

On the other side of the strip, if you go up to Liberto's Bar and follow the signs into the backstreets is a fabulous restaurant called the Palacete - heaven in a meal! it truly is the BEST restaurant in Albuferia - this place has a lot of class - The manager Joe is amazing as are his team - please go try this place you will NOT be disappointed - so friends and truly amazing food!

Two places i must mention before you all get bored - are LaBambas and Reno's bars - (opposite one another at the top end of the strip) Now these bars get knocked but i've been partying here for 6 years so they hold a sentimental place in my heart! Don't forget the Algarve is a holiday resort for the rest of Portugal - so for a real Portuguese feel visit these bars which are more for the local clientele - so much better than the tacky likes of Garage and the other bars further up the strip - and much friendlier too!!!

Anyway i think i've said enough... i'm still mourning the end of my holiday - and i can't wait for next August to come around!

Pel & Katie (well Katie's not here but she'd say exactly the same!) ;o)

Just returned from a two week break staying in Quinta Pedra Dos Bicos with my wife and two children aged 12 & 10. We were in Lotte 12 room H, a first floor, 2 bed apartment. No balcony but a veranda overlooking the pool complex. The apartment was very clean and the maid turned up 5 days a week with regular changes of linen & towels. The only compliant is that the beds were very hard, but I understand that this is fairly standard for Portuguese beds! We had a couple of problems with the electricity but these were sorted quickly. Air con in the bedrooms helped as we had very hot weather (well it was August after all!).

The apartments are spread over a fairly large area and quite a few units are owned and used by Portuguese families. This is not a problem! The pool area was clean with enough sun beds but got busy in late afternoon when the more sensible Portuguese arrived!

There are many shops, restaurants and bars nearby and you are about 8/10 mins walk from “The Strip”. We had a car and drove to the old town (about 5 mins drive – could be difficult to park) where there were plenty of restaurants offering better value meals. However, the general standard of food was not as good as we have experienced in Greece – maybe we were unlucky.

Hire a car to get out and about. The Algarve is easily navigated with the motorway (A22) taking you to all points quickly. We have friends who lived in nearby Loule who took us to places that your average tourist does not get to see. Eastern Algarve is lovely. The town of Tavara is pretty and the beach is excellent. The beach is on an island accessible only by boat costing €1 or a water taxi costing €15 for officially up to 6 people (although we had 9 in our one!). The sea can be quite rough but great fun for surfing or generally nearly drowning! We also visited Praia da Rocha which has a huge main beach but also a couple of smaller beaches to the west of the, much photographed, rocks. The best waterpark is Slide & Splash.

I've booked myself and my boyfriend a '2 Sleeper Sofa' studio apartment at the Quinta Pedra Dos Bicos but to my surprise ' 2 Sleeper Sofa' actually means sofa-bed! . Even though I thought about the possiblities, I didn't think they would give us a sofa bed especially in a 4 star hotel, so i just went ahead and booked it as the reviews i've read were so great. Has anyone else experienced the 'sofa-bed'? Will I have to flirt much to get a free upgrade?

I still can't believe it' a sofa-bed. Well I await in anticipation.

Well, we are just back from Albufeira, and have to say, would highly recommend these apartments. We checked in at reception in the brand new hotel in the same complex, no problems at all, very friendly girl with excellent English looked after us.

We were in a ground floor apartment, only complaint was we had no terrace and also, you could hear the people staying upstairs very easily, i.e. doors opening/closing, chairs being moved across floor etc... But, if you've had a few drinks you'll sleep like a baby anyway, so shouldn't really matter too much!! However, other than that, could not fault the accommodation. Apartments were cleaned about 5 times in the week we were there, there was loads of space in them & the decor and facilities was very modern.

The location itself of Quinta Pedra dos Bicos is excellent, approx 6/7 minute walk down to the beautiful beach & about the same to the Strip. Directly across the road from apartments is a small selection bars/cafes/restaurants which came in handy for the quieter nights. A special mention to all the gang in Eddy's bar, it's in between Lara's Chippy and the Rock Line bar. Great food, service and Carlos, Carmel & Pele were great.

Some good restaurants to mention - Costa Rica, Mangelo's and El Rancho (try the steak Rydberg, delicious!).

All in all, a great holiday, something for everyone here and would definitely recommend these apartments for an enjoyable stay.

hi, stayed here for the first 2 weeks of august,

The apartment was lush, 2 bed and could fit more, we were in block 13 [m] view of street and slight view of pool.

when we were there they were changing receptions cos there was a sister hotel opening [pedra dos bicos],

so now its a 24hour reception, which is much better, but there is a big language barrier,

A big thanks goes to Francesco in the snack bar, he was friendly from the word go, he works too hard,

nice place to eat for a bit of difference, koala gardens, had croc steak here, and the kids ate kangarroo steak, ,,,,

To all them women who like thier shoes, be careful when walking around,, me, i fell about 5 times, and i was sober,,lol.

We went to zoo marine, great day for the family, somthing for all.

Only gripe i got is down the beach, we are not sunbathers and the only reason we go down beach is for our children, Well we went down and put our towels, bucket and spade etc,,, down on the sand,, but ,, this fella came over and a right go of us, cos we laid them to near the sunbeds and told us to move cos we were invading thier privacy, i looked at the beds and there was a family with same age kids as mine, but they wernt allowed to move, bear in mind these kids were about 7 or 8, they were begging their mam to build sand castle, go in for a paddle, but no, i clearly heard her say, not till u got a tan, saaaad innit,,,

well, we will be back at the quinta soon, but we will book private next time, cos the thomas cook rep was rubbish, did not even see her/him.

I stayed here with my sister in April.

We spent ages reading the reviews on Tripadvisor before booking through Expedia.

We were not disappointed. We received a free upgrade on arrival. The apartment had basic amenities but was lovley, spacious, and clean.

Myself and friend returned to the Quinta Pedra dos Biscos again for the second time and had another brill 5 days, we book this on easyjet and you cant beat it for the price.

Only complaint i would have this time was that we were in a ground floor apartment so could hear our noisy neighbours coming in at night time (they didnt close doors they slammed them) apart from this it was fine.

The guy on reception is not the most pleasant but he does what he has to, on a previous review i noted that someone said they couldnt check in until 4pm this is what it says but we got our room at 12.15 and we arrived at 10am but we just went for a walk we left our bags at reception and there wasnt a problem.

All in all i think these apartments are perfect for families couples or a couple of friends looking for a nice break away. They are handy to everything and are very clean and tidy and have everything you need.

Great location and a nice setup.

We had a room facing pool, very noisy at night due to waterfall affect in pool. It went off maybe 3pm and came on again at 5pm?? No blackout curtain in bedroom

Any movement of chairs at night time - late night revellers coming in at all hours - could be heard no problem.

Very handy for the beach and some nice bars across from reception, cafe to left as you leave reception road; supermarket around corner from these bars (opposite Martiniques cafe).

Also, more places to eat as you pass on supermarket

Bit of confusion finding reception as we were dropped at the other entrance road to the complex, but thats irrelevant.

this is not a hotel it is a one bedroom apartment and it's lovely. swimming pool is not too far away 1 min walk.it's self catering so be prepareed to eat out or to buy from the local supermarket the lively bar and 'strip' is only 5-10 min walk away. aprtment building is a little echoey so anyone making noise you will her it when they come through the communal door. reception is a little walk away from the apartments, and they wont take you to your room you have to find it from directions gien to you. overall it's in the best location and great value for money! novemeber it rained and if your going for the nightlife it's the close of the season limited clubs etc open, but it's great for old people as many of them are there at this time of year. if your going for the big club scene etc best do it in season in july etc

Just returned from this hotel, and was not disapointed! Excellent value for money.

Also in a great place as its quiet if you want it to be but the strip is only a 5 minute walk away. Loads of great bars and restaurant there! As in the review below i definately recommend eating at Nosolo Italia, massive portions and lovely staff!

The pool area was lovely and quiet, plenty of sun beds and Chico in the snack bar was lovely! Only thing is if you order food from there at busy times it can be a bit slow coming out.

I would definately recommend this hotel to anyone as it was really lovely and rooms were huge!!

My partner and I decided to re-visit Albufeira after our last holiday there a few years ago resulted in a lovely week with fab weather!!!

We booked our own flights and accomodation, rather than go with tour operators, which meant it was much better value! The reviews for Quinta Pedra dos Bicos are pretty accurate really!! It's a lovely place in a really good location... just like everyone says, its close enough to the restaurants but far enough away from the noisey "strip"!!!

We had a studio apartment. It had plenty of space for 2 people and even had the bedroom seperate from the kitchen/diner which was nice, but we were the one unlucky apartment in our block who didn't get a balcony... if you book this place, my advise is to request a balcony. If you are on the ground floor, you get a lovely grassy patch outside to use too, so maybe request that if you have a family!! The bathroom was fantastic and very spacious, good shower with plenty of hot water etc!! The kitchen was not bad... it did have plenty of utensils and cooking equipment, but no oven or toaster so we didn't really eat in other than breakfast!! Again, like most have said, the beds are a nightmare.... uncomfortable, hard and very squeaky!!! The maids came every other day and quickly swept, but didn't seem to clean!! They changed towels twice while we were there & the bed sheets once!!

We had no problems with reception... a little tricky to find maybe, but they were very polite and explained where our apartment was fine! Oh, there's plenty of parking right outside the aparments to for those who hire a car!!

The pool area is really nice, although there are definitely not enough sun loungers so often we had to sit on the grass, and I didn't use the pool because it was so so cold!!! Nice area though and a playground and bouncy castle for children!! The snack bar was good, with nice food at reasonable prices, very polite staff... perfect for a quick lunch by the pool really!!

The area is really nice as it suits most.... beautiful beaches, nice restaurants, plenty of quiet or lively bars, depending on what you are looking for!!! We mainly ate in the road at the top of the apartments as it was much quieter and offered better food at better prices.... the strip seemed to be lower quality food!! Enjoyed the 'sizzling stone' for lovely steaks bought out to you to cook yourself on a hot stone, 'Agapito' where we enjoyed piri piri chicken and fish dishes and 'Senhor frogs' did fantastic pizzas!!! There's a nice little bar with good service down by praia d'oura beach... it's just on the edge of the small shopping mall and does fab take-away chickens!!! Bars have happy hours which last pretty much all day, most until 8pm, but some until 10pm where you can get beer for as little as 1€, so take advantage of these!

Most of our time was spent by the pool, but there is a lovely little beach down from the apartments... lots of steps to get down to it then so pretty tiring getting back up!!! We walked to the old town for lunch once or twice, which is quite a long way in the heat so be prepared, or get this bus/train!! You can walk from praid d'oura to the old town along the cliffs & then down onto the beaches, but the cliffs are a little scary at some points!!! Finally, we did have one day out at Aqualand which was really good fun and definitely not just for kids... some excellent flumes and pretty small queues.... u can pick up money off vouchers at most supermarkets and bars too to save you some money off the entrance price!!! Last time we visited the Algarve, we visited Zoomarine, so gave it a miss this time, but if you've not been before, it makes a good day out!!!

I was worried by the previous review. but i found this place to be really nice. The appartments are quite basic but have everything you need and the pool area which is securely locked ( you set a key to get in) was beautiful. The beach is a 5 min at most walk and is really stunning. You have to go down some steps but they aren't steep and my mother who is not the most able of people manages fine. As far as eating out we prefered The American Diner a short walk away the food was great and reasonable too. I recomend the coach trips to Quarteria market and the one in Loulle espescially and they are cheap to go on and we bought everything from them not in the town. The old town is worth a visit we booked a taxi from reception and return cost us about 6 euro and the drivers were all very helpful.

Would go again for definate and would stay here its the best we found.

We booked to stay in this luxurious 1 bed 4* apartment through [-] (apartment 71567) and were delighted with what we found. Recently completed, we loved the porcelin tiles, fully equipped kitchen, bright double bedroom, spacious lounge and a nice balcony. The two sofas in the lounge converted to beds so this first floor apartment can sleep 2 to 4 people. Despite being very central in Santa Elulia, with a nearby well stocked supermarket, various hotels with nightly entertainment and a great variety of restuarants (we particularly liked the nearby Chinese buffet, Italian restaurant next to the supermarket and Sizzling Stone a 5 minute walk away that featured on BBC's travel show), the location is quiet for sleeping and relaxing. We also enjoyed the adjacent private pool (also a kids pool we noticed and snack bar) and a beautiful quiet beach less than five minutes walk away (accessed via timber steps, did not see a lift). There are bigger beaches for long walks a few miles away by bus or car but we loved the peace of the one nearest the apartment, and enjoyed sitting in the elevated beach cafe sipping drinks. The old town of Albufeira is a 25 minute hilly walk or few minutes bus ride away (bus stop outside the apartment, runs from early until late and only €1 fare) and is very pleasant, although we only visited once as we found plenty to do locally in Santa Eulalia. The 'Strip' of bars and restaurants is an easy 10 minute walk away but far enough not to have any related noise in the apartment, although we found nicer restaurants in the streets on the way to the Strip than those in this tourist street. Hotels within a few minutes walk of the apartment had nightly entertainment, some of it surprisingly good, and sports fans would not be dissapointed with Sky Sports available in every cafe. My husband checked out nearby golf courses and plans to return with friends to play, while we also took a complimentary bus to Algarve Shopping to check out the (mainly) European chain stores but handy if you get a wet day. Even in November we were able to swim outside and seldom needed more than a cardigan at night. We found the apartment really relaxing, access arrangements very easy (with parking out front or in a covered garage we noticed) and definately plan on returning. The back garden of the apartments was being renovated while we were but there was no noise or disturbance from it and it should be lovely when finished. We would go back in a jiffy, confident of having quality accomodation in a convenient, safe and nice location that makes anywhere on the Algarve easily reachable. We would recommend it for young couples or families, with even the clubbing set no more than 10 minutes from appropriate entertainment.

Having booked and decided, can't remember how, that it was in the old town,we set off to find it without success.(the moral being, don't be mean, get a taxi) Got a taxi, found it.

Nice apartment, clean and well stocked with all furniture and kitchen stuff you would need.

The grounds, pool and people were all more than acceptable.

Short walk to very nice beach. Being in the NEW town its a fair walk to the old town, with a couple of good hills.

It is close to "the strip" for lots of shops and restaurents, bars etc.

Loved both the apartments and the town. WILL definitely go back

Let me begin this review by first saying that yes we would and probably will go back to this resort again it is in an excellent position for all parts of the algarve but I do have a few comments to make.

The Hotel complex itself is excellent very quiet and very close to all the shops and bars in Sao Jao etc. The pool is very clean and has 2 levels for children and adults with a small play area to one side and a snack bar for food and drinks. There is no bar or entertainment on site though.

On arival at reception we were met by a gentleman who was very friendly and helpful. We were given a map of the complex and everything was explained easily. There is a 20 euro deposit for the TV & Air conditioning remote controls and a further 20 euro deposit with 10 euro charge for a safe key. We had to visit reception on several further occasions just for general information and found the lady there was not helpful and very abrupt, kids called her little miss hitler.

Currently there is a new hotel been built close by but to be fair we didnt really hear any noise from it so it wasnt a problem.

We booked a 2 bedroom appartment which was more than big enough for us. it had 2 good size bedrooms with 4 single beds 2 bathrooms a large kitchen with small hob and microwave. No kettle we used the coffee maker as a kettle and heated our drinks up in the microwave so it would be worth taking a small travel kettle. A large living room with tv and sofas that can be converted into beds to fit another 3 people comfortably. There are 2 balconys with table and chairs to sit out and chill on an evening or as we did have a quiet coffee and breakfast in the sun before the kids get up. (HEAVEN) We found the maid service lacking though, they didnt make beds and only did a quick sweep round if anything, certainly not up to the normal Portuguese standards.

Top tips for food are the Happy House Chinese just 2 minutes round corner all you can eat for 8.95 euros the food is excellent and you get a hot towel and free drink at the end of the meal. Another favourite is Bom Garfo just up the road about 5 mins this is a traditional Portuguese buffet restraunt dont sit outside waiting to be served just go in pick up a tray and help yourself to whatever you want, it is Portuguese food and you pay by the weight of your plate, it also has the best house wine in town and only 6 euros a litre. Next door is the American diner great burgers you cant beat them anywhere. In general expect to pay around 30 to 50 euros for a meal including drinks for 4 people.

There are several supermarkets close by that stock English foods if that is what you want but you will pay a little bit extra for the priveledge and to be fair most of the local food is better anyway just try it. If you go 10 minutes down the main road is the PLUS supermarket it is more like Aldi or Netto but it is cheap and has a wonderful supply of local foods especially fresh breadcakes and Dao red wine at 1.50 euros a bottle why not just give it away.

There is a road train at the top of the strip that runs all day until midnight, you can catch this to the Old town Albufeira or just walk down the beach it takes about half hour to walk but it is up and down over the cliffs, not for elderly as there is a little bit of climbing but well worth it for the views. The beaches are fantastic with lots of little bays that are perfect for the kids to play in the sea safely. The beach is reached from the hotel by a set of wooden steps, 100 infact, easy going down but coming back takes longer but it is easier than going up the cardiac hill at the bottom of the strip.

I would recommend hiring a car, its not essential but if like us you like to get about and see different places then the busses are a bit hard to get to grips with and the various tours can be pricey. Remember they drive on the wrong side of the road and Portugal is renound for its road accidents. So far I have never had or even seen an accident there, as long as you watch the traffic lights and roundabouts its quite easy and I cant stress enough DO take out the excess on the car hire you may feel you dont need it but they check every scratch/dent etc and if you dont take the excess you WILL pay dearly for the damage even if you didnt do it. Just try and convince them it wasnt you. Not a chance. The exess is aproximately £8 per day but worth it.

WARNING: do NOT get caught out by the masses of ticket touts on the street corners, they are there all day long trying to get you to buy timeshares. They know all the tricks in the book and will offer you all sorts to get you to go for a talk. Free laptops, free money, free drinks/meals etc. DONT DO IT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. I promise you WILL be stung and by the end of your holiday you will be sick of saying I dont want one.

All in all we allways have a great holiday here and yes we will be going back again and we more than likley will go back to this hotel complex we just had a few small complaints but everyone is different.

Great place will recommend it to others

Well thats it for this review my next one will be in April next year when I will be going to Bunbury in Western Australia cant wait

We first saw this accomodation as part of a deal via expedia, it looked very nice but we decided to book via a travel agent who only managed to get it a little bit cheaper. Must say even though the pictures on the web were nice they did not do it justice.

On arrival we were upgraded to a 1 bed apartment even though we had booked a studio which was absolutley brilliant! spacious, clean and decorated to a high standard. There were two of us but it could have accomodated another 3 people quite comfortably. The cleaners came by most days to change towels and clean and all essentials for a self catering apartment were available i.e, crockery, cutlery, etc.

A private beach was only a short walk from the apartments and there is a large pool area with bar neither of which were overcrowded during this time of year. A busier beach was available next door called Praia Oura which offered watersports and was home to a huge resort.

Quinta Pedra Dos Bicos was private and quiet which was ideal for us as we did not want the burden of a rep or the hustle and bustle of an overcrowded resort.

It was very close to all the local amenities. The staff were very helpful and friendly and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We saw the different ranges of accomodation available and decided that this complex was the best by far. If we were to visit Albufeira again we would definately stay here..

We stayed in a 1 bed bedroom apartment for 1 week - the Apartment itself was really spacious and very clean - a lot different from other package holidays where there is hardly any space. The air conditioning was a big plus in the bedroom and in the living area. The beach was very close by but you have to go down approx 100 steps. The pool area was very clean also and the lively strip was nearby but not too near. All in all, it was a very relaxing holiday - we stayed in a ground floor apartment which means you don't have a balcony which is the only negative thing I can say about the resort !

We stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment here and it was huge. Plenty of room for the 5 people that stayed. We were on the 2nd floor overlooking the sea... we had a great view as the complex is set on top of a hill. I'd say the pool area is a little small so we didn't spend too much time there... in fact the facilities at the complex were fairly disappointing. However, the location is excellent so we didn't feel the need to use the complex facilities too much anyway. Its a only short walk to the beach and to the strip where the local bars and restaurants are. Its situated right next to the Club Praia D'Oura so we actually went down there occasionally for a swim. We had a great time. Would definitely stay here again if returning to the area.

9 of us have just returned from a week in portugal we stayed at quinta pedra dos bicos a lovely hotel ,apartments were great, only a 5 minute walk from the strip .We ate breakfast every morning at Lara's just across the road full english breccie for just 2.99 euro food was v.good and friendly staff. We sat by the pool but not sure if it was because of the time of year or that they hadn't had rain for some time but everyone was constantly bothered by flies having a nap was out of the question.This also happened when we visited the splash and slide every time you sat down somwhere they harrassed you. I would reccommend that you have dinner and PUDDING at Nosolo Italia on the strip food was brill and puddings to die for well worth the money. We went to the old town well worth a visit only 3 euro return on the train. If you go out in the evening a lot of places entertain you with kareoke so get you singing heads on! Be very carefull who approches you when you walk the strip

We were a party of 4 aged between 49-56, When we were being transfered from the airport, all of us said the area's seemed to be too built up for us, therefore we were not impressed, unfortunately our thoughts did not change.

The apartments were amazing though, very spacious, the only thing that let them down, was there was no proper beds one seemed to be a put you up which squeaked terribly, the other some kind of day bed. There was only one other problem, there were children in the block we were in and they seemed to be just left to run up and down the corridor, and then slam the doors, but children will be children. There was plenty of places to eat. As it was my birthday while we were there i had choice of where to eat, none of us had tried Japanese before, so i chose there to eat, it was amazing, in fact it was so good we went back the following week. Highly recommend that restaurant. What we would not advise is going to a english bar/restaurant. We went to Annabells, the service was terrible, the food even worse.

The Italian Paulu's was also very good, they have very good tourist menu's at a very good price. One thing we did not like is there is no rules on non smoking, not nice at anytime but even worse when you are eating.

We got a car for 5 days, and would say that is really what you need to do, to get out into the hills, had a great time finding little villages. Albufeira old town is lovely, we walked there a few times and got the train back. Although we enjoyed the 2 weeks we were there, we will not be going back, too built up and will probably get worse.

This appartment complex comprises a number of accommodation blocks, the reception is a small not very plush office tucked away in a corner. These appartments appear to be privately owned and therefore seem to vary in the standard of what you get in the appartment. We had booked a two bedroomed appartment and were allocated a 1 bedroom appartment to start with. This was rather disappointing it was very sparsely furnished and being on the ground floor was rather dark. We spent one night in this appartment, and unfortunately there seemed to be a shortage of light bulbs, the one in the main room was not working, and when we asked for it to be replaced we were asked if we could do it ourselves! We had to use the only lamp in the appartment from the bedroom! Fortunately we were able to move the following morning to the accommodation that we had booked, a 2 bedroomed appartment on the first floor which was more spacious, homely and had lights, it was, however, still a little bit basic and was not what we expected from a 3/4* rating! The seating in the lounge area was just one sofa bed which was not very comfortable and not big enough to seat 4 people comfortably, one of us had to sit on a kitchen chair. The pool area is nice enough, however, the photos that we had seen on the websites were a little misleading, the main pool is really quite small, clever photography made it look a lot bigger than the reality. Having said that it was very well maintained and clean. The private beach was very nice, and reached by a set of wooden steps, if you are a little unstable on your feet this is not the place for you. There is a beach bar and sunbeds are available, at a cost of €6.50 per day each for a family of 4 that is €26 per day, rather expensive! The appartments are close to shops and restaurants and a 5 minute walk takes you to 'The Strip'. Taxis are cheap if you want to go to Albufeira old town.

We stayed at these apartments on an extended weekend trip for three nights in March. We were attracted by the pretty good reviews on TA and the very reasonable prices on Expedia. Although we booked a 1 bedroom apartment, we were given a 2-bed apartment when we checked in as it was still the quiet season. We were pleasantly surprised as the apartment was spacious, clean and nicely furnished, if a little chilly. Having to sit on a pull out bed in the lounge wasn't too comfortable either, but we weren't too bothered by this. The living room opened out into a small garden area, in place of a balcony as we were on the ground floor and this was nice to have breakfast in the morning sunshine. One problem that we found is that if you have noisy neighbours, as we did during our stay, then the walls and ceilings are not very well soundproofed and you can hear everything. This was not so great when people are dropping things on the floor upstairs or returning from the strip at 4am. Also, we found some of the locals were not too welcoming of the tourists staying in their complex as we were met with a guy standing on his balcony shaking his fist at us for some reason when we took a walk around the area.

Thanks to the delay of our budget airline flight, we arrived at around 10pm. Although the reception closes daily at 7pm, we had emailed ahead and the manager was there to meet us. He wasn't the friendliest bloke in the world, except when you gave him money and he seemed to lie blatantly when we asked about the shuttle to the shopping centre, saying he didn't know where the bus stopped, but he wasn't unpleasant and was okay with us leaving our cases in his office for a few hours after we checked out on the last day.

The hotel itself is located close to the new town area and a short walk away from 'the Strip' or 'Blackpool' as we referred to it. We tried out a few restaurants on our short trip including the Sizzling Stone (5 mins walk at the end of the strip) and the Fuji Japanese Restaurant on the main road. Our favourite restaurant by far was the 'Koala Garden', which is a brisk 20 minute walk away from the hotel and a little off the beaten track, but well worth the effort as they do some amazing food, we had a steak and a giant kebab, and some even more amazing desserts!!

There are very few maps of the area online, so I was a little concerned when I was researching and it didn't help that the Tourist Information office on the main road does not open at the weekend. My suggestion is to pick up one of the 'Freemaps' that are available in dispensers outside many of the big restaurants - these feature very clear maps of the strip area and also the old town as well as some great recommendations for places to eat and go.

Another annoyance was the number of touts who would call at you from across the road and then try to tempt you into a timeshare presentation. If you hear someone shouting out to you 'Hey Guys! Are you from England?' be prepared to run!!

The hotel complex is situated 3 mins walk from the New Town and 7 minute walk either up or down steep steps to the beach (not suitable for the elderly or anyone with walking difficulties). If you can make it the beach is well worth the hike - it is beautiful and so peaceful compared to the pool area. The hotel pool is nice and clean (a decent size for a dip though a lot smaller than it looks on the website) sometimes hard to get a sun lounger in high season, however most people lay on the grass as this was also much more comfortable than the beds (you can hire a matress which is worth while if your there for the whole day).

The rooms are basic but clean and modern with self catering facilities (with everything you would need i.e. bottle opener, cheese grater etc. but no kettle). My husband and I booked a one bedroom studio (we are in our late 30's) which was adequate. However the bed was a sofa bed and a pull out bed which was supposed to make up as a double bed and both beds were very as hard as a rock and very noisy and uncomfortable- this was the worst thing about the hotel. Advice tip - take off the rubber sheet on the mattress before you go to bed!

The new town strip is buzzing in August. Loadsa bars and restaurants though if you want traditional and loads for your money go to the restaurants down side streets away from the strip. Never actually made it to any nightclubs!

The old town is 5 minute bus ride or you can get the toy train which the last one comes back about 4/5 a.m. The old town is beautiful, oldy worldy, picturesque in the middle is the square where there are also plenty of bars/restaurants. This is where I will stay next time!

I and my husband and our 5 yr old son stayed at these apartments for one week. Also my sister and her husband and two children aged 2 and 3 stayed the same week. We were left off on the side of the street, took us a good while to find the reception which was the stangest reception ive ever seen, it was jst a reception, no bar etc.

I will say that our apartments were very clean and spacious which was great but the holiday brochure and apartment web site falsely advertises live entertaiment, karoke, Barbeques nightly. This is completely false. There was NO entertaiment. I asked at reception on the first night where the entertaiment was and the receptionist sheepishly admitted there was none, that they had a babeque every 15 days but hadnt had any for some time. I was completely disguisted at this, we were totally misled.

We had a little garden at the back which we sat in the evenings in the dark ( there were no outside lights and it was dark by half 8/ 9oclock) as there was no entertainment in the evenings. Also my sisters apartment had no patio/terrace, the two french doors from her apartment opened out onto the busy street outside which was very dangerous for the kids and she had could not let them out at all.

These apartments would really suit older retired couples except the walk down the beach is all up hill steep steps on the way back up which i dont think older people would be fit to manage. I would not return to these apartments as I found them to be a disapointment.

I block booked these apartments for guests that were travelling to my wedding and was really disappointed with them. You can't book into 4pm which is really late considering some of my guests would have been travelling for 12 hours at that stage. Then when eventually started to book in all hell broke loose. They lost keys of apartments, gave people the wrong apartments and one apartment even had clothes still in them when guests checked in. It was 630pm before all guests finally got into their rooms.

These apartments are mainly privately owned so its hit and miss which type of apartment you get. In general most of them are lovely but really its the luck of the draw. My sister and her fiance is still there and they are sleeping on a single bed shoved next to a camp bed !!!!

My parents and grandmother are still using a saucepan to boil their water for a cup of tea!!!

Overall as suggested here already do try and book these privately.

We booked a 3 bedroom apartment for 6 of us to and although the apartment did its job, I wasn't impressed.

The beds were cheap and uncomfortable, with bedsheets that didn't look particularly clean, and the rooms were in dire need of a lick of paint and some modernisation.

I'm sure there are far nicer apartments in Albufeira for a similar price so I'll look elsewhere if I choose to return.

we booked the quinta pedra through a travel agent who seemed to think

this place was truely great, however i thought otherwise we got to the reception late on sunday 27th may to find a small reception, dat was ok, until we were given a map and told to find our own way to the appartment which wasnt easy to find in the dark. the appartment was very basic but looked okay until we went to bed, one of the beds was nearly falling apart it kept creeking every time one moved the slightest bit! my back and neck were in bits after the week. d pool was difficult 2 find and very basic, however it was better than paying 13euro for the sun bed down in the unspectacular residing beach, albufeira itself is an okay place with plenty of shops and bars.it is possible to find good value for money as we found in an excellent chinese restaurant an easy 2min walk from the quinta pedra!

an all you can eat buffet starts at 6.30 & food is excellent, we found this place is more for older couples & wouldnt really recommend

it to ANYone under 30. hope this is an informative & helpful review.

I stayed at Quinta Pedra dos Bicos in the Spring of 2009. Bitterly disappointed at the room, dark and dreary; had view of the parking lot! Tried to get moved but to no avail.

My travel agent contacted them to get me moved and were told I had been moved and

was very happy. None of that was true; I had not been moved and was not happy.

Beach is quite a walking distance from hotel, pools were ice cold, hotel staff were not interested in providing service.

the staff were a discrace. The pool was just above average the place was terrible!