Pine Cliffs Village

"We have visited Pine Cliffs resort 20+ times now, and have stayed in the residences, hotel and townhouses. Our most recent visit was by far the worst experience. Having stayed in a townhouse last year and very pleased with the location and standard of the accommodation, we decided to book a townhouse again for a relatively short stay. The unit we were allocated was truly dreadful - I appreciate that the townhouses are individually furnished, but there should be more consistency and monitoring of the properties. The one we were given was not 5 star luxury by any stretch, mould in the bathrooms, kitchen was filthy - we had cheap plastic furniture on our patio whilst our neighbours had a glass topped table and rattan chair set. Reception staff were unable to provide any resolution until the following day, meaning a significant part of our stay was ruined. They did move us to a residence property which was appreciated, but we had to stay the first night in the horrible townhouse - woken by traffic noise and sunshine as there were no adequate curtains. Also the hassle of not being able to unpack properly and hanging about all day to move property. Our holiday didn’t start until the 3rd day. With the prices that they charge it is just not acceptable that any property on the resort should be in such disrepair. After visiting the resort for so many years I really think this will be the last time. It is saved by the beautiful setting, but the greed of Marriott is off putting. Prices throughout the resort have inflated massively, 10% tips added to absolutely everything and they now even add a daily €20 resort fee to the bill which is outrageous - everyone was complaining about it. I would hesitate to recommend the resort to friends and family now."

"We enjoyed 5 nights as a family of 3 in the Pine Cliffs Deluxe Suites (formerly known as Golf Suites), using it as a base for our golfing holiday. It is a resort which pretty much has it all, we only scratched the surface as golf took us away from the resort for most of our days. The suites were refurbished (excluding bathrooms, kitchen and floorings) 10 years ago and whilst they are advertised as ‘deluxe’ and ‘recently refurbished’ they are starting to look a little tired. The extent of the refurbishment was in reality new appliances in the kitchens, new paint throughout and replacement of all furniture. So the now 10 years old living area cream seating could do with being replaced. Hard floors are a bug bear of mine, especially when allocated a middle floor apartment. We were disturbed each morning by our upstairs neighbours and we don’t tend to lie in past 7am anyway! The hard tile floors could definitely do with being softened and noise dampened with large area rugs. Beds were hard, linens were good quality but the pillows were insubstantial. Daily maid service was excellent. The balcony whilst small was ample for a dining table and 2 lounging chairs. A highlight was eating breakfast alfresco each morning whilst watching golfers tee off the 1st. The suites are in an excellent central location within the resort with views over the golf clubhouse and 1st fee from our balcony. The golf driving range is just a minutes walk away too – but not long enough to be able to use a driver unfortunately! Pleasant, easy 5-10 min walk to hotel, sunset bar and beach. Beautiful approach walk to the stunning Falesia beach. It was spoilt by the smell of sewage sadly on 1 day of our stay but the set up with free loungers and towels for guests was great. The Golf Clubhouse offered mediocre food at extortionate prices. Great view of the 1st tee though and very friendly staff. The staff throughout the whole resort were quite exceptional it has to be said. It was our first and last on-site meal as found much better value and quality outside of the resort. Free and ample parking along the front of the Golf Suites buildings of which there are several. Next to the clubhouse is a good sized heated outdoor pool which was a huge and very pleasant surprise for our late October stay as when we checked in I had asked if any of the outdoor pools were heated and had been told no! Overall a good stay in a great resort. Perfect for young and old families alike. Lots of mulit-generational groups which was great to see too. Just don’t go if you don’t like kids – it’s known as one of the best family resorts for a reason!"

"First of all here is a summary of our experience. This is a huge place, and you need to get one of the complimentary 'buggies' to get you from A - B. We only used one of the many swimming pools, which was down by the Residents Area - big pool, plenty sun beds. We also had breakfast here, which was so much lovelier than the one up by the main reception. Room was fabulous, ours had a kitchen, so we took the opportunity to cook. BEWARE...food and drinks are very expensive. A beer is the equivalent of around £7 We ate in the Italian restaurant the first night, mainly because we were tired, and a pizza was around £24-50 A basic fish dish in their seafood restaurant started at around £39. Every time you order food and drink, 10% gets added to your bill, but you can just cross through this and either pay no service or put your own amount in. All the staff were wonderful, helpful and friendly. Now, a bit more detail....on arrival the receptionist was very helpful and explained everything well, including the service charges as explained above. Our apartment was huge. 2 bedrooms, open plan kitchen, dining and lounge. Kitchen had everything. Big TV in the lounge, and one in each bedroom. Air Con excellent. Main terrace was spacious. Bathrooms large and the bath was really big. Breakfast is amazing. Such a variety of food and drink. Omelets and fried eggs made to order. Excellent service. The Champagne Bar is well worth a visit, especially towards sunset, but go much earlier as it does get packed. As stated, food and drink are expensive. Just across from the hotel are a couple of bars, where you can also get snacks / meals. A pint of local (delicious) beer is around £3-30. There is a great supermarket there as well, which we used a couple of times. Had everything we wanted, from seafood and meat to bread, wine, beer, fruit, vegetables, and much, much more. We went many times to the nearby town of Olhos De Agua (use an Uber - only cost us around £4 one way). Walk down to the seafront; you won't be disappointed. At the far end of the seafront is a great bar (has a red roof). Don't be put off by its 'shabbyness' - drinks are great, as is the food, and had a great laugh with the staff. At the opposite end is a restaurant overlooking the sea. Brilliant food. Restaurant Olhos is a must, but go with a proper appetite!! Fab food and atmosphere. Staff again were brilliant. We had a Saturday morning out at Loule, which is market day. If you want to cook and love seafood, then go here. Several seafood places in the indoor market, with prices you won't believe. We had tuna steaks, which would have fed 3 to 4 people, for £11. Fruit and vegetables were stunning. Again, use an Uber - £14 each way (about 15 miles one way). We got out of Pine Cliffs what we wanted, and enjoyed it immensely."