Arribas

This hotel has an unobstructed, commanding view of the ocean crashing into sea walls along its front perimeter – dramatic and gorgeous. The public beach just to the side of the hotel is very deep and long. The 100-meter saltwater pool, fed from the ocean, is one of the largest in Europe. My wife and I were grateful to be able to enjoy the Master Suite, with huge picture windows facing the pool and beach on one side and looking out over the ocean in the front. This room is stylishly designed and has a fantastic bathroom. The breakfast buffet is outstanding - substantial and well-maintained. The staff at the hotel was uniformly excellent. Special shout out and thanks to Marianna, who assisted us at check-in. So, why not a 5-star rating? While our dinner at the hotel was tasty, the servers seemed inexperienced. The main negative, though, concerned the experience at the pool. The plastic loungers and cushions are in sore need of replacement. In addition, the hotel offers day and seasonal passes for use of the pool and, consequently, it is a sort of community center, detracting from the vibe that one would normally find at an elite beach resort. Finally, the hotel may be a bit short staffed regarding room cleaners. Our room was not attended to until about 4PM each day, certainly much later than what one might expect.

- Poor value for money - In need of renovation at every turn - Better to go eat outside the hotel - Hotels in this price range should not have such a hodgepodge of inventory - Comfort not really present - The sanitary facilities at the pool are a disaster -

We went to experience the huge pool. We drove me Setubal to spend the day at this pool. There is lots of street parking for a small fee. To buy the pool tickets, you dont use the main hotel reception check in area you want down the side ramp and into a side door to the hotels bar/buffet/restaurant area and they sell the day tickets there. Day tickets cost €25 and opens from 10am. There are a few lifeguards at the pool that can assist with anything you need. They take you to a sunlounger of your choice and provide sunlonger cushion toppers. The sun loungers nearest the sea wall experience the splash of the tide in the afternoon, something to bear in mind when choosing sun lounger location. I was worried the water would be cold as it was a cloudyish day but surprisingly the water was much warmer than I imagined it would be. Great day for people who love swimming, pool, sea views, watching the surfers etc.