- Algarve Holidays
- Armacao de Pera
- Vila Gale Nautico
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Vila Gale Nautico
Portugal, Europe
Armacao de Pera
This family-friendly beach hotel enjoys an idyllic setting in the tourist area of Armação de Pêra along the renowned golden coast of the Algarve. The hotel is located just 250 metres from the pristine, sprawling beach and less than 1 kilometre from a myriad of shops, boutiques, bars, restaurants and nightclubs; also, Faro Airport is less than 40 kilometres away. Visitors will find themselves well connected with the nearby public transport networks. Guests of all ages will be impressed by the hotel's range of activities and amenities, which have been designed with the needs of each individual traveller in mind. They are invited to unwind and dine in the hotel restaurant, where they would enjoy the delectable delights that are just waiting to tempt the taste buds. Rooms are suitable and well-appointed, they counts with all amenities needed to provide the best rest on holiday.
Facilities
- Other Protocol
- Darts
- Tennis*
- Billiards*
- Volleyball
- Basketball
- Fitness
- Table tennis
- Green Key – Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)
- Spa treatments
- Please note some facilities may incur an additional fee
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.0 Very Good2,113 reviews
Excellent
47%
Very Good
34%
Average
12%
Poor
4%
Terrible
3%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Pros and cons but won’t return.
This was a last minute booking for us as Jet2 informed us of issues at the hotel we’d originally booked in Menorca so this seemed like a safe bet. Based on reviews, location and our specific ‘wants’ for our main holiday.
On arrival at Vila Galè Nautico, we were met with a very helpful receptionist who explained the checking in process and meal times etc very thoroughly. The reception area was clean and quiet and she informed us that the hotel was only at 50% capacity which was a bonus. Our room on the 4th floor was clean, spacious and had a view over the pool and to the sea right above the restaurant area. Staff at meal times are very friendly and get drinks to you straight away but that’s where the goodness of meal times stop. The buffet is SO small( same every day), and anything fresh is cooked whilst you wait, the queue for it doesn’t allow you access to the Bain Marie’s that has the’ luke warm’ food in them. Burger night (Mondays) is just one long queue as nothing is cooked in advance (any night) so you can be waiting for over 10-15 minutes if the food cooked is snapped up by those taking a couple of burgers/hot dogs at a time, they have the smallest hot plate I’ve seen in a hotel! The wait times drastically increased when what appeared to be a coach load of teenagers and their teachers arrived on day 3 and took the place over. Queues were terrible and seating was sparse. The food is bland, tasteless and very limited. I’d go as far as saying the food was 2* whilst the hotel overall is a 3* maximum! If you like rice or potatoes that’s pretty much all you’ll get. There is a pool side snack bar which serves sandwiches, burgers, fries, salads and drinks from 10:30 which in our opinion is a much better option than queuing for the buffet in the main restaurant. Down to personal preference I guess?!
There’s a strict no reserving of sun beds which is good so even at 10am you’ll get a bed by the pool. So no worries there. Entertainment is pretty dire in the evenings and even ‘themed nights’ are fairly mediocre. The walls between the rooms are so thin you can literally hear everything from rooms either side and above you and some parents think it’s ok to allow their children to run down the corridors screaming at 7am! Definitely not what you want if you’ve come away for a relaxing break (as we did).
Location wise the hotel is across the road from the beach and a short walk to local shops and restaurants but again, they’re all pretty similar. The area is being heavily developed at the moment so watch out for the dumper trucks and lorry’s driving up the Main Street. Walk as far as the fortress in the village where it’s a little more picturesque, it’ll take you about 20/25 minutes. The hotel is situated on the edge of the town with large residential blocks which are off the Main Street along the front.
You can use your Uber app over here but be prepared to wait for a taxi unless you pay for an XL. We got a taxi into Albufeira old town which cost around £14 for 9 miles which was reasonable. The old town itself is vibrant, full of bars, shops, stag and hen parties. We didn’t stay too late as we had a feeling there was potential for some rowdiness.
Back to the hotel, if you want 4* decor, 4* food, 4* service DO NOT COME HERE! It’s 3* AT A PUSH. Won’t be returning.
Review by TripQueen05 Tamworth, United Kingdom
Not great
Food choices are really not good, you are ok if you like fish. We were offered the toilet to get changed as we arrived around 11:15 and room not ready
Vila Gale Nautico
This is a very nice hotel and well located for the beach or other amenities. The rooms are large and clean with fresh towels in the bathroom whenever you need them. What lets this hotel down is the food in the main restaurant, especially the lunchtime buffet. The food was very limited and portions were small. One day the offering was hot dogs which you could get anytime at the pool bar. Breakfasts were the same every day and the evenings were also very much the same. The food at the pool bar during the day was good and offered fresh cooked burgers or filled baguettes. This was our second time at this hotel but we will not be going back.
A review of 2 stays
This was my second stay at Vila Galé Náutico, we stayed here last August as a family of 4 and returned early June just myself and my 10 year old for a short break.
The location of the hotel is great - just 40 minutes from Faro airport with the beach and a variety of restaurants just a few minutes walk away. We also found a quieter beach just 10 minutes walk up the road. There's also a Lidl within walking distance. ZooMarine is well worth a day trip (or 2!) and is only a short Uber ride away.
The hotel is clean, modern and felt very safe. Staff were lovely and very helpful. Last year we did have an issue with ants in our room (don't leave food out!) but the hotel sorted this for us. This year the room was spotless. Last year we had a double family room with large terrace overlooking the pool, this year we had a twin room at the front of the hotel with a balcony which was overlooking a car park but did also have a sea view. The pool side rooms are very noisy in the evening as they are also over the restaurant and evening entertainment, but this always finished by 11pm. The room at the front of the hotel was much quieter with minimal road noise. Both rooms were spacious and comfortable with a mini fridge, safe, hairdryer etc.
The outdoor pool is good - a little cold at first but not freezing, and even in August when the hotel was very busy it didn't feel overcrowded. It could do with a bit more of a clean around the waterline, especially around the steps but on the whole it feels well looked after. In August it was difficult to get loungers if you weren't down by mid-morning but in June there were loads available at all times of the day. We used the indoor pool last year but this year they were enforcing swimming hats so we gave it a miss.
Last year we were All Inclusive and we found that the evening food wasn't the best. There was a variety of options, and the themed nights mixed it up, but it wasn't amazing. Our kids also found it difficult to find options they liked so we didn't feel like we quite got value for money there. The pool/snack bar however does great food during the day and the breakfast has a lot of different choices available. The Italian restaurant on site is also very good (ate there both times). This year we decided to skip the all inclusive so we got to see what the individual prices are like. At the snack bar a hot dog, or toastie with fries costs €6.50, and a burger with fries costs €12.50. Cocktails were €6.50 too. We avoided using the mini bar in the room as the prices were very high (but is included in the all inclusive). The Italian restaurant was about €40 for the 2 of us. Other nights we went out for food.
Overall we thought it was a great hotel and would definitely stay again, although we would avoid the summer holidays as we liked it a bit quieter.
Review by AyCeeUK Burton upon Trent, United Kingdom
A great hotel with lovely staff. A perfect place to stay in a wonderful spot on the Algarve.
We love the Vila Gale Nautico in Armacao de Pera and have just returned from our second visit. The hotel is perfectly situated for the beach and local cafes and shops in a place on the Algarve that is quieter than some of its busier neighbours. Rooms are spacious, clean and have everything that you need. We stayed all inclusive and the variety of food and drinks was a real highlight. Freshly prepared salads and and a great variety of fresh fruit, cooking to order of meat and fish at every meal, we were spoilt for choice! But the jewel in the crown is the staff. Led by Bruno, staff were consistently pleasant and helpful. Service with a smile. It made our stay. Keep up the great work! We look forward to returning 😁
Review by Traveler38420696031 Westhoughton, United Kingdom
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