Name: Vila Gale Albacora
Address: Quatro Aguas, S/N, Tavira, 8800-901, PT

8/10

Excellent

02 May 2026

Philip

Overall, the hotel offers a distinctive and peaceful resort experience with real character—far more than a standard stay. Set within a converted tuna-fishing village, it blends history, space, and a relaxed Algarve atmosphere beautifully.

The setting is a real highlight. Built from a restored fishing settlement, the hotel feels like a small village rather than a typical block-style resort. It’s quiet, spacious, and surrounded by the stunning Ria Formosa, making it perfect if you’re looking to switch off and unwind.

There’s easy access to the local beach, and the boat transfer directly from the hotel to Tavira Island (for a small fee) is a real standout feature. Facilities are solid, with pools, a spa, bars, and a good restaurant serving local Algarve dishes. The on-site museum and preserved buildings add an extra layer of interest and authenticity.

Staff are excellent throughout, and the rooms are clean and well maintained. Breakfast offers a wide selection, although it can feel a little repetitive over longer stays.

The only real trade-off is the location. It’s not in Tavira town centre, which is great for peace and quiet, but you’ll need to rely on taxis, Uber, or a short drive to get into town.

Partner

2/10

Poor

28 Apr 2026

Theodore

I don’t know anything about the property. I booked the place by mistake via Expedia, and neither the hotel nor Expedia offered any financial relief. It cost 3 days/nights. Instead of the hotel trying to track me down, it was simpler to just register me as a no show and charge for 3 nights.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Oct 2025

Jennifer

Breakfast is amazing. Very quiet property

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

13 Oct 2025

Andrea

We were out for the day and by the time we got back to the room after 4pm, the room was not cleaned or restocked with towels. There were no bottle openers or door hangers to say ‘do not disturb’. The beds were horrible, didn’t have a good sleep. We also went to celebrate our engagement, nothing was said or done. It was advertised that there would be a boat to the beach free of charge, not the case €7.50 each.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2025

Umar

We had a fantastic time. Friendly staff and timely room service. Beautiful grounds to walk around in and a lovely little playground within for our 1.5 yo to play in. Breakfast was great and amenities excellent. The private hotel boat to to the beach is very handy also.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2025

andrew

The spa amenities were excellent.

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

11 Aug 2024

Jonathan

The property was clean, the layout of the property was a little bit like a prison camp with blocks of accommodation very unimaginative the room was dark and you couldn’t have the blinds or curtains open because everyone would be able to see in beside the fact, there was no view just another block we did ask if we could move, but they said they didn’t have anything. Not our sort of place and wouldn’t return .

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

06 Aug 2024

Serene

Consider Carefully Before Booking

Be aware that this is not a desirable location for couples or adults looking for a peaceful place to stay. It clearly caters to families and should be advertised as such. Children were running around (literally) unsupervised while parents relaxed at the pool, bar or dining areas from morning until after 11pm.

The condition and cleanliness of the hotel was poor. The shower did not drain resulting in deep standing water while using it and had mold and mildew, and the bedroom floor was sandy/dirty upon arrival.

Parking was extremely limited and we and many others were parked in areas squeezed into corners and other non-designated parking areas (we saw a car that was hit because of this).

Last and probably most importantly, our experience was that front desk/concierge staff were not helpful or friendly when we arrived, when we brought the shower issue to their attention, and when we checked out.

Maybe we could feel better about the experience as a whole if it was an inexpensive stay, but ironically we stayed at many other hotels on our trip that were less expensive and absolutely amazing. I should add that we are not complainers or high maintenance and make efforts to be friendly and go with the flow so it took a lot to write a very honest review that hopefully might help someone else make a different decision about where they stay.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 May 2024

John

The wild site on the lagoon is unique

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2024

Katie

Suited our purposes perfectly. The spa and regular free ferry service to the beach and bus into Tavira were an unexpected bonus.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2024

James

A major league facility with copious and well trained staff, comfortable rooms, excellent restaurant and bar, beautiful outdoor pool and grounds. Exceeded expectations.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

10 Mar 2024

JOLINE

Beautiful property!

10/10

Exceptional

01 Mar 2024

wilma

Had a wonderful time with my family. From the start to the end the staff was very friendly and helpful.
Beds were comfortable and the rooms were very clean.
Only good things to say. Thank you.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

25 Feb 2024

Harvey

Staff most accommodating and friendly.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Oct 2023

Andrea

Great entertainment and bar made great cocktails! Breakfast was decent with a fresh omelette station.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

26 Sep 2023

larry

Remote

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Jul 2023

Clive

The hotel is spotless. Staff very friendly. Only issue we had was the lack of vegan options. But having said that staff went out of their way to accommodate our requests

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2022

Steven David

Incredibly friendly and helpful staff. One of our party has a dairy-free and gluten-free diet and they were well catered for both at breakfast and the dinner buffet. Great isolated location by the estuary - ideal for wildlife watching.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Sep 2022

Jayne

Stayed for a family wedding. Rooms clean and comfortable. Pool, pool bar, reception and staff were all great. Very welcoming. Overall a grest weekend.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

15 Jul 2022

Peter

3 star quality - pretty average

Beautiful buildings and location but, sadly, only a fraction of what it could be. Breakfasts are very mediocre (even the orange juice is processed) and staff generally not interested in service with a smile. The pool is woefully small for the size of the hotel and the name “eco” is just greenwashing.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2022

Alan

We loved this place. We took our 2 year old and there was plenty to do. The pool is great, plus there's a school for some activities. The buffet dinner was only average, but breakfast was really good. All staff poolside and dealing with kids were amazing. Boat trip to Tavira Island was good, we went every other day. There's also a beach just by the hotel too. Tavira the city is wonderful on an evening too.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jun 2022

Alexandra

Beautiful!!!. Great staff. Definately a place when you can relax and have fun.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

20 May 2022

Stephen

Absolutely great … except the bedding… it’s time to get new mattresses

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Sep 2021

Verified traveler

Close to the beach and far from the city so it was quiet

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Jun 2021

Verified traveler

I very much enjoyed my stay at Vila Gale Albacora, the property grounds are wonderful, staff is friendly and food is good.
I went with my 4 year old daughter, the facilities for kids are great and a big heads up to Sandra from Kids Club / entertainment who was very nice and proactive.
Only 3 lower points I have to mention: Cleanliness of the room was not so good (ice cream stick on the floor, hair in the shower and on the ground), mosquitos! (although the Hotel can not control this) and, the hamburger I ordered at the pool bar was completely dry and hard like a stone (probably heated in the micro wave).

Leisure Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

15 Jun 2021

M

Not a 4-star hotel standard

Breakfast is good, but there is no variety, especially if you spend 7 days there, food is the same every day.
Me and my family would leave our hotel rooms at 9 am, daily (giving plenty of time to clean our rooms) but we needed to phone reception 4x for our rooms to be cleaned.
The hotel has a backside door that connects to the pier. However, this door is always open until 10pm, allowing other people (not guests) to go inside the hotel, walking through the corridors next to the rooms and use the swimming pool.
If you plan to relax in this hotel, think twice. It's quite noisy due to the number of kids staying there (there is no maximum number of kids each family can bring to the hotel).
Impossible to enjoy the hotel's swimming pool at 4pm (as me and my family don't like to sunbathe between midday and 4pm), there was never a parasol available for us. There were too many guests for the garden space and facilities. And, given current events, impossible to have a safe distance.
The majority of the guests do not follow the rules while using the swimming pool: no showering before entering the pool and keeping their belongings the whole day on the chairs, making it unavailable for others to use them (when it is strictly prohibited to \"reserve\" a chair).
We don't recommend and, unfortunately, we won't be coming back.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

12 Sep 2020

Anastasija

The best location

First they put me into a room which was not cleaned from the former guests - which was gross and dangerous given the COVID situation.
However, they have upgraded me into a room with a lovely view which I appreciated a lot.
To me the location of the hotel was the best in Ria Formosa area - with the 3 min access to the beach via the hotel ferry - terrific!
However, the hotel itself is old and outdated and does not justify the price level.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

22 Oct 2019

Michel

Very nice hotel. The only issue was that had ants in our bathroom. Otherwise everything was very nice

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

We have stayed here several times now and while it was initially difficult to find, the location is spectacular. A really lovely hotel

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

This is a beautiful resort property and easy to find! The ferry to the island is a must do! Beautiful beach!!

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

29 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

Unique property with large outdoor pool, restaurant and comfortable accomadatons

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 Sep 2019

ELIZABETH

A family hotel

A hotel that was more suited for a family than for a couple break. It was on the outskirts of Tavira so a car is a must. The breakfast was good and there was plenty variety.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2019

Owen

Nice resort

Great location, lots of parking, near the water with scheduled ferry across to the small island and shuttle to the old town. Also they have one of the best breakfast during my tour in Portugal. The room is big and airy as well as a fantastic ocean view. Air condition in the room works well and very friendly staff. The only down side is the toilet, it is rather dated and has some sewer smell. Lastly they charge you for the use of the room safe.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2019

Verified traveler

Mattress needed a change.
The service at the a la carte restaurant need to be more careful when taking orders.
Car parks should be covered to protect cars from sun and elements.
More comfortable seating in the bar area.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

24 Apr 2019

William

I liked the location but the narrow access road is challenging. It would be useful if bicycles were readily available for rent given the location of the resort.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

24 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

+The location for us was excellent and we also enjoyed the historic nature of the setting. The evening meals were disappointing

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Nov 2018

Heather

We stayed for 2 nights in late Oct. Nice resort with a great pool, good beach access, and good rooms. Excellent buffet breakfast included in room price. Buffet dinners for 25 euros were good value. It feels a bit isolated from the town of Tavira, but it's only a 10 minute drive to town for sight-seeing and different restaurants.

8/10

Excellent

28 Oct 2018

Radomir

Nice hotel well positioned with respect to the beach but a bit remote from the city. You absolutely require a car to go to the city.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Oct 2018

Bertie04

Love the quiet location but Tavira is close if you want to go there

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2018

Verified traveler

Close to town

6th time we have been always very good and polite

10/10

Exceptional

12 Sep 2018

Maurizio

Very nice hotel, in a silent place 2 km far Tavira.
Excellent money value

10/10

Exceptional

04 Aug 2018

Verified traveler

Hotel with boat to beach

There is a boat (for a small fee) at the hotel pier that takes you to a wonderful beach in a small island. The hotel is secluded and quiet - one needs a car to go around. Hotel food and staff were great. The hotel has a small chapel and there is a mass on Sundays during the months of July and August. Entertainment was good. We could not enjoy much in the evening the outside bar near the pool because of the mosquitoes. Overall a great stay.

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jul 2018

Grace

Really nice hotel close to the beach.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2018

RICCARDO

A great place for an almost isolated R&R

a lovely surprise. The facility was absolutely great. We loved the grounds and what the hotel was converted from. Able to fully relax here.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 May 2018

Ash

Lovely isolated location, nothing near you, however can also make you stuck. Make use of free shuttle service from hotel to town, doesn't run all the time though. Spa facilities were top notch, make use of them. Sound proofing in rooms could be better, can hear your neighbours however this is due to the fact the hotel is a renovated fishing village. Pool was lovely, staff very friendly and helpful. Breakfast you are spoiled for choice, dinner buffet you are more limited, but they offer an al la carte menu which has amazing food on and for very reasonable prices.

10/10

Exceptional

07 May 2018

Samuel

A super stay in a fantastic hotel.

A super stay in a fantastic hotel, the facilities were excellent, breakfasts some of the best hotel buffet breakfasts I’ve had, and it was in a lovely location by the river outlet to the sea. Looking forward to going back.

8/10

Excellent

29 Apr 2018

ashey

Good to have a car for this hotel.

Nice place located about 10 minute drive from the town of Tavira. Clean room, comfy beds, large decent breakfast too. Good size pool and little museum about the tuna industry on site. Only stayed 2 nights or I'm sure is have more to comment on.

8/10

Excellent

29 Apr 2018

David

Unusual hotel in quiet, peaceful location.

Stayed for a week mainly for walking and bird watching. The hotel is situated on an estuary and is slightly remote, if you do not have a car. However, there is a free shuttle bus into town that operates from Wednesday to Sunday. Free traditional Portugese and conventional entertainment provided by the hotel.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Apr 2018

janet

nice place!

We had a great two night stay here. The location is out of town of Tavira but easy to drive in for meals or shopping. Very accessible. Access to water taxi to Praia Tavira just out in front of resort. Bike rental came right to hotel and we enjoyed a 24 km bike ride heading toward Spain through lovely orange groves and beach towns. Pools are very nice at resort and buffet breakfasts are very good and included in price.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2018

jilly

The hotel was superb

The hotel completely exceeded our expectations. It had everything you could wish for. Completely unspoiilt surroundings, beautiful beaches and wonderful views. The hotel was spotless, the staff very helpful and the food superb with lovely friendly waiting staff, especially in the al a carte restaurant. We will definitely be back.

8/10

Excellent

01 Mar 2018

Barrybloke

Delightful but remote location

On the edge of an estuary about 2 miles to the southeast of Tavira, this hotel can be difficult to find. Look for Forte de Rato on map and roadsigns. There are some good walks from the hotel.

We paid a little extra for a room with a river view – well worth it with the patio. The room was certainly comfortable and with very good wifi; the only quibbles were no tea-making facilities and having to pay a supplement for the safe.

The remote location encourages use of the restaurant; the hotel gives a free bottle of wine for a couple dining on the first evening. Prices are reasonable with good service and a complementary appetiser (first night smoked salmon, second night tuna fishcake) but we felt that the food, whilst ok, should have been better for a 4-star hotel.

The breakfast was very good – especially the scrambled egg and coffee. If you can get a window table, enjoy the views of hoopoes and hares.

We enjoyed our stay, but we were there at a quiet time of year. The hotel has 162 bedrooms; breakfast could be very busy when the hotel is full. Just the evening food and lack of bedroom tea-making facilities prevent a top rating.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Feb 2018

comlan

Nice hotel

We had a good time everything was perfect. Lovely place next to the beach. Nice people nice food. The weather was really good 15 to 17degree.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Nov 2017

Desiderio

Nice hotel close to the beach and city

Very nice,i like the location very unique setting,great staff very unique hotel,great breakfast close to the beach and city.

8/10

Excellent

24 Oct 2017

Older traveller

Comfortable, great beach

Check in and out was easy. The room was comfortable. Facilities were good. Great trip over to nearby island from hotel ferry. The cleanest and best beach of the holiday. Breakfasts were good. Bar was too expensive.

8/10

Excellent

17 Oct 2017

Sonjy

Lovely hotel

Superb clean outdoor pool. Staff lovely, especially Marco in the bar and the singer (sorry didn’t get the name) . Very quiet and comfortable, buffet food and snacks at pool good and we didn’t feel overpriced as some of reviews indicated. Water taxi to beach great and free shuttle bus from hotel to Tavira centre but unfortunately doesn’t run Sun to Tues which was over half our stay there. Neither operate after 6pm either but only 6 euros from Tavira. Long walk to centre approx 50mins .
Lots of sun beds, free towels etc ...definitely recommend at this time of year.

8/10

Excellent

16 Oct 2017

Tim

A great base to explore the Eastern Algarve

A peaceful location with all the creature comforts from this hotel. Friendly staff and nicely located outside of Tavira.

The rooms were clean and tidy but the aircon unit could have been quieter and a little more lighting in the room to allow for reading..

Good selection of food at breakfast.

We would go back.

8/10

Excellent

10 Oct 2017

D

Nice peaceful stay

Lovely quiet hotel, 4 minute boat ride to the beach and great pool chilling spot. Everything was just lovely. Only downside was lack of vegetarian options. Happy customer overall.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Sep 2017

Jorge

Magical

Perfect place to spent your vacations.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Aug 2017

Lib

Very friendly and lovely to have boat to island.

The staff very helpful and friendly. The guests were mainly Portuguese and were a pleasure to be around. Lots for young children to do but as an older couple it was very restful. We enjoyed using the free bus into town and the cheap boats out to the Island. Super relaxed place.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2017

Julie

Beautiful location with ferry to gorgeous beach.

Just returned from another lovely stay at Vila Gale. All staff were welcoming, friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble. We were given a river view room with a lovely aspect overlooking the ferry and boats on the river. There was plenty of variety at breakfast and great to sit outside in the sunshine. We made good use of the shuttle bus to take us into town ... unfortunately it still doesn't run on Monday or Tuesday . Ferries to the wonderful Terra Estreita beach were very always on time and the water taxi to Tavira was a great experience on our last day.

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jun 2017

sandra

Nice resort with a few malfunctions for us

Had to wait quite a while for check-in and also a long wait for lunch. Reception was not very helpful in giving recommendations to restaurants or about Tavira - I was given directions to the local tourist office and told to talk to them....also, we had problems with our lights working in our rooms as well as our safe broke and we had to wait a half an hour for it to get fixed when we were ready to check-out. The pool and lounge area were very clean and nicely landscaped. Breakfast was fine for the size of the hotel. Do recommend going to the island of Tavira beach, it was lovely!

8/10

Excellent

26 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

Nice quiet hotel close to the beach

Great week in the sun - quiet hotel by the beach and very family friendly.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

18 May 2017

shirley

slightly isolated converted fishing village

the hotel is an old fishing village in which the terraced cottages have been converted, planning restrictions as to windows leave the room a little dark and the cobbled streets amplify and sound outside.The rooms are a good size, but can be a little welcoming to mosquitoes and ants. it is a 45 min walk to tavira minimum, and 25 min walk to the shopping mall. lots of bird in the surrounding salt marsh nature reserve, also ideal for exercising. facilities in the hotel are decent with the spa ,although the gym could do with maintenance and updating. tavira is probably the most authentic portuguese town on the algarve. ferries are needed to access beach

Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Apr 2017

Verified traveler

Unique, gotta try this place

History, location, property, staff was made our stay quite magical.

8/10

Excellent

20 Mar 2017

Verified traveler

Close to beach

Beautiful surroundings. Great facilities. Fantastic breakfast. Highly recommend it.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2017

wendy

Staff very welcoming and helpful.\n

Lovely hotel.
Good facilities and highly recommend the spa and massage. Loved it.

4/10

Poor

10 Sep 2016

amy

Remote and over-priced

Very remote location which the hotel maximises on by charging twice as much for food and drink than places in the town. Luckily a taxi into town was quite cheap. There are boats from the hotel to two different beaches; the larger boat goes to the private, over-priced beach whilst the smaller one goes to a larger beach with more facilities. Definitely worth going earlier to guarantee a place in the smaller boat.
The room was OK in general but completely ruined by the plastic bedsheets which made the nights very uncomfortable! Also the shower drain was blocked.
There weren't enough staff on reception and they seemed quite lazy and unattentive.
The outside pool and spa were the best features of the hotel.
The hot items at breakfast were almost cold most days, although the pastries and Prosecco were enjoyable.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Aug 2016

Verified traveler

Beautiful hotel, stunning gardens, lovely pool.

Definitely return, highly recomnended
Beautiful buildings gardens pool and excellent service.

8/10

Excellent

03 Aug 2016

Richard

Unusual hotel with excellent facilities

The hotel was formed from a renovated Tuna fishing village and is about 2 miles outside of the main town. You will need a car to get to the town. The hotel runs shuttle boat services to and from the island, and the beach there is excellent with restaurants, water sports, crystal clear sea and fine sand. The hotel itself is made up of rows of villas on a single storey. The rooms are fine and spacious although the beds and pillows are pretty hard. The pool is good and excellent for children. The spa is a nice feature with special offers running each week on massages and treatments. The town itself is nice enough with lots of restaurant choices in the cobbled back streets. The town comes to life at night with a little market and plenty of people out walking around and enjoying the town. Hotel staff are friendly if a little distant, and we enjoyed our stay here.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

23 Jul 2016

andrew

Not great

The hotel looks nice but it took 45 mins to check in. The pool bar closes at 6pm even though everyone was sitting outside by the pool. The beds are rock hard and the drains take forevermore drain making it tough to have showers one after the other. The spa only works 9-5 which is stupid. Who wants to sit in a spa during the day when it's 28 degrees. The beach close to the hotel is really bad and lots of mosquitos. You have to pay the hotel a fee to take you to the beach on Tavira island which is lovely. Breakfast is a buffet and the fried eggs were hard and badly cooked. They wouldn't do some fresh for me and weren't prepared to make an omelet. I ordered an omelet at the pool bar which was so hard I left it. When the waiter asked.. Don't you like it and I said no he just shrugged his shoulders wandered off and have me the bill. the biggest problem is that there are no decent hotels in Tavira.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

03 Jul 2016

Cliodhna

Very nice hotel. Very friendly and helpful staff. Nice room and buffet breakfast. Lots of ferries go throughout the day to the islands too. The hotel isa 10 minute drive from tavira so if you don't have a car it might be an issue. There are shuttles into town Wednesday to Sunday only. However a lovely relaxing spot away from it all. The only quib I would have is charging for the room safe in a 4 star hotel.

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2016

Norbert

A very quiet location which is fine for two or three days.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 May 2016

Bronson

Restful, lovely out of town hotel

Lovely resort style hotel in secluded setting. Very close to isla Tavira. Staff very helpful. A car is needed for ease of access to other sites and the town.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Nov 2015

Philip

Birdwatchers paradise

Very relaxing holiday. Birdwatchers paradise. Boat trip into Ria Formosa reserve was excellent

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Oct 2015

Stuart

Comfortable, quiet hotel

We really enjoyed our stay. Service in the restaurant was excellent with a wide choice of food at the buffet breakfast, although fried eggs & pancakes are freshly cooked by the staff. Our (river view) room was fine with access to a small patio with a table/chairs. Beware the mosquitoes though if you are susceptible to bites and, as is often the case in Europe, our room did not have a double bed (twin beds). The bathroom was very clean and everything worked fine as did the air conditioning unit. We had a small issue with the TV which was fixed right away. The bottled water in the fridge is also chargeable. All the staff were friendly & helpful and the 24/7 reception was appreciated in our case as we arrived after midnight. It's about 3 km to Tavira so you need comfortable footwear, a car, a taxi or the hotel shuttle (which doesn't run on Mon & Tues or in the evenings) to get into town for the restaurants and a large shopping centre. The N125 is close as well for travel around the Algarve (the A22 is a toll road and very quiet!). Beware the extra costs when picking up the hire car as well especially if you choose to reduce the insurance excess.

8/10

Excellent

27 Oct 2015

James

Winter break- very enjoyable

Room was a little small but adequate and nicely finished though bathroom a little tired. Spa and pools were fantastic and really add this hotel. Breakfast was of a good standard with a vast selection. Area was nice and very much enjoyed Cabanas and the amazing restaurants which were amazing value for money.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Oct 2015

Andrew

Hotel Vila Gale Albacore, Tavira

This was our second visit to Hotel Albacore and it did not disappoint.

The hotel is located just outside Tavira, within the Rio Formosa natural park and is ideally suited to families and couples that want more than a busy'package' holiday. Although there is plenty of leasure activity close by the hotel, the onus is on the visitor to choose what they want to do. Either go into Tavira for the relaxed nightlife, sightseeing or visit either of the two locations on the magnificent beaches nearby, which are reached by ferry boat, from the jetty adjacent to the hotel. If the pool is your thing, then you would be hard pushed to beat the very large pool and its beautifully tended gardens which never gets crowded. You might be asked to join in the daily pool excercise, but are never pressured by the friendly staff. There is also a diving school as well as kayak, sailboat and cycle hire on site.

We did not sample the restaurant for meals apart from breakfast, which was always of a high standard. Rooms are very comfortable, with the majority having a small sun terrace, are en-suite and are cleaned daily.

The only thing I feel the hotel misses is a small shop, which the sister hotel in Tavira has, where you can buy papers, souveneirs etc. We can't wait to go back in May of next year!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

19 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Superb hotel, but avoid half board.

Everything was to the highest standard with the exception of the evening meal. Some of the meat was tough and not edible and the vegetables had obviously been cooked much earlier and simply kept warm for far too long. A major disappointment!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Oct 2015

Sue

Good,quiet hotel for relaxing break

Welcoming and helpful staff and rooms maintained to a high standard. Room overlooking the river and Island accesses send by the hotel boat. Very interesting small museum of the tuna fishing base which used to be here including photos of the landing and processing.
Lovely Pool and terrace with bar and snack food.
Limited evening entertainment, but that suited us as we liked to read and relax when not touring the area. A few kms from the quaint town of Tavira with its castle.

Family

8/10

Excellent

11 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

October 2015

Great hotel, very clean. Staff was helpful and friendly. The location is not ideal if you want easy access to town. They do offer a shuttle, but there are only a limited number of trips and no returns after 5:30ish. The drive to town is only about 5 minutes, but if you want to enjoy wine with dinner you need to take a taxi. Beach / ocean access is by boat (at a cost). Breakfast was great with a large variety to choose from. If your looking for a quiet get away from everything this would be great.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

10 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Hotel ok , but Expedia failed to\n\n\n\nOk

Expedia failed to tell us how far away the hotel was from the town ,it cost us over 2 weeks £100 pounds in taxi fares!!!

8/10

Excellent

04 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Good access to beach from hotel by ferry.

A bit far from Tavira centre but free bus service provided.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

Lovely, comfortable hotel

A great hotel with good access to indoor and outdoor pools as well as the beach.
Plenty of sunbeds and a good sized pool.
Clean and comfortable rooms.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Sep 2015

Posh

Nice Traditional Hotel

Pleasant Stay. Friendly staff, good food, comfortable room.

8/10

Excellent

19 Sep 2015

Elaine

Nice quiet hotel, good facilities.

Room spacious and very clean. Breakfast very good and dinner was well cooked and presented. Pool area clean and very spacious with lots of sun beds. Bit far out of Tavira so long walk or in our case take the car each time. Boats to beach good but feel they should be included in price of room. Would be good to have shuittle bus to town.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jul 2015

William

Lovely hotel

beautiful hotel. Great staff. Bed was a little lumpy and I hate buffets so not impressed with the food. Gorgeous grounds. Very well maintained. Wish we could have stayed longer!

Family

8/10

Excellent

01 Jun 2015

Verified traveler

Charming and different place to stay. Lovely town of Tavira.

8/10

Excellent

27 May 2015

Verified traveler

Quaint, portuguese stay

Nice place but a little far out of Tavira - walking into town through old waterworks with stagnant water. Room comfortable but some reception staff had no english so asking for an iron/ironing board took forever!!! Buffet breakfast and dinner excellent. Didn't use pool but looked nice!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Apr 2015

Verified traveler

It is a nice hotel located very close to the beach

Ir was very pleasant stay, we will definitely come back to this hotel in the near future.

8/10

Excellent

27 Sep 2014

CJ

Ideal for rest & recuperation

Hotel location in nature reserve makes it ideal for a quiet stay, good location also for walks or observing nature. A car is essential if you wish to visit nearby towns, hotel does have a shuttle to Tavira. Good amenities, staff friendly & very helpful, reasonably fluent in English, hotel has its own shuttle boat to nearby island beaches. Good quality food, would have liked a little more variety. All in all good value for money, we enjoyed our stay there.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Sep 2014

Verified traveler

Quiet setting for this hotel.

We visited Vila Gale in September this year. This was our second visit to this hidden gem. It is set in a nature reserve in Eastern Algarve. The salt pans surrounding the area may not appeal to everyone but it is an unspoilt landscape and has a charm of its own.
The hotel grounds including the beautiful planting and the pool area is well- maintained. Hotel rooms were comfortable with good beds and with the addition of tea - making facilities ( although you have to request this from hotel reception).

8/10

Excellent

10 Sep 2014

Verified traveler

Pretty setting, a little too far from town

We had a very nice stay. The outdoor garden and pool area is lovely, and the boat to the beach is very convenient. We're a family of 3 and the room was a bit small. The position of the camp-bed meant we couldn't open the terrace door. Cleaning happened late in the day, sometimes as late as 7 in the evening, so we often came back to an untidy room. The buffet for breakfast and dinner was OK. We stayed B&B, and wouldn't recommend the dinner buffet - the quality does not match the price.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Aug 2014

Verified traveler

Lovely

Very relaxing, enjoyable, lovely and clean hotel and rooms

8/10

Excellent

23 Jul 2014

Steve

5th stay at the hotel.

Hotel is still the same and situated in a lovely location.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2014

Henrik

Nice!

Great place!

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2014

Calley

Resort Hideaway

The Hotel Vila Galé Albacora is a lovely resort, however it is located quite a distance away from downtown Tavira. For me, the seclusion was very relaxing. Their spa was refreshing - sauna, Turkish bath, whirlpool, and indoor pool - especially since it was still a little too cold (late May) for us to enjoy the beach. The food in the restaurant on site was remarkable, and the front desk staff were very kind and helpful. The night we stayed there, there was also a dance demonstration in the resort bar area. Very neat! I would definitely recommend staying here for someone who's looking for a little tranquility in their Portuguese travels.

Family

8/10

Excellent

21 May 2014

Roger

A WONDERFUL LOCATION AND LAYOUT

After selling our house in the Eastern Algarve we wanted somewhere to wind down and relax.This hotel turned out to be a great choice.Tavira is the most beautiful town in the Algarve and although isolated on a peninsula the shuttle service to both beach and town was excellent.

8/10

Excellent

18 Oct 2013

Chris

Isolated but relaxing

The Albacora is a couple of miles out of Tavira, within the Rio Formosa Natural Park. Good for birdwatching, but otherwise a bit of a wilderness. The hotel is a refurbished tuna factory (sounds worse than it is – the décor etc is up to the same high standard as other Vila Galé hotels).

With no transport of our own, part of the appeal was the free shuttle bus into Tavira. Sadly, we found that the shuttle only runs Wed to Sun. So for 4 of our days we resorted to short walks from the hotel. The walk into Tavira is 50 mins. The shuttle also returns early in the evening, so to eat in the town, a taxi back was necessary. At less than €10 per trip that wasn’t a problem.

The breakfast selection was good but did not vary. The restaurant evening buffet was not bad, the a la carte menu excellent and only a little more expensive.

The grounds are picturesque. We visited in October and there was no shortage of beds around the pool.

The room was comfortable, however it was sometimes not made up until late in the day. Ants mentioned by other reviewers were hardly a problem.

Negatives: Sound carries. The TV or even conversations in the next room could be irritating late at night. Hard heels/soles on the tiled floors reverberate through the walls. Our room was in a no smoking zone which was abused by neighbouring guests – smoke entered through our window and the air conditioning unit.

Staff were always friendly and helpful.

10/10

Exceptional

13 Oct 2013

Graham

Return to our favorite hotel

Been to this hotel for 15 years now and fortunately very little has changed. We traveled from Faro by airport coach (route 16) then by local train to Tavira before catching the courtesy bus from the Vila Gale Tavira Hotel. A Hotel in a nature reserve tends to be quiet,(we like) surrounded by birds, animals and insects! Staff were as polite and friendly as ever especially assisting with WiFi connections. Our only gripes, no courtesy bus into town for first two days (its a 40min walk), the previously free 2 min trip on the ferry to Tavira island, now costs 3 euros. The room TVs have been upgraded to give 76 channels, mostly Portuguese, but of a poorer content than previously. What made our holiday was the very high standard of a'la carte evening meals, with a free complementary bottle of wine on the first night, and a perfectly blue sky for the whole week, in the middle of October! Would we return? you bet.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Oct 2013

jon and nuala

out of town

we really enjoyed the environment of this hotel. reason for visit was bird watching and the hotel was superb. the chugging of fishing boats in the river was a pleasant change from city traffic noise. our room was comfortable and the small private area outside the room was lovely. the breakfast buffet was great and Early, which was important for us. the staff were friendly and always helpful. no complaint.