Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites, Algarve

We were really impressed with Pine Cliffs and stayed in one of the ocean suites. The apartment was perfect for us and our toddler and they kindly left a cot ready for us. The hotel offers a free shuttle service around the hotel as it is a large site and the drivers were extremely friendly and helpful. We also booked our 2 year old into an afternoon of childcare which he enjoyed and the staff were very friendly. We booked a half board stay and that worked well for us as if not the food is expensive. There is also a great supermarket down the road if needed. My only comment would be even for the half board they list the cost per person in the bill for dinner (€55-65 per head) then suggest a tip on the whole bill even though you have already paid for the food. To be fair they were completely fine with amending the tip but if you don’t check you could have ended up paying more in a tip than the cost of your drinks. Overall would definitely recommend, extremely family friendly and we will look to return next year- thanks for a great stay!

Currently staying in a fabulous Ocean Suite, which is stunning and I would say it is very luxurious. Immaculately clean and serviced every day whilst we are out. It is so peaceful here, but there is lots to do if you want to. The grounds are spectacular and superbly maintained and the pools and surrounding areas are clean and safe. Breakfast is absolute heaven, I can’t believe anyone could find any fault with this!!!! It’s a fabulous place with loads of options on areas to lounge and pools, we have had no problem finding loungers each day. We will be back, it is a gorgeous and special place.

We have visited Pine Cliffs resort 20+ times now, and have stayed in the residences, hotel and townhouses. Our most recent visit was by far the worst experience. Having stayed in a townhouse last year and very pleased with the location and standard of the accommodation, we decided to book a townhouse again for a relatively short stay. The unit we were allocated was truly dreadful - I appreciate that the townhouses are individually furnished, but there should be more consistency and monitoring of the properties. The one we were given was not 5 star luxury by any stretch, mould in the bathrooms, kitchen was filthy - we had cheap plastic furniture on our patio whilst our neighbours had a glass topped table and rattan chair set. Reception staff were unable to provide any resolution until the following day, meaning a significant part of our stay was ruined. They did move us to a residence property which was appreciated, but we had to stay the first night in the horrible townhouse - woken by traffic noise and sunshine as there were no adequate curtains. Also the hassle of not being able to unpack properly and hanging about all day to move property. Our holiday didn't start until the 3rd day. With the prices that they charge it is just not acceptable that any property on the resort should be in such disrepair. After visiting the resort for so many years I really think this will be the last time. It is saved by the beautiful setting, but the greed of Marriott is off putting. Prices throughout the resort have inflated massively, 10% tips added to absolutely everything and they now even add a daily €20 resort fee to the bill which is outrageous - everyone was complaining about it. I would hesitate to recommend the resort to friends and family now.

From struggling to find a chair and shade on the beach, poor to absent water and coffee replenishment in the room, changing the bed linens at the maid's discretion, the refrigerator not cooling, working outside at 8 a.m. on a Saturday "for wedding preparations." to a cockroach wandering in the hallways of the rooms (video on demand). Unworthy of a 5-star hotel.

I came back to Pine Cliffs Hotel after 16 years, and the last time was with my parents and family, so it felt special to return. This time I stayed in room 236, which is just one over from the ocean view rooms. From the front door I could see the ocean and the pool, but the room itself was garden view. The balcony made up for it though, because every night we had the most beautiful sunsets right in front of us. The resort is very large, with lots of individual buildings plus the main building where I stayed, so everything was close by. There are more than seven outdoor pools and even an indoor pool. For breakfast, there are three buffet options—we used the one near our building, and it was excellent. Great food, plenty of choice, and really good quality. The room was comfortable, with two twin beds and what looked like a recently renovated bathroom. The balcony had a table and chairs, which was perfect for sitting out. Housekeeping came daily, the maids left us bottled water, and the room was always kept clean. In the lobby there are also boutiques and little shops—prices are on the higher side, but they have unique pieces worth a look. We did run into two small issues. At check-in, the receptionist said the porter would come to help with our luggage, but no one ever came. We waited about 10 minutes and eventually had to go back to the car and carry everything ourselves. I even overheard her say in Portuguese, “oh my, the lady is not very happy,” but she didn’t do anything about it, which was disappointing. In the room, the couch needed a good clean since it was quite stained, and outside on the balcony one of the couches had cigarette burns and a missing cushion. One suggestion I would make is to have an adults-only pool. When my kids were younger, the family pools were perfect, but now that I came with a friend, it wasn’t always relaxing with kids splashing and yelling at almost every pool. The grounds themselves are gorgeous and very well maintained. The walk to the beach takes about 10–12 minutes since the hotel is on top of the cliffs. There’s an elevator that helps part of the way, but there are still plenty of stairs. Once you’re down, the beach is beautiful—soft sand, clear water, and loungers included. If you go early you can grab the long chairs; otherwise, there are chairs with umbrellas which were fine too. Overall, Pine Cliffs is still a luxury resort with stunning surroundings and a beautiful beach. Even with a few small things that could be improved, it was a really nice experience to come back after so many years.