A Fabulous Family Holiday in the Algarve
We stayed at the five-star Grande Real Santa Eulália Resort & Hotel Spa, which is around a 15-minute walk from the centre of Albufeira. We had a family suite with a sea view and balcony. It was lovely to wake up to the sound of the waves lapping onto the beach, as it was so close. The suite had two separate bedrooms, two bathrooms, a mini fridge and a television in each room, which was ideal for a family of four.
The hotel has fantastic facilities for both families and couples. It has two large swimming pools, one of which is heated, as well as a baby pool. There was also a brilliant kids’ club with a daily programme, a playground, tennis and basketball courts, a games room and a television room for teenagers. Hotel residents also have private direct access to the beautiful Santa Eulália Beach. For adults, there is a spa and live music entertainment at weekends.
We stayed on a bed-and-breakfast basis, and there was a wide selection of hot and cold options. This even included champagne, while the freshly squeezed orange juice was excellent.
On the evening of my daughter’s birthday, we had dinner at the hotel. The staff surprised her with a complimentary birthday cake, which was a lovely surprise for us all and made her birthday extra special. I felt this was a very thoughtful personal touch.
For dinner, there was a great selection of hot and cold food served buffet-style. An à la carte menu was also available, with plenty of options to choose from. Most evenings, we took the hotel’s complimentary shuttle bus to either the Old Town or the New Town, known as “The Strip”.
The Old Town is very family-friendly, with pretty cobbled streets lined with small restaurants, bars, cafés and shops. It also overlooks the beautiful Fisherman’s Beach. Here, we watched local artists create detailed sculptures from sand. It was fascinating to watch, and the attention to detail was amazing.
The New Town, or “The Strip”, runs downhill from the Hotel Montechoro towards the beach and is crossed by the main road into Albufeira. It is filled with bars and restaurants catering mainly for Irish and British tourists, as well as several shops and a pharmacy.
The tourist train starts and finishes halfway down The Strip, just beyond the main crossroads and outside the Vilanova complex. Most of the bars are open-fronted, making it a great place for people-watching. In general, the area is lively and loud, with karaoke, sports on television, live music and tribute acts, so it is better suited to a younger crowd.
The Grande Real Santa Eulália Resort & Hotel Spa is a peaceful and relaxing hotel with very friendly staff. It is a great place to unwind, with more lively entertainment and nightlife only a short taxi journey away.
Albufeira is well suited to families, couples and solo travellers of all ages. It is also conveniently located for many of the Algarve’s main tourist attractions, with the added benefit of a short transfer from Faro Airport.
We are already looking forward to our next family holiday in the Algarve, as we had such a wonderful time.
