Quinta Do Paraiso

"We stayed at Quinta do Paraíso for 5 nights with my husband and teenage stepson in a two-bedroom bungalow. I had read quite a few negative reviews before we went, so I arrived rather over-prepared. I packed a scourer, tea towels and even emailed reception in advance to request a fan because I’d read that there was no air conditioning. Reception replied almost immediately to reassure me that all of the bungalows have air conditioning, and they were right! The bungalow was actually very well equipped. The kitchen had everything we needed, including a dishwasher with washing tablets, washing machine, fridge freezer, hob and microwave. There were also tea towels and a scourer, so my carefully packed cleaning supplies could have stayed at home! The bedrooms were spacious and had plenty of storage. Our only complaints about the bungalow were that it smelled a little musty when we first arrived and the Wi-Fi/mobile signal was dreadful. The lack of reliable internet is particularly frustrating these days when so many things need to be done online. One thing for the ladies: pack your own hairdryer! There wasn’t one in our bungalow, so if you’re anything like me and don’t fancy trying to style your hair with whatever you can find in the bathroom, bring your own. The resort Quinta do Paraíso itself is huge. We were lucky enough to be staying reasonably close to reception and the main pool area, which I think made a big difference. There is a small Spar shop, pool table, mini golf and table tennis. We also spotted a couple of large, seemingly abandoned chess boards and an empty tennis court, although we didn’t use these facilities. The pool area is lovely, with plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas. There are two smaller pools as well as the main pool, so there is plenty of choice. There is a pool bar/restaurant which serves a good selection of food and drinks, although the bar closes at around 7.30pm. There is also a restaurant serving breakfast, although we didn’t use it. I ordered a big enough supermarket shop through Uber Eats to make our own breakfasts, mainly so the teenager could stay in bed! There is also an Italian restaurant opposite reception which stays open later. Unfortunately, we found it quite expensive and a little underwhelming. If you don’t fancy going into Carvoeiro every evening, Monte Carvoeiro Square is about a 13-minute walk away and has a selection of restaurants and a cocktail bar. It’s a nice option for an evening. Carvoeiro We really enjoyed Carvoeiro itself. It’s small but has plenty of restaurants, bars and sometimes live music in the square. The beach is small but very pretty. I’d definitely recommend walking along the boardwalk to explore the caves. At the end you’ll find Boneca Bar, which has a beautiful setting between the caves. It’s apparently booked up weeks in advance for dinner, but they do accommodate walk-ins for lunch. We found that all the restaurants we visited accepted cards, although quite a few bars were cash only. There are also two banks in the town if, like me, you prefer to avoid the expensive standalone ATM machines that seem to be everywhere. One thing to be aware of is that Carvoeiro is very hilly. If you walk into town, I would strongly recommend getting an Uber back! The walk home is almost entirely uphill and the gradient is enough to make you question some of your life choices. I actually disagree with the advice in some reviews that you need to hire a car. We found Uber incredibly cheap and convenient. We generally paid around £5 each way to get into town, so for us a car really wasn’t necessary. Food recommendation If you like a good curry, definitely try Pani. It’s up another hill in the town, but book in advance and request a table with a sea view. The view is stunning and, for us, it was one of the best curries we’ve ever had. Would we return? Quinta do Paraíso isn’t the most luxurious or perfect resort we’ve ever stayed at, and there are definitely things that could be improved, particularly the Wi-Fi and the slightly musty smell in our bungalow. However, we knew what we were getting into after reading the reviews, made the most of everything available and had a really enjoyable holiday. I think some of the negative reviews are perhaps a little harsh. If you go expecting a five-star luxury resort, you may be disappointed. If you go expecting a large, relaxed holiday resort in a great location and are prepared to explore the surrounding area, I think you’ll have a great time. We would definitely come back."

"Very clean and spacious apartment. Friendly staff everywhere. Great food at Olivieras. Well stocked Spar shop on site. Pleasant 20 min walk into Carvoiero, you’ll need a bet coming back as it’s quite steep, but less then €5. Disappointed to see loungers reserved at the pools for hours and towels weren’t removed."

"Was a little hesitant as I havecstayed here before but had a private villa, My friend and I arrived 24th September and from the moment we arrived , it was great , tge gentleman on reception was so helpful and friendly, when our apartment was ready , we was taken up by the curtesy car, Our apartment D4 was wonderful, spotlessly clean and had everything we needed, only little criticism the mattresses were hard, Can't fault the staff in pool side bar, another Wonderful holiday to beautiful Carvoeiro. Thank you Dawn and Karen"