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4 Stars - 1 Review and 289 Opinions
Rua Do Mediterraneo, Albufeira, 8200-156, Portugal
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My girlfriend and I stayed at the Solaqua Apartments for 3 nights during an Easter weekend visit to Albufeira in April 2009.
Despite it being Easter weekend, it was still outside the high season, so we paid just 35 Euros per night for a fully furnished apartment, complete with en-suite facilities and an extensive kitchenette. No breakfast was included in the price.
We made our booking through www.booking.com which gave us the option of cancelling up to 24 hours before arrival at no cost if we so wished. No deposit was payable upon making the booking and we settled the whole bill at the time of checking in.
Location
The Solaqua Apartments enjoy a central location in an area that is now classed as the “centre” of modern Albufeira.
In one direction, a 15 minute downhill walk brings you to Fisherman’s Beach and Albufeira’s old town. In the other direction, a similar length walk brings you to the vibrant nightlife of Albufeira’s “strip”
If you are self-catering, the location is excellent, being practically next door to a huge Modelo supermarket and a variety of other smaller shops. You will find a variety of restaurants, souvenir shops, travel agencies and banks within a 5 minute walk.
Bedroom
The apartment was large and airy, and far exceeded what I expected given the low price that we paid.
I understand that the apartments were only a year or so old at the time of our visit, and they certainly had a clean and new look about them.
Furnishings included a large, comfortable bed, a flat screen TV, a double wardrobe, a writing desk, a dining table and chairs, bedside cabinets, plenty of lamps and a telephone. There was also a plastic table and chairs for use on our small patio, but we didn’t use it as it was at ground level and faced the car park rather than the swimming pool and sea.
The kitchenette included everything that we needed for making breakfast (we ate out at lunch and in the evenings) – including a microwave, oven rings, a toaster, a fridge and all the necessary cutlery and crockery. If memory serves correctly, rather than a modern electric kettle, we had to make our drinks using a rather old fashioned steel teapot!
The en-suite bathroom was a reasonable size, with bathtub and shower, toilet, washbasin and mirror. We received an abundance of fresh towels (at least three different sizes per person) and a fairly extensive range of complimentary toiletries over and above the usual soap and shower gel.
The apartment was clean and was serviced daily throughout our stay.
General
The facilities at the Solaqua Apartments include a small indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi, and a larger outdoor swimming pool. We ventured down to the indoor pool on our first evening; the jacuzzi was full and the swimming pool was only big enough to accommodate half a dozen people at a time, with no room for swimming. We left after a short while and went for a swim outside instead. It was after 6pm by this time and, being low season, the pool area was deserted and the pool completely empty. The pool bar looked as though it was shut down until the summer months and the few people we’d seen sunbathing earlier in the day has obviously moved on by now as the temperature was dropping. Despite having had the sun on it for the best part of the day, the water in the pool was extremely cold; we swam bravely for a while then shivered under our towels as we dried off.
There is a shop next to reception selling beachwear, children’s toys, batteries, newspapers, basic foodstuffs, souvenirs and other essential items.
Good value, well-furnished apartments, with ample cooking facilities. A favourable location midway between the old town and the “strip”, and not too far from the beach. Recommended!
Solaqua Apartments Photo: Sol Aqua Apartments, Albufeira
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Excellent stay,
When the indoor pool and jaccuzzi gt into gear solaqua apartments will be a very cool place to stay.
Right beside the old town and a big supermarket.
Everything we needed we got, without complaint. We had the best holiday yet, and are sure to return.
A friend and I stayed for a week at the Solaqua Apartments at the end of August and really enjoyed it. The apartments were lovely, clean and in good condition. We were able to check in straight away even though we arrived much earlier than check in time and were allocated a top floor apartment with views over the front of the hotel. The staff generally were good except for the night reception/security staff who were rude and aggressive on several occassions when we came in fairly late. The pool was lovely and didn't have a problem gettin beds. The lifts were a bit random and when it was hot they didn't like working but this wasn't a huge issue. Perfect location - 15 minutes walk from both the old town and the strip respectively. Would recommend these apartments 100% but more so for couples and families as younger people may find the night staff a pain! Overall though enjoyed our stay!
Returned home this afternoon, following 7 fanatansic days out at the Solaqua apartments. The location is ideal for those looking to laze around the poolside catching those rays (aka sabrina) or those who prefer a small walk to either the old town, the strip or to the various long sandy beaches available. The complex was modern, the staff in reception were very friendly and obliging. Also the apartments were cleaned daily with clean towels provided each day.. The pool area was very clean, tidy and cold.
Theres loads of great restaurants in the old town too many to list, very good value for money whilst you can also find a decent bar to sit and relax in.
I would wholly recommend this accommodation and location to anyone thinking of going here.
We have just returned from a week at Solaqua apartments in albufeira and enjoyed every second of it. We arrived 2 hours before check in but our apartment was ready for us so there was no waiting around. The 1 bedroom apartment itself was gorgeous with a big kitchen/sitting room leading out onto the balcony, a clean spacious bathroom and a lovely bight bedroom which also had access to the balcony. The decor is very modern with a flat screen tv in the sitting room and a fully stocked kitchen including an electric juicer and coffee maker. The rooms were cleaned every day without fail and all the staff, from housekeeping to reception, were pleasant and helpful at all times. While we were there, we had no problems with the lifts and the pool area and the pool itself was spotless with lots of sun loungers available.
The Modelo supermarket is 2 minutes walk from the apartments and at the top of the road is a taxi rank. Taxis to old and new town were 3-4 euros although we walked most nights which took no more than 20 minutes. We had a great time at solaqua and will definitely return
my partner and I have just returned from a weeks holiday at Solaqua and have nothing but praise for the apartments. Before we booked we found very few reviews because it had only been open a short while, but everything we read was ok. The apartments were excellent, they are extremely clean (the maids came with fresh towels every day and also made the beds). The apartments are fairly standard but very modern and clean. The only little niggly thing we found would have been useful was a grill or oven, as we had a studio that only have a hob and microwave. The pool was kept very clean, we didn't find anybody putting their towels out to reserve sunbeds although the hotel has a policy against this anyway and collects any towels left overnight. The snack bar was more than adequate, although it was typical bar type food, nothing special. Right next door to the hotel is the large supermarket and a few minutes down the road was a tourist train stop which is dieal for accessing the old town and the strip. The location was excellent, the beach is ten minutes walk and on the way there is an amazing cake shop (be warned - you will put on a few pounds as the cakes are gorgeous and very cheap!). The check in was very quick, even though we arrived in a large party from the airport. We couldn't get into our rooms straight away as they were being cleaned, but we only had to wait an hour. Our studio was near the reception area but there was no noise from people coming and going. Our balcony overlooked the pool and caught most of the sun. Reception staff are very helpful and speak good English, which made things easier. The hotel runs entertainment in the evenings, although we didn't go to any of those. Overall, I would definitely recommend solaqua to anyone wanting a nice clean hotel, not noisy and near everything that Albufeira has to offer. We couldn't have chosen better!!
We have been back for a few days, and wanted to share our thoughts on the Sol Aqua.
All in all we loved it, the apartments were spacious, clean and tidy and well stocked with utensils, glasses, crockery, even a coffee maker and juicer. Our apartment was cleaned every day and we found the staff polite and helpful. Didn't get to deal much with the reps but they seemed ok.
The pool area was clean and tidy and we could always find loungers no matter what time of day. The pool was a little cold, but once you are in you get used to it in a few minutes. The snack bar wasn't badly priced, although i'd say the full english breakfast (4.50 euro) was much better value than the 3.50 euro priced hot dog. Other than that we felt it was good value for money.
The location is perfect, more or less between the old town and the strip and although cabs are cheap we walked most of the time (15mins). The old town has plenty of good places to eat and drink, and we found all of them to be good and the street entertainment to be ermmm entertaining.
As far as beaches go they are all nice, fishermans beach being the closest.( and has water sports) The sea is cold, but it is the atlantic after all.
First Choice offered a number of trips, including Jeep Safari, Zoomarina, Splash and Slide, Coastline Cruise, Hollywood night and a family cruise. We opted for the Coastline Cruise, and for two adults to go on this with transport was 45 euros each. This also included a bbq lunch on a secluded beach (pork, sardines, salad and bread, nothing for vegetarians). This made for a very enjoyable and worthwhile trip, although if you are scared of water or would have problems getting on and off the boat via a dinghy, maybe not for you!! Other trips such as jeep safari were priced 48 euros per person and 35 euros +, so make sure you bring extra if you want to go on these trips.
There was also a Modello around a 2 minute walk from the Solaqua. In it was a supermarket, fast food outlet, perfume shop, tourist shop and a few clothes shop. My advice would be to do a proper shop at the start of the holiday, stocking up on water, Juices, Cereals and snacks, to save running out during the holiday. Also invest in a Mosquito wall plug, I survived 6 days without getting bitten, however on the last night was not so lucky.
I will definetly be booking the Solaqua next year. and for 2 weeks!! By then the poolside bar will be complete, as will the indoor pool and Jacuzzi.
My partner and I recently returned from a 7 night stay at Solaqua. We flew with First Choice from Glasgow which all went well but quite a long transfer which seemed to drag on and was around half ten at night by time we arrived.
Our one bedroom apartment was a very good size. The kitchen and living room were very roomy. We did bring our own corkscrew as knew one would not be provided. Not many utensils or cups or glasses so we bought a few large mugs and glasses for a couple of euros as well as washing up liquid etc. However overall the kitchen was great size if just missing some items!
The TV was flat screen but tiny but got all BBC and ITV channels. The sofa was also a sofa bed so a little uncomfortable but large for the two of us. The rug in the living room may not be cleaned often and I stood on some broken glass that was hidden in the thick pile of the rug!! A useful tip though is that the TV can be plugged into the bedroom - and a very small child could lift it!!
The bedroom was excellent size with lots of wardrobe space and yes the beds are very hard indeed!!
Our large balcony overlooked the road which was quiet but got no sunshine so perhaps a pool view room is worth requesting.
The bathroom was a good size but the SMELL most of the day at many parts of the day was HORRENDOUS. It was the raw sewage smell that drifted in and out all day long in the bathroom. The staff were well aware of this problem and it was down to there being no extractor fans for each bathroom and no windows so the smell just drifted upwards - ewwwhhhh!!!
Aside from this we did get fresh towels each day though our apartment never seemed to be thoroughly cleaned.
The pool always had loungers but again a nice waft of sewage smell often passed over!! The pool itself was numbingly freezing but entertaining to try and brave the cold.
The snack bar was overpriced but we rarely bought anything out of it.
The Modelo shopping centre was a stones throw away which was very useful for all our shopping needs.
The old town just a 15 min walk to the left and we enjoyed many good meals and drinks at various places. The beach was also very nice with lots of watersports.
We did venture to the strip the once which again is only 15 mins to the right but not really our thing though we did have a nice lunch. There were too many loud mouth, overly tattooed and obnoxious English for us which ruined the atmosphere entirely. But I am sure those looking for a good night out etc would enjoy this area. We are just not into "mini England" and prefer to be more relaxed.
First choice were a problem on our return flight as it was delayed for more than 3 hours. However we were not made aware of this until we arrived at the airport and no compensation was provided (which is illegal under EU law) so a letter of complaint is heading to them!!
Overall the Solaqua is a very well located hotel/apartments and we had a great time. Just a few teething problems - many of our light bulbs and wall sockets did not work and perhaps they were rushing to get it open by May. The smell in the bathroom was just unbearable but did not ruin our holiday - sadly our delayed departure nearly did though!!
Recommended to all.
Arrived on 16th August to a warm welcome, which was nice after travelling late with 3 kids.
The accomodation as you would expect, being as it has only recently opened was excellent. The rooms are a good size, fresh towels each day and cleaned regulary. TV showing the usual digital channels, helped enormously when getting the kids settled after being in the pool all day.
The pool its self is great for families and the area has a very relaxed feel to it. No rushing down early to get a bed. Bed booking with your towel is not allowed..great decision.
The pool bar on therrace has some great staff, but agree with some of the comments, a few of them really looked as if they would rather be somewhere else. The food and drink however was too expensive and which is why it was never really busy. If they dropped their costs I feel it would be busy all day and night. They have a "HAPPY HOUR" only on a Saturday?????? Why not everyday.......This would also assist them in getting more in the terrace bar. Not a complaint, just an observation.
The Appartment block is ideally situated and local amenities are a stone throw away. The Strip and Old town are 15 mins walk either way........even with 3 kids.
All in all we all had a wonderful time as the location was great and the other holiday makers were great company.
The kids area was not quite finished and the indoor pool was not open, but so what. I didnt go to sit round an indoor pool and my kids can play of a park anytime. They were in the outdoor pool all day everyday.
In a nutshell, if you are destined for the SolAqua you cannot fail to have a great holiday.
Warren, Adrienne & kids
We arrived on August 7th to a well appointed 3rd floor apartment, with pool and ocean view, happy days.Selection of UK channels on tv was an added bonus.Daily cleaning and towel change was a further plus(cleaning staff were a pleasure).Lifts were neurotic, but we had known this in advance.Staff on reception were excellent,especially the "Ronaldo double" who is a natural concierege.The pool is a decent size, but cleaning is a real issue.The assistant manager was slippery and evasive when I questioned him re cleaning schedules etc.Snack bar was ok, but staff here could take smiling lessons from their colleagues on reception and cleaning.Entertainment girl Ruth was fantastic with our kids( especially Fionn) and they grew very fond of her.Their twice daily sessions with her were quality time for Mum and Dad.We had a very enjoyable two weeks,the relatively small complex, lends itself to an intimate atmosphere among staff and guests alike.
Me and my boyfriend are going to Albufeira in April 2011 and are staying at Solaqua Apartments, for one week. I am just wondering if anyone has stayed here before or knows anyone who has and what i should expect? Also if you have any recommendations as of what to do or where to go on our time in Albufeira?
Thanks! :)
There have been dozens of posts about Solaqua on another forum; cut and paste this link:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/SearchForums?scope=2&ff=331&geo=189112&q=solaqua&sub-search.x=0&sub-search.y=0&sub-search=Click+to+search+forums&returnTo=__2F__
Where to go? Two questions - are you coming before Easter and what do you like or dislike?
It ought to to be warm enough for the beach, Zoomarine park will be open but probably not for the outdoor rides. If you're coming early in April there isn't much happening; things start to get going at Easter for the season.
Thanks very much for your reply :)
We are going between the 7th-14th April and we are pretty keen to try anything. We like to relax on some days but party on others. We are also thinking about booking to swim with dolphins at the zoomarine - would this be worth it? :)
My girlfriend and I stayed at the Solaqua Apartments for 3 nights during an Easter weekend visit to Albufeira in April 2009.
Despite it being Easter weekend, it was still outside the high season, so we paid just 35 Euros per night for a fully furnished apartment, complete with en-suite facilities and an extensive kitchenette. No breakfast was included in the price.
We made our booking through www.booking.com which gave us the option of cancelling up to 24 hours before arrival at no cost if we so wished. No deposit was payable upon making the booking and we settled the whole bill at the time of checking in.
Location
The Solaqua Apartments enjoy a central location in an area that is now classed as the “centre” of modern Albufeira.
In one direction, a 15 minute downhill walk brings you to Fisherman’s Beach and Albufeira’s old town. In the other direction, a similar length walk brings you to the vibrant nightlife of Albufeira’s “strip”
If you are self-catering, the location is excellent, being practically next door to a huge Modelo supermarket and a variety of other smaller shops. You will find a variety of restaurants, souvenir shops, travel agencies and banks within a 5 minute walk.
Bedroom
The apartment was large and airy, and far exceeded what I expected given the low price that we paid.
I understand that the apartments were only a year or so old at the time of our visit, and they certainly had a clean and new look about them.
Furnishings included a large, comfortable bed, a flat screen TV, a double wardrobe, a writing desk, a dining table and chairs, bedside cabinets, plenty of lamps and a telephone. There was also a plastic table and chairs for use on our small patio, but we didn’t use it as it was at ground level and faced the car park rather than the swimming pool and sea.
The kitchenette included everything that we needed for making breakfast (we ate out at lunch and in the evenings) – including a microwave, oven rings, a toaster, a fridge and all the necessary cutlery and crockery. If memory serves correctly, rather than a modern electric kettle, we had to make our drinks using a rather old fashioned steel teapot!
The en-suite bathroom was a reasonable size, with bathtub and shower, toilet, washbasin and mirror. We received an abundance of fresh towels (at least three different sizes per person) and a fairly extensive range of complimentary toiletries over and above the usual soap and shower gel.
The apartment was clean and was serviced daily throughout our stay.
General
The facilities at the Solaqua Apartments include a small indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi, and a larger outdoor swimming pool. We ventured down to the indoor pool on our first evening; the jacuzzi was full and the swimming pool was only big enough to accommodate half a dozen people at a time, with no room for swimming. We left after a short while and went for a swim outside instead. It was after 6pm by this time and, being low season, the pool area was deserted and the pool completely empty. The pool bar looked as though it was shut down until the summer months and the few people we’d seen sunbathing earlier in the day has obviously moved on by now as the temperature was dropping. Despite having had the sun on it for the best part of the day, the water in the pool was extremely cold; we swam bravely for a while then shivered under our towels as we dried off.
There is a shop next to reception selling beachwear, children’s toys, batteries, newspapers, basic foodstuffs, souvenirs and other essential items.
Good value, well-furnished apartments, with ample cooking facilities. A favourable location midway between the old town and the “strip”, and not too far from the beach. Recommended!
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