O Alambique de Ouro Hotel Resort

A very good stay, hotel with incredible conditions both inside and outside. The experience was very good, it was just ruined by the fault of a very arrogant and pretentious receptionist, one of those who think they are always right when in reality they are just frustrated and incompetent people. I don't know the name of the gentleman, but he was the oldest gentleman working at the reception, which is really a shame because all the rest of the staff were very friendly. It's incredible how a single person can shake up the entire experience. I don't know if you were on a bad day, but the way he spoke to people (not just to me) shows that his antipathy must be normal...

We stayed two days at Hotel Alambique and the experience had positive points, but overall it falls short of what is expected from a 4-star hotel. It lacks some comfort and refinement. Positive points: Reception: Very good welcome. The reception area is beautiful, well decorated, and very fragrant. * Alambique Restaurant: Excellent gastronomic experience, with very well prepared food. * SPA (Space): Spacious and clean. Points to Improve: * Rooms and Access: The elevator to the rooms is terrible, almost like a cargo lift. The room has a very old decoration, nothing modern, a bicycle in the room, decorative pictures behind the TV... and the cleaning was only fair. SPA Circuit: Being the main reason for our visit, it ended up being disappointing. The circuit is too incomplete and unappealing, lacking animation (jets) in several zones. * Exteriors: The areas surrounding the pool are acceptable, but there is some lack of care in the gardening (very dry palm trees, for example). Check-out: The deadline was at 12 o'clock, but at 11:50 we could no longer enter the room because the cards were blocked early. In short, it is a nice hotel, but it needs renovations and more care in the SPA and details to truly deserve the 4 stars.

Unfortunately, a stay far below expectations. The noisy and absolutely poorly lit room (perhaps the presence of numerous guests attending a wedding, with schedules and attitudes out of sync with the average guest, exacerbated the discomfort felt). The flood for breakfast (this with various possibilities but the quality of some was quite questionable) and the prevailing confusion. The SPA was absolutely within expectations and was the only positive exception that "held up" the rating at "medium." Next, a special word for the restaurant. Had already been a customer several times. Including even having deviated from the path taken, just to have the pleasure of having lunch or dinner there... This time... I confess it's even difficult for me to classify the experience, let's see. Saturday at dinner, crowded restaurant, lots of staff but, a huge wait time to... just receive the menu (only the Owner/Boss of the establishment can do it)... Some employees were a little embarrassed by the situation, but those were the rules. This resulted in... another immense wait to fulfill the order after the choices. Naturally. However, due to good previous experiences, despite something being worn out, I was convinced that the food would make these moments forgotten. Pure mistake... First choice, some "Alambique Squid," fried and pan-fried! Choose the following, a grilled meat without any flavor or memory... But the "cherry on top of the cake" was for one of these dishes to be served with an unprecedented side dish... A completely bland mushroom rice (a shame, as they seemed promising...), some fries (oily) and... some potatoes (smashed or roasted, I confess I made them because I forgot). Potatoes with potatoes, an innovation... It would be scandalous to say that, whether the kitchen or the grill area, reflected the pandemonium that was unfolding... In summary and as a conclusion about the stay, a place that could be very pleasant, despite being a little pretentious (tastes are not discussed) but... that seems somewhat disorganized, or lacks clear operating rules for each space Many employees and, generally kind and polite, but whose training for the tasks they perform will not be the best. I recognized restaurant employees doing completely different tasks during the day. Nothing to obstruct, "multi-tasking" necessarily has to be present but... that the tasks are well done, or rather, that they are provided with the adequate training for them... The restaurant (once again), its space and conditions, are absolutely the same as in the past, indicating a decline that makes us wonder (if the visible and public space is like this, how must the reserved spaces, like the kitchen or food storage and preservation, be?). A space that is completely out of sync with the rest of the hotel. Whether you like the chosen decoration or the (apparent) poor management of the common areas, but they are perfectly usable. The restaurant no! A final word to the Lord, Boss/Owner (whatever it may be), of the business. This is intended to be constructive criticism. A real criticism of a real customer that cost me a lot, especially noting the state of the restaurant which was once a reference for me (Family) and for Friends. A critique that also aims to be fair, without any other intentions than to make them stop for a while and look at what they are doing... Transparent, with nothing to hide. Paulo Fernandes