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4.5
#3 of 8 hotels in Porches
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
O Vilalara Grand Hotel Algarve, de cinco estrelas, é um espaço exclusivo totalmente dedicado ao seu bem-estar numa paisagem única com acesso direto a uma praia de areia dourada. Em Vilalara, tudo é pensado para o seu conforto total, em harmonia com os relevos circundantes e as falésias para o mar. Entre 11 hectares de fabulosos jardins à beira-mar cuidados na perfeição e piscinas deslumbrantes, pode desfrutar de um wellness center que abriga um dos cinco melhores Centros de Talassoterapia do mundo e um Longevity Medical Spa. A oferta gastronómica abrangente. Não perca a oportunidade de viver uma experiência de degustação fine dinning no Restaurante Coral, de degustar pratos italianos no Trattoria Pantaleone e grelhados no A Costa, com vistas panorâmicas para o oceano.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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The Vilalara Grand Hotel Algarve garners praise for its extensive amenities, including varied pools, lush gardens, and private beach access, which many guests find enhance the value of their stay. While the spacious rooms with stunning views are frequently lauded, some have mentioned a need for more natural light.
The staff’s dedication to service is often highlighted, although there have been suggestions for improvement. Guests consistently commend the hotel for its cleanliness and the peaceful atmosphere that pervades the property.
Atmosphere
Tranquil
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Comprehensive
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This is a lovely place. Our room (a "Junior Suite Emotion") was beautifully appointed with views over the resort and ocean. Perfect for a couple with a baby. The whole site is comprised of peaceful gardens which are varied and very well looked after, and the direct access to the beach was great. The staff were universally friendly. As others have said, breakfast was a real highlight each day, and it was always a treat to eat in front of the sea or at the poolside. We didn't have the best experience at the spa due to a mix up but this was courteously and efficiently sorted out which stopped it detracting from the stay as a whole. We'd love to come back again, and will try out the gastronomic restaurant next time.
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Book ahead for the restaurants.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Vilalara Thalassa Resort is to me one of the best options to stay at when visiting the Algarve region of Portugal. The privacy you enjoy is phenomenal and the fact that the resort does a bit separate couples & families is smart (even though we as a couple personally feel happy when children are around). Rooms are fully new refurbished and meet high standards (shower cosmetics are particularly neat :)) The resort has direct access to a magnificent beach that is very calm, peaceful and separated from the main beaches (that are reachable very easily from the resort, as well). Worth mentioning, the beach is not private as it can be accessed through a path by public. The service is great and staff gives their best to make your wishes come true. All in all, the price seems yet a bit too high but given the short notice period we booked and the high season it was definitely worth it. Recommendable!
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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TLDR; Pros+ + nature on the resort + private beach + pools + breakfast choice + Egg station + covid hygiene / handling
Cons – - Breakfast service speed - Small details
Rooms:
We had the larger 2 person room, the bed is pretty small (queen size) we have a larger bed at home, so this felt tiny. The room gets very dark which is great, 2 TVs and the bathroom is around the corner of the bed, meaning a lot of privacy. Complementary products smelled nice; good pressure on the shower.
Although the entire Room/bathroom feels a bit
Wellness/pool/gym
Sauna and Steam was closed because of covid, the gym can be reserved in advance and is very basic but ok. A few machines And free weights. Enough to have a workout.
The pools are lovely, the temperature is great to cool down, plenty of chairs, at least 3 pools to choose from.
We both had a massage, I didn’t like mine. Not sure why, I just didn’t enjoy it, and I didn’t have the “ OMG I had a massage I feel great “ moment after.
Breakfast/dinner/bar area
Breakfast was ok, lots of choice but because of covid you have to queue if you come after 8:30. The egg station makes pretty good eggs.
The lady is great, she makes the eggs and asks if people need a fresh waffle ( to avoid people queuing for no reason) the guy who was there the other 4 days doesn’t, so you have to queue 5-10 minutes just so he can start you waffle.... so silly.
Overall breakfast was excellent though, I have since stayed in 2 more 5 star resorts, and this place handles covid a lot better,
Dinner:
Dinner we tried on the first night, it was ok but for less money you can eat better in the local town. Service was slow, we asked for more bread and it took ages, the butter was cold. They forgot my beer which I asked twice, and they gave it after I finished my food.....
5 star nitpicking:
Overall the place was nice, we just had the unfortunate luxury problem that we went to the resort next door last year, and that resort is just a bit better in virtually every single way. ( but more expensive and fully booked this time )
The breakfast was great overall, sometimes you have to queue, but all places have this now, if they can tell the egg station guy to multitask, it will be great :)
I think the resort could do with a paint job, the color they chose was strange and made it look old.
Final words and would I come back ?
I would come back to this Place, overall it’s a nice place, lots of nature, nice rooms and balcony, great breakfast foods, nice pools, amazing amazing private beach.
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Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel is not value for money in the slightest. The prices are extortionate for what you get.. we paid around £350 per night for our trip to this ‘5 star’ hotel and we had such high hopes. Unfortunately the hotel did not live up to our expectations at all. We checked into a room that was underground and had an awful smell, after spending our first night there we mentioned to reception about the smell and it took 3 visits to reception for us to be moved. The hotel just doesn’t tick any 5* star boxes, staff at the restaurant/ bar were absent, the grounds were kept okay but not amazing, no pool or beach service and the restaurant lacked atmosphere in the evenings.
This hotel does have potential the location is on the beach and the views are lovely and the pool near this is nice but has limited sunbeds. Food was fairly good and breakfast has nice views over the sea - but that does include lots of seagulls!
If you can pay half the price than we did I’d say its worth the value! Otherwise I’d go across the road to villa vita Parc hotel.. an actual 5* hotel and not much more expensive. We visited this hotel for dinner twice and wow the views, the grounds, the staff everything was exceptional!
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is such a beautiful resort. The gardens are amazing. The view of the Atlantic Ocean is very special. The food and service is truly outstanding. The ambience of the hotel is second to none.
I do have some criticisms however. These are only to do with the management of the resort.
Firstly, if events are happening in the hotel. The management have a duty to let the guests know! A simple newsletter would suffice, put under residents doors, like most other quality hotels. Secondly, the management need to increase the pay of staff members. At the moment, they are extremely hard working but most are miserable. My only explanation is that they must be underpaid. Please management learn how to motivate your staff so service is with a smile! Thirdly, please help the kind and efficient lady serving omelettes at breakfast ...she is not superman! She deserves some help. It is unfair to depend so heavily on her at breakfast.
We also visited Vila Vita and were so happy we chose Vila Lara. Sure, the staff are excellent at Vita and know how to do service with a smile very well, but we much preferred the relaxed unpretentious atmosphere at VL. Vita was a bit too stuffy for our tastes and we were so glad there was no Goan trance DJ at our resort! Having said that VL could make much more of an effort with resort entertainment and bespoke experiences. The resort is so beautiful but yet the grounds are so unutilised. Guests in my opinion would be interested in moonlit dinners by the beach or champagne lunches in the chill out garden at a premium.
Lastly we would like to remark on how much we loved our garden view rooms. The standard of the room including decor is 10 out of 10. The cleaning staff are first class.
So overall we loved our stay at this hotel and it is a fabulous hotel. But it could be even better if some of the issues above are considered by management.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent three nights in this resort with amazing views, great landscape and perfect location.
But, we totally missed the guest experience you promised us before or our arrival:
• We sent our preferences answering an email, and fulfilled them again at our arrival. No one offered us or recommended any activity based on them.
• The booking confirmation says that we will receive a fresh fruit bowl upon arrival. None.
• The booking confirmation says we have complimentary access to the Turkish bath and sauna. Both are closed.
• After receiving the keys, a quick buggy-tour around the resort was promised, but we were just dropped off at the room, so we were not able to take advantages of the activities offered by the resort.
• In the beach there is a traffic light with occupation. When we arrived it was red, meaning full beach occupation, so we waited sat down and people keep entering while we were waiting outside. It would be better if the person who gives the towels is located at the same spot that the traffic light, so can explain that the private area for the hotel is under control and the safety is ensured wether the traffic light is green or red. That would prevent us the bad feeling that appears when the traffic light is red and hotel guests keep entering without any problem.
• Finally, the fire alarm triggered this last night at 3am because someone was smoking inside the room. I was out of the building following the evacuation procedures, and the security personnel arrived 5 minutes after the alarm switched off, late according to my understanding for a potential emergency situation.
In summary, we were promised by email a tailored experience, and unfortunately, it was just a promise due to lack of guest experience.
The hotel should not send automated or predefined emails that are not willing to answer or take action, should not offer complimentary services that are not available and should invest some time to explain the guests how the bikes around the resort, a tennis court or even the snooker can be used.
In our understanding, the expectations before our arrival were set very high and we were very excited to come to this resort, but our expectations were not met at all, which is a very weak point for a five stars luxury resort.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I was a bit unsure as to what to expect after reading some reviews but we had a fab time. We were upgraded from a 1 bedroom suite to a 2 bed apartment so it was a great deal for us. The room was stunning - completely refurbed. A kitchen, dining room, lounge - 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, large outdoor space. They left us beach bags on the bed and wine / nibbles pre dinner which was lovely.
We had arrived a few hours early but were greeted with smiles and told our room would be ready soon. They took our luggage, showed us round the resort and we had lunch whilst we waited. Everything was covid safe and seemed quite empty. They’d emailed me before to book a breakfast slot and sunbeds and everything was well organised.
We only ate in the all day dining Terrace Grill because of the young children. The food was excellent but you did have to ask to order and push the staff a little bit. Breakfast was lovely, a buffet but served by someone behind a screen. He seemed a bit busy! But it was well organised.
I agree there aren’t enough sunbeds or staff around the pool. We tried to get children’s icecreams and were told they didn’t have any, and it was hard to get a water etc. It seemed they were understaffed but generally once you ordered anything it was quite quick.
There are 5 pools, they’re sea water cold but a small kids one that is heated. There’s a kids club, gym and tennis courts too. We didn’t get a chance to use them.
The new modern rooms are great, pool area could be improved slightly but we had a great time overall! Thank you to the lovely ladies on reception, they did a fab job!
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elegant room featuring one or two spacious and comfortable beds, decorated in modern and comfortable style. The bathroom includes a separate shower and a bath with an independent toilet area. The living room is an extension of the bedroom with wonderful sea view.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The lack of transparency when booking via the booking platform was very unsatisfactory, the subsequent discussions with the reservation staff member were totally unsatisfactory. Despite repeated requests in writing, the booking center did not make the offer transparent. They obviously wanted to hide that the flat rate for full board at € 104 / day / pers. is much too high compared to the competition (e.g. Vita Parc Hotel € 84). There is no competent contact person who can make decisions. The processes and the transparency absolutely need improvement. On the other hand, the management dealt with the problem of 'Corona' as I find it appropriate.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I visited for a quick 5 day summer getaway in July 2022. It was my first international trip since we welcomed Covid into our lives. This time of year was apparently their “busy” season. I rarely saw other guests except during breakfast (which was exquisite). The staff were very attentive and helpful. I especially found the concierge staff (Ricardo Portuguese) to be extremely helpful with planning prior to my arrival. As a solo traveler, I often use concierge services in advance to set up as much as possible. They were able to arrange airport transfers and upon my request, charge the transfers to my final resort bill (I prefer to avoid needing a lot of cash).
The resort itself was the perfect combination of tranquility and luxury. The property grounds were beautifully maintained and included a fresh herb garden. Their private beach allowed gorgeous ocean views, while basking in the sunlight.
The daily breakfast buffet had a wide variety of vegetarian options and the delicious pastries changed daily. Options for soy or oat milk for my morning lattes were appreciated. The fresh seafood options at dinner were plentiful.
Their spa was an absolute retreat of serenity and relaxation. The staff (Melanie) were also helpful with arranging everything. The best and most unique feature I enjoyed about the spa? The ceiling of the wet sauna was painted black and had little lights. It truly felt as though you were staring into the night sky. GENIUS! A much needed complement to an already incredible vacation.
The Vilalara Thalassa Resort is a must when visiting the Algarve region of Portugal.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi! No need to panic: This is a family friendly resort and yes, children's menus are available. There are at least three pools and the beach is lovely, and the tennis and padel courts might interest the kids with lessons, etc. There isn't much to see "off campus," which was fine with us as we just wanted to unwind and sit by a pool and beach. We took a half day private tour around the area, and honestly, it was just "meh." You are only 2 hours from Seville, Spain, so that might interest you for a day trip? Good luck- this is a lovely, accommodating and kid and family friendly place!
Fleet, United Kingdom31 contributions4 helpful votes
There are a lot of steps and/or quite steep roads at various points around the resort. There is step free access by lift through to the restaurants and pool and Some of the villas a ground floor. I would definitely speak to the resort directly and they will be able to assist further.
There are more places to choose from in the Porches area.
PRICE RANGE
€185 - €612 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
blue & green vilalara thalassa hotel porches, blue and green vilalara thalassa resort, vilalara thalassa hotel, sofitel armacao de pera, vilalara thalassa porches, sofitel thalassa vilalara
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Vilalara Thalassa Resort
LOCATION
PortugalAlgarveFaro DistrictPorches
NUMBER OF ROOMS
111
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VILALARA GRAND HOTEL ALGARVE | UPDATED 2024 Reviews & Price Comparison (Portugal - Porches) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Vilalara Grand Hotel Algarve
Which popular attractions are close to Vilalara Grand Hotel Algarve?
Nearby attractions include Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha (0.5 km), Capela da Nossa Senhora da Rocha (0.7 km), and Praia da Senhora da Rocha (0.7 km).
