It was good, but to be quite honest I expected more from a high end luxury hotel. The accommodations and the beach itself are beautiful, but I found some things lacking compared to other luxury resorts I’ve stayed in: 1) Service - It was incredibly slow in the 2 restaurants in the resort. The only time I had a great experience was during breakfast because it’s a buffet. 2) Not enough chairs by the heated pool and beach and it fills up quick 3) Spa and it’s service was very very mediocre Again, nothing was horrible but nothing was impressive either.

Here now on our first full day here (of six days) and it is stunning. The setting is magical and we are finding that the staff is attentive and very kind. We have two adjoining rooms in the back of the property near the spa and it’s super quiet at night. The rooms are very nice and we were given a surprise cake and champagne because it’s our 25th anniversary trip. We brought our kids (older teens) with us because, hey, they’re part of the the magic of the last 25 years…and they LOVE the place. There’s activities to do on site and excursions off site that they will help you arrange. The food at breakfast and dinner are excellent. We had lunch by the spa pool, the healthier menu as they call it…it was fantastic. You can order drinks pretty much wherever you are on site and the wine list is quite nice. We will make this place part of our summer vacation rotation going forward.

This hotel is gorgeous! The views from the pool overlooking the beach are breathtaking. We booked the junior suite and it was massive. It had a great patio with a day bed that was perfect for lounging and reading. Also, the hotel has a walking path that overlooks the water and cliffs -- highly recommend. The views are stunning. André that works here is so nice! We were there for our honeymoon and he treated us like royalty. He also found out it was my husband's birthday while we were at the resort and had a cake brought into our room to celebrate. Very thoughtful. The only thing I would say is that it is a little removed from restaurants, etc. We had a car and were able to leave the resort that way but the hotel offers a shuttle at a cost, which we utilized one night for a dinner that was close by. Overall. a lovely experience and would recommend.

Great get-away destination for those looking for a place to relax. We visited after high-season and had wonderful service and accommodations, which were very affordable. I would happily return!

nicely nested on top of the cliff within a lush green garden and very old and large trees the setting is beautiful. the suite was large, clean, quiet with comfortable beds and pillows. the beach is wonderfully located between the sand colored rocks. the variation and quality of restaurants (f&b) could be improved, e.g. there is an Italian restaurant by the pool that only serves a variety of “pizza”, but no pasta. there is hardly a selection in vegetarian dishes. also, I found it disturbing that guests were allowed to occupy beach chairs for an entire day without actually using them for hours. in other resorts this is managed by the staff who reallocate deck chairs after some time…

The service, rooms, and food quality are what you get in a 3-star hotel in the U.S (and MAYBE pushing low 4-star since they transfer you and your bags to far away rooms and for the welcome gift given in room at check-in). Here is what you may see at this “5-star” property as I have experienced…. I tried to give this property a try after seeing high marks for it online and after one night at Vila Vita next door. I only stayed at Vilalara Thalassa because Vila Vita was fully booked the next day of my trip. THE BEACH: Vilalara Thalassa has nice beach access area but is shared with a second public beach access and can be experienced with out staying at this hotel. THE PROPERTY: The first 5-star hotel In Algarve. Beautiful views out to the ocean from the southernmost point on the property. Otherwise, the property is dated, requiring some more high quality renovations to keep up with the times and guest’s needs and the social vibe pretty dull. THE SERVICE: Check-in was quick and informative. Desk lady offered me water after immediately walking to her desk. The manager, a very kind but busy man, toured me around the property via cart and dropped me by my room with my luggage. They forgot to share how to access their wifi, had to go ask. Main restaurant, wait timing and service slowness at the main restaurant was horrendous. Took more than 1 hour out of their original mention of 5 to 10 minutes to seat one person, and this is the only general restaurant on site serving at 7pm. When finally seated, I sat for another 30 minutes until someone actually took my order. Highly non- attentive waiting staff. Maybe they’re understaffed but no where near a modern 5-star hotel experience…staff seems untrained on 5-star etiquette and service industry. THE ROOM: First impression, it was a nice touch to provide wine, and a few local delicacies as a welcome gift in the room upon walking in, coffees, teas, and (2) 75 cl water bottles provided complementary, with mini bar for a fee. Overall look, appears sterile and hospital like, with white walls and furniture, and a floor consisting of commercial plastic matting, you know.. the kind that plastic wicker beach chairs are made of. Spacious room and bathroom, patio spacious as well, but sliding glass door has no netting slider. Someone’s feet appeared on one of the chair’s in the room…odd and not cleaned as mentioned on door hanger (that affirm the room has been “sanitized”). The blinds don’t close properly at the center so as to close fully at night to keep other guests from seeing in. After only checking in less than 3 hours earlier, I returned to my room after dinner and there was a thick train of ants coming in from the outside door into the room I was staying in. Note, it’s as if it’s a more permanent problem with this room, since there’s gaps under the door frames where the ants were heading. I called the front desk to remedy, and they did not offer to put me in another room, instead they just sent housekeeping over to spray briefly. Ants continue to show up in a different area of the room.. under the bed throughout the night… and in another area of the bathroom. Room 4201. At checkout, the hotel comp’d me only 30 euros for the trouble by subtracting my food bill from the night….otherwise, the room rate charged was 460 euros…. I’m looking forward to checking out of here ASAP today and checking back into Vila Vita to truly enjoy an actual 5-star level experience holiday getaway.

Delightful stay. We highly recommend this resort. Our room was spacious, relaxing and comfortable. Another material benefit - the room were very quiet and as a light sleeper I really enjoyed staying there. We especially enjoyed the terrace with the view on the gardens. The restaurant was good, though a bit on the expensive side and it could have done more in terms of choices. The access to the beach was great. Finally, the employees were really friendly and helpful.

Liked · The facility has beautifully kept grounds, the rooms are spacious and bathrooms have a tub and shower, also spacious. The restaurants, bar and breakfast areas are very clean and modern. The breakfast is also very fresh and pleasant. Great views are appreciated from the breakfast area. The pools and surrounding pool areas as kept nicely as well. I appreciate the private beach area. The customer service is top notch! Our toddler suffered a minor injury unrelated to the hotel grounds and the staff was very kind in checking on her frequently, in addition to leaving her a sweet note and goodies for her recovery - I felt this was a very thoughtful gesture from their guest relations team. They have a kid area with a playground, activities for the kids and toys, this is nicely maintained. Disliked · Our room was a bit of a hike from the common grounds of the restaurant and pool area, this is not usually a concern as the grounds are maintained beautifully - therefore a walk is pleasant, however - we had our toddler with us, so it could get a bit tiring. Transportation can be provided via golf cart so this can be requested ahead of time. Another con- the outlets in the rooms, none were conveniently located near the night stands - this was commonly provided at other 5 star hotels we visited during our stay in Portugal. We did not have the pleasure of dinning in at the resort as we preferred to leave each night for dinner in the surrounding towns (we had our own car), but the lunch we purchased during our stay was just okay and a bit overly priced for what was offered.

Perfect location. Unbelievable staff and super super friendly concierge. A beautiful hotel. Everything was perfect. We were given a welcome drink and cake for fiancés birthday and to celebrate our engagement. Thank you to all the team who made it a memorable stay❤️. This place had everything. From padel courts to private beach access. You can not go wrong choosing to stay here.

This hotel is really amazing with it's beautiful view, clean pools, and nice receptionists. The breakfasts buffet was very well stocked and replenished until the very end. The reason I give it 4 stars is the poor towel service. We stayed in their new 3 bedroom suite and the housekeeper wouldn't bring us fresh towels unless I called. I would put the towels in the bathtub, and she would take them out, fold,and hang up like they were fresh! We also had a private Jacuzzi with towels provided in the beginning of the stay. The floor would get wet walking in from the Jacuzzi, so we used our towels to wipe the floor - again she would pick them up, fold, and place back like fresh! Even at the pool, towels were rationed. Other than the towels, everything else was great!

Serene and stunning luxury. Impeccable service. Booked for one night, immediately prolonged our stay! Breakfast buffet to die for, with at least 6 varieties of fresh baked breads, croissants, cheeses, pastries, omelets, and much more. Loved our spa services, especially the jet-therapy pool! Outstanding service from everyone, but special mention to Alenna and Vanda at the Spa, who dug through laundry to find my forgotten necklace, and to Vitale and Maura, who pampered and informed us at our B&G tasting dinner. Exceptional resort.

It's a very modern and clean hotel. We enjoyed the location, the view, the food, and the beach. However, there were a few negatives. There are too many wasps at the breakfast/restaurant area, and my father is allergic to them. We were constantly alert. The room was too far from the rest of the facilities, and it was a hike to return back, and especially difficult after a meal. There were no sockets close to the bedside tables, so we couldn't charge our phones next to the bed. Overall, the staff were incredibly polite and helpful.

The location is gorgeous. The hotel grounds are beautifully colorful and well maintained. Our Emotion Suite was perfect for our stay in this part of the Algarve. The staff from arrival to departure was attentive and helpful. The onsite restaurant was delicious and the included daily breakfast was abundant and special. The spa services were divine. Highly recommend for your next visit.

Absolutely satisfied with the service. All 5 stars. Very friendly staff, great rooms. It is really worth the money we paid. We came for our anniversary, a welcome zone was waiting for us in the room (champagne and dessert) . The beds are comfortable and the room smells of eucalyptus. We also visited the restaurant by the pool. Very friendly staff, delicious steak and king prawns and a great selection of wine for dinner. The apple martini cocktail was simply unsurpassed (I know what I'm talking about because I make cocktails myself). We have already recommended this place to our best friends and we will definitely be back, even booked a return date. special thanks to the cleaners. We left the cleaning badge on the door and went to the pool, we were gone for two hours and the room was perfectly clean. (we had a garden view villa and the sign was really hard to see but the cleaning lady did) Also a big thank you to Carlyа from the restaurant by the pool . She is simply wonderful.

Wonderful stay! Staff was very kind and helpful and the grounds are well cared for. We didn’t leave for the 36 hours we were there and felt plenty busy. Spa was top notch, restaurants all great and all around a wonderful time. The highlight of our Algarve trip!

Excellent in all regards in its price range. Even at maximum occupancy the resort feels half empty. Great staff caters to all needs you might have. A world class SPA offers 300+ treatments. Food is "heavenly" and comes in a choice of restaurants according to your liking and budget but always with pristine ocean views.

What a beautiful place to relax and unwind. The grounds are stunning with lush gardens everywhere you look. The pools and beaches are a sun lovers paradise with ample comfortable loungers. The restaurants are top notch … excellent food, drink, and service. The staff are incredible … always there to help, answer any questions, assist with reservations for restaurants and outside excursions. Overall, we had a beautiful stay at this gorgeous resort. We will be back!!

Well.. I cannot stress enough how great this place is. Its located 30-40 mins left of Faro. For the time i was there, it was so good. The environment, pools, beach and restaurants was great. I looked forward to the breakfast sessions there. Having breakfast or dinner over the pool and beach with a live band never gets old. Service was great and they do accommodate. It a great place to bring a loved one and/or kids. Very quiet overall. A great getaway from thr hustle and bustle for sure!

This resort is the best for relaxation. Amazing View, beach and great service from the staff. It is very clean, rooms are spacious and very equip. Resort also has all the facilities, a few pools with bar, restaurant serve good food, breakfast is very good, kids play area, spa, gym, tennis court and it is a resort in a garden by the beach. We had amazing 5 nights here, you do not need to go anywhere else. Property is clean and well maintained. Will recomend this resort to anyone visiting Algarve.

Beautiful resort with a stunning view and wonderful beach. The rooms were comfortable and big but ours had so many ants running around that they would go into our luggages and on our clothes. The restaurant was good tho and the pools incredibly nice. The people working there were very kind, tho the man at reception at the end of our stay was rather rude and they lost our luggage but tried to blame it on us! Overall it was a good stay just I think we got unlucky.

Came here for my honeymoon and I’m so glad we did. What a beautiful resort. We landed at Faro airport and took a car to the resort. The service level was wonderful - staff were so kind and helpful. The grounds are beautifully kept and everything is very clean. The food was delicious and we woke up every morning excited to enjoy the lovely breakfast. We spent so much time lounging on the beach (the direct beach access is incredible), ordering delicious drinks and even having the beach bar make my husband something special based on flavors he loves! Vilalara has limited restaurants but across the street from the resort is another resort that offers 12 restaurants. So we had an abundance of food options to choose from right next door! Overall a fantastic experience I would recommend!

Great service, great kids club, excellent sheltered beach, rooms clean and well maintained. The kids menu could definitely be a bit more varied.

Great experience and comfortable staying. Very supportive staff. Special thank you to dedicate staff at the kids center. There are 5 pools and 1 with warm water on the Hotel territory. Beautiful gardens and access to the beach.