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Review submitted by Jessica from Sheffield (Submitted: 13 Oct 2012)
This was a great property for the money, large balcony area perfect for BBQs. Whilst the location of the property meant that the balcony does not receive much sunlight, it is an ideal area to cool off. The apartment was clean and spacious for 6 people as was the pool area. It is close to a few restaurants and bars and not far from the supermarket. We did have difficulty in finding a beach close by which was the only downside.
Review submitted by Derek from Slough (Submitted: 18 Jul 2012)
Its a lovely apartment, but spoiled by poor views which the owner cant alter, however also spoiled by the situation at the start of our stay. We didnt go to sunny Portugal for TV, but TV was promised and the poor old specimen in 11R just didnt work. Also we seemed to be the only people by the pool without sun loungers and this caused some discomfort.
The brilliant Lee, part of the management team sorted this out in style, and I must say our opinion of the stay improved immensely. New TV - in Portuguese ( and why not? ) and loads of poolside lounging chilled us, although my 2 holiday partners didnt like the distance from the nearest beach. The pool water was very cold, being constantly fed by cold water. Huge living quarters but limited hanging or wardrobe space, so 6 people would have been very messy. The local shops & cafes were good, and local people were accommodating ( unlike some of the Brits we met ). The local beaches had free showers and toilets, and were worth visiting especially as all were close to decent restaurants.
Review submitted by Angela from Waltham Abbey (Submitted: 3 Sep 2011)
This apartment is fabulous. Plenty of room and three huge balconies which are either sunny or shady depending on the time of day. It is very modern and spotlessly clean. The agents in Portugal popped in to see us to make sure all was OK and very quickly arranged for a couple of little maintenance issues to be remedied. They were very friendly and knowledgeable about the area. The pool area is well maintained as are the gardens. The apartment is well equipped and furnished and we had the benefit of a brand new fridge freezer and washing machine. All plates etc. fitted into the dishwasher so very little hand washing to be done. The apartment is also fitted with an alarm system so no issues with security. Overall, this is a fabulous apartment on a quiet complex and we would definately stay here again. If I were to make any suggestions for improvement they would be as follows:-
1. The provision of allocated sunbeds. Most of the apartments have allocated beds which are kept chained up in the pool area, there are a few unallocated beds and we always managed to get one or two but I believe the provision of allocated beds would make for a more relaxing holiday experience.
2. There are three huge balconies but the only furniture provided is a nice. but plastic, table and chairs. The provision of some good quality and comfortable balcony furniture would also add to the holiday experience and make better use of the outside space.
3. Finally, and this wouldnt be important to everyone, but I would like to see satellite/cable TV provided. There is only one channel available on the TV and some English programmes are broadcast at the weekend but it would be nice to have a better selec tion just to keep the kids entertained while getting ready for dinner etc.
Review submitted by David from Chester (Submitted: 3 Oct 2010)
Overall the property is very well presented, clean and spacious and the town of Olhos DAgua is quite peaceful and pleasant. There were six of us staying and we rarely felt it was over crowded (especially as the balcony was quite large) and we were pleased that everything we needed for cooking/cleaning etc had been provided.
I would say that the following were the main good/bad points about staying at Monte Da Balia:
Pros:
The villa had good air conditioning and the provided appliances all worked well. There were even enough utensils/cutlery/crockery etc to easily cater for a big group.
The local bars, restaurants, beaches, shops and supermarket are all within walking distance.
The pool area catches the sun brilliantly throughout the morning and afternoon and we never had any trouble getting a lounger.
The agent was extremely helpful when we got lost and couldn’t contact them (see below) coming to find us at a hotel down the road. The supplied information pack was also very helpful for getting around.
Cons:
We found the villa was quite difficult to find mainly because the “Monte Da Balia” sign is pretty small and easily missed. Also the “emergency number” we were told to call upon arrival at Faro was wrong (I believe this has been corrected now though).
As previously mentioned the view from the balcony from this part of the complex isn’t great, private but certainly not pretty.
Although it was great having a dishwasher, none of the dining plates fitted in it so had to be washed by hand.
We had a lot of trouble getting taxis to pick us up, the number for the local firm just seemed to ring and ring and we ended up to walking in to Albufeira most nights (about 20-25mins away).
Review submitted by Helen from Billericay (Submitted: 20 Aug 2009)
The property itself was excellent - brand new, spotlessly clean, spacious, lovely big balcony (with much needed shaded area). Everything you need for your holiday. The owner made us feel very welcome and gave helpful tips and advice on the area.
The apartment is situated in a quiet and relaxed complex. It has a lovely private pool area with plenty of sun loungers. My only complaint was that the water was a bit cold. The local beach is about 10-15 mins walk but seemed much longer in the heat. There are shops and restaurants within walking distance but you definitely need a car to make the most of this holiday. I would certainly return here with my family.
Review submitted by lee from brighton (Submitted: 9 Aug 2009)
The apartment was clean and spacious with 2 bathrooms and good air con and had a very large balcony on 3 sides.
Unfortunatley the balcony did not overlook the pool area, it overlooked waste ground and a small building which had grafitti sprayed on it. The sun did not reach the balcony thoughout the day at all.
It was quite exposed and we were told it had been broken into at the end of last season when the shutters were left up, so we felt a little worried as there is no security.
Its in a quiet area, and you need a car, but the taxis are good if you pre book them , but we waited over 1 hour for a taxi (august) at the rank down the road and gave up. Its about £5 to the strip
The tv did not work except an indian channel. There were not enough sunbeds and people leave towel on them all day !!!!