Acoteias

We visited Pine Cliffs at the end of June during the first major heat wave of the summer affecting Southern Europe. What was meant to be a relaxing luxury stay turned into a series of frustrations, safety concerns, and disappointments that made this feel more like an overcrowded Marriott Vacation Club than a true Luxury Collection resort. We booked through Amex Travel (which promises noon early check-in), and before arrival, the concierge reached out to me proactively. I responded promptly, explaining that my plans had changed and I would need to upgrade to a larger room and merge two back-to-back reservations. No one ever replied. I then had to chase the issue via Marriott app chat, where I spent hours going back and forth with the front office staff—who clearly had no training in Titanium Elite benefits. Even when I offered to pay the difference, it became a long, frustrating ordeal just to confirm the obvious: that a larger room was available. This lack of basic coordination is embarrassing for a property that brands itself as luxury. At check-in, there was no acknowledgment of my Titanium Elite status—not even a thank you for loyalty—and despite the Amex Travel noon check-in benefit, our room was still not ready by 2 p.m. We waited in the lobby with three young children in 35+ degree heat. The resort layout is sprawling, but not in a good way. There are no designated walking paths, and cars, golf carts, and pedestrians are all forced to share the same narrow roads. This created a real safety hazard. In fact, my daughter fell off a shuttle because the driver accelerated too quickly with no warning and no seatbelt. There were no safety protocols in place, and this could have resulted in a serious injury. Once you get to the pool or beach, the issues continue: • You’re handed a towel card, which you need to exchange each time for a towel. This system feels more appropriate for a budget resort, not a luxury one. • There are no tables next to loungers at the beach to rest food or drinks on. When I asked for a bucket of ice for bottled water, I was told it’s only allowed for champagne. This level of inflexibility during a heat wave is not just inconvenient—it’s baffling. • Service was wildly inconsistent. At Piri Piri, a waitress rolled her eyes at me when I asked to take food to go. At multiple outlets, we had to wave down staff just to get water. The reservation system was a mess. Despite booking dinners ahead of time, several reservations were lost or confused. We had to rearrange our plans more than once due to mismanagement. The beach was chaotic and overcrowded, with not enough loungers or shaded areas. Vendors roamed the beach offering to braid hair, sell fake designer bags, and beach blankets, which guests were actually buying just to create makeshift shaded seating. It felt like a poorly managed public beach, not a private resort. The Ocean Suites hallways were bare and unwelcoming, more like a corporate Delta Hotel than anything

Always a great experience. Have stayed around 12-15 times at Pine cliffs over the last 25 years with family and solo. Back in September for 14 nights at the ocean suites. The resort is beautiful and it has never lost its spark, the view and cliffs is beautiful. Booked a resort room at the Ocean Suites for 12 nights in May and was lucky enough to be giving a room with a great view of the sea. The staff are always friendly and helpful, had one issue with an unexpected charge however was eventually refunded. The spa is really good, always nice to see the familiar faces who have worked in the spa for a long time now. Preferably the ocean suites are my favourite part to stay in, however the hotel is also very nice. The gardens apartment are probably the best decorated however I’m not keen on the location within the resort. The sun loungers are a lot more comfortable at the ocean suite pool or main hotel pool. I did sit by the garden pool once but found the loungers quite uncomfortable, think they have been changed as they were better a couple of years ago. I can never really comment on the food as always say outside the resort, and you don’t get breakfast included in the standard when staying at the ocean suites. The only suggestion I ever really have is an adults only pool would be a great addition to the resort, or like a small luxury beach club… something along those lines would really enhance the resort.

I was drawn to this hotel by the glowing reviews and kind words about the staff, which led me to believe it would be a luxurious, 5-star experience. Unfortunately, from the moment we arrived, that expectation was completely unmet. There was no assistance with our luggage upon arrival—we had to struggle over uneven ground with our bags. At reception, we were greeted by an unfriendly staff member, which set the tone for our entire stay. The general demeanor of the staff at the front desk and over the phone was cold and unwelcoming, as if every request was a burden. There was no warm greeting, no welcome drink, and not even a kind word. I wanted to stay in the main building and was confused when I noticed our room was at the furthest point from the main building as possible (over 30 minute walk) I asked to change rooms. The receptionist didn’t make any effort to accommodate this request—he simply said no without checking availability. Our room was spacious, but it clearly hadn’t been properly cleaned. There was trash left under the sink, and visible marks on the furniture. Initially, we noticed a few ants, which didn’t seem like a big deal. But when we returned from lunch, the apartment was crawling with them, marching in lines across all rooms. After some searching, we discovered food and sweets left behind in the cupboards—more evidence the room hadn’t been cleaned thoroughly. Despite multiple calls to reception requesting help, no one ever came. Housekeeping continued with their usual rounds, completely ignoring the ant infestation. When I again asked to change rooms, the receptionist placed me on hold and then refused to accept any further calls from our room phone that day. Beyond our room issues, several general shortcomings made the stay underwhelming. One of the reasons we chose this hotel was the variety of activities it offered. However, there was no one available on-site to help us book them. Staff kept directing us to an app, which wasn’t functional for making reservations. We eventually managed to book some activities in person, but availability was poor—particularly at the tennis academy, which was fully booked for our entire stay. We also discovered other activities like a driving range only by accident, as no one proactively informed us of what was available. While the restaurant and shuttle staff were generally friendly, even this didn’t feel like 5-star service. For instance, when I arrived with several bags and a large suitcase, the shuttle driver made no move to assist me. I had to ask multiple times just to figure out where my room was, and even then I had to request help with my luggage—help that wasn’t readily offered. The food at the resort was also a disappointment. Portions were very small for the price, and overall quality was mediocre. While they did accommodate gluten intolerances at most restaurants, dishes like a full English breakfast or a protein bowl were sparse and beyond expensive for what you got. As for

This resort is far from the 5-star experience it claims to offer. The staff throughout are generally unhelpful and appear unhappy to be there. Our room had a persistent ant problem that was never properly addressed, despite asking multiple times each day. When we raised the issue at reception, we were told that ants in the rooms were "normal" — which was baffling. Dining across the resort was a disappointment: the restaurants are overpriced, serve very small portions, and the food itself ranges from average to poor in taste. There are no warm pools available — something you'd reasonably expect at a resort of this supposed caliber. Most of the sun loungers are basic, uncomfortable blue plastic ones. Only one pool had cushioned loungers, which felt like a tease more than a feature. Service across the resort is lacking. There’s no clear guidance on activities, no one proactively offering help or information. You have to track down each booking location yourself, only to find that most activities are already fully booked. And almost everything is an added cost — for example, an hour of padel tennis for two people was €60. The layout of the resort is inconvenient. It takes around 30 minutes on foot (without kids in tow) to walk from the residences to the beach or hotel lift, due to the golf course layout. The gym is stuffy, dated, and poorly equipped — a single cramped room without much thought to design or extra features you’d expect from a 5-star property. We were especially disappointed with the spa. After hearing such glowing reviews, we were excited to book treatments, only to be met with cold, dismissive staff at the spa reception. When we asked for a treatment menu, we were told bluntly, “No,” and told to look it up online ourselves — no guidance or warmth whatsoever. This unhelpful and unfriendly attitude was present throughout the resort, including at check-in. While we did get an early check-in (which we appreciated), it was delivered in such a negative, begrudging manner by the receptionist that it completely tainted the interaction. Every request felt like an inconvenience to the staff. In short, we wouldn’t recommend this resort. If you’re looking for an overpriced, underwhelming stay with poor service, average food, and few comforts, this might be for you. But for us, it felt like we paid a 5-star price for a 3-star experience — and we’re leaving feeling more disappointed than relaxed.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An exceptional stay from start to finish. The property offers outstanding service, well-curated amenities, and a welcoming atmosphere that reflects a strong commitment to guest experience. While not within the hotel's control, the breathtaking sunsets and panoramic views added a memorable touch to an already excellent visit. I would gladly return when in the area again and would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to others seeking both comfort and quality.

We had such a fantastic 3 night stay here in February 2024. From the moment we arrived, the staff were wonderful, both the doorman and the reception staff were lovely. The receptionist spent so much time giving us tips on where to visit, local walks, local events and restaurants. Our room was beautiful, superbly clean and full of lots of amenities. It had such a lovely Portuguese charge/decor too. We even arrived to a bottle of wine and 4 Portuguese tarts! We utilised the concierge while we were there. Our first encounter of him was offering us local food and port! And he went onto recommending lovely walks and booking us restaurants. Breakfast every morning was similarly fantastic, with a huge selection of fresh food, lots of local cuisine! We wanted to try everything and stay longer! Our visit in February was in low season, so the resort was very quiet, and there was a lot of maintaince going on, as well any many restaurants being closed - but we fully expected this. The resort is so wonderful, with lovely staff, this didn't matter to us at all! Would 1000% stay here again! And recommend it to everyone.