"We stayed at this hotel/apartments for 3 weeks and thought it was a great place to stay with it’s location and it’s facilities. The receptionists were very nice and if we needed any help we just had to ask and they would help. Everything we reported got fixed the same day so couldn’t fault it. At the time of staying the restaurant for Ukino Terrace Algarve and the hotel next to it, which is owned by Ukino (Ukino Palmeiras Village) but is totally separate, was being renovated so Ukino Terrace Algarve were using the Ukino Palmeiras Village restaurant which was fine and just around the corner from where we were staying. The normal restaurant for Ukino Terrace Algarve was very near to the Ukino Palmeiras Village restaurant so wasn’t a big change. We were told of this by Jet2 before we arrived.
Food: We were half-board so had breakfast and dinner in the restaurant. The times for meals were 7:30am – 10:30am for breakfast and 7pm – 10pm for dinner. There was a good selection of food, hot and cold and drinks which were included during meal times. At breakfast you could have coffee, tea, juices and milk and for the evening meal there were a choice of lager, white wine, rosé wine and two red wines as well as branded soft drinks, Fanta Zero, Sprite, Coca Cola Zero and Coca Cola. For our early flight home we were given a packed cold breakfast to take with us which was really good. We were told in the off peak season Ukino Terrace Algarve only offers half-board at the most but in peak season you can have all-inclusive. The staff were always nice.
Apartment: Our apartment was in Block 8 on the ground floor. Even though it was on the ground floor you were still on quite a height as had to go up stairs to get in the main entrance which is not good if you have mobility issues as there is no lift but for us it was fine. We had a sea view from our terrace/window which was great. Some other reviews have said that it was noisy in the apartment but when we stayed here it wasn’t busy and couldn’t hear any noise from other guests in other apartments above us and would only occasionally hear scraping of furniture. The apartment was a really good size and could fit at least 4 people. In the main bedroom there were 2 single beds we put together. In the lounge there was a sofa which could be turned into a bed plus a fold away bed under the sofa. The apartment was cleaned and towels changed every two days with the bedding being changed every four days which was adequate and always done to a good standard. They provided soap and shower gel in the bathroom. The kitchen in the apartment had everything you needed to cook if you were self catering. It had a big fridge/freezer so could buy drinks and fresh food and keep them preserved. The two things I would bring or buy are cloths/scourers and some washing up liquid as this wasn’t provided. Kettle, tea towel, pans, utensils, cups, plates, chopping board etc... were all provided. There are 12 blocks of apartments which contain 16 apartments in each. They are in a U shape and there is a pool and playground in the middle. We didn’t use the pool as it was too cold. There is a fob that unlocks the gate to the pool. There are no lifts.
Location: The apartments are basically in the middle of nowhere so if you come here be prepared to walk, get a bus or rent a car to visit the surrounding areas. There were lots of guests that rented cars and there were lots of parking spaces outside the apartments free to park. There is a car rental company near the apartments so easy to pick up and return. We chose to get the bus. There was a bus stop across the road from our block where you could catch the bus to Albufeira, Portimão or Lagoa. The buses were a bit sporadic and only a couple during the day so had to plan to go for days out but managed to go to all the places mentioned. Google Maps had the more up to date times as some timetables at stops were out of date. It was €5.55 to Albufeira & Portimão & €4.30 to Lagoa one way per person on the bus. Taxis were more expensive but on reception they had lists of approximate prices and taxi companies. Ukino Terrace Algarve is situated in Porches which is a town on the South coast of Portugal in the Algarve. The apartments are very close to the coast and beaches are just a short walk away. Beaches can be seen from the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rock at the bottom of the town. There is also a bar there called Lord’s Bar if you would like a drink. There are also restaurants but these were closed due to the off-peak holiday season. To get to the beaches it would be difficult if you have mobility issues as there are a lot of steps/hills but we managed to get to go to a few beaches which were all very well kept and clean. The centre of the town is 2 miles from Ukino Terrace Algarve and there is a museum, church, bars and restaurants. As it was January/February it was off-peak holiday season so some shops and restaurants were closed but supermarkets were open all day, everyday so if you needed something you could always get it. There is a supermarket in Porches called Intermarché which is 0.6 miles from Ukino Terrace Algarve. There is also a LIDL and Pingo Doce in the next town called Armação de Pêra which is 1.6 miles away. From here there is a more accessible beach and a chance to walk along the beach. There are also shops, bars and restaurants there. There is a walking path across the Alcantarilha River along the Praia Grande to the Praia Salgados and the Salgados Lagoon from Armação de Pêra.
Weather: The temperature was good during the day, about 15 degrees celsius. In the mornings and at night it was cold but the air conditioning turned into heaters and there were two in our apartment, in the lounge and bedroom so always kept warm. It tended to rain in the morning then brighten up during the day. In 21 days we only had 3 days where it rained all day which we thought was good. From reception we borrowed a umbrella. The other days had showers but these didn’t last long.
All in all a very good holiday and would definitely stay at Ukino Terrace Algarve again."
