Ria Park Garden Hotel - Almancil, Portugal 

We have just returned from a week at the Ria Park Garden Hotel. Overall we thought the hotel was lovely, however there were a couple of things we would like to mention. When we checked in we were told our room was in the 'new block'. The bellman helped us with our bags to what seemed like a room in a small villa across the road from the hotel! It was sparse and very unimaginative in decor! We were very disappointed and I explained to the Manager that we felt we were not part of the hotel and had we wanted a villa we would have booked one! He was very helpful and told us to return to the front desk later that afternoon. We were then given a lovely room over looking the pool and restaurant on the ground floor....decor lovely. We were booked on a B&B basis, but also had the evening buffet on two occasions.The food was excellent and restaurant staff were friendly, professional and efficient. Parking is free at the hotel but very limited. Kids club and Spa is 3 min walk away and very good. Spa looked amazing! Pool lovely and plenty of beds available. Great snack bar by pool. We would all definitely recommend this hotel.

Just returned from a two week stay at the Ria Park with our three young children. First off parking around the hotel is 'tight', but you soon find parking elsewhere. We found all the staff more than helpful and friendly and always polite. We had a family room overlooking the pool area which had plenty of space for five of us. The hotel was always kept clean and tidy as was the pool area. The childrens club is a short walk from the hotel and perhaps lacks a little immagination/enthusiasm from the 'entertainers'. We stayed on a b&b basis with the buffet style breakfast which was very nice. Only had evening meal at the hotel once in the restaurant and it worked out the most expensive meal we had all holiday, was not worth the money. Hotel lobby bar had entertainment only once a week and was quiet most of the time. The hotel lays on a shuttle bus which takes you to the beach and brings you back, it has its own section for guests which supplies you with free beds and towels, which come in handy. Overall it is a lovely hotel, a little on the expensive side for what you get but hey you are on holiday.