Kimpton Atlantico Algarve

We enjoyed our stay here. It’s a very chic hotel with a retro 70’s vibe. Low rise and only 4 storeys spread over ample grounds. Friendly greeting on check-in and check out by Ryan who was also so very helpful throughout our stay.

Our room and bathroom were well appointed. Large comfortable bed, lovely bedding bathrobes and slippers. Loads of wardrobe space and a quality bathroom and shower.

There are some nice touches which make the hotel stand out - daily social hour at the roof top bar with amazing views and complementary drinks. Free bicycle hire and free parking just opposite the hotel and the staff are so friendly. Plenty of choice for all tastes at breakfast.

The grounds are beautiful and it’s so well manicured. A boardwalk from the hotels garden leads down to Sao Rafãel beach.

We didn’t eat in Sombra the hotels restaurant in the evening as we found the menu limited (see photo of menu). The food choices were not to our taste and the menu didn’t change from day to day. We tried a Caesar Salad from the pool bar and it was awful - mayonnaise squirted over some lettuce leaves with cubed chicken and some unappealing and tasteless croutons. Other guests nearby ordered burgers and chips which looked like slightly better options; I now understand why many guests were making sandwiches at the breakfast buffet and squirrelling them away for lunch time consumption. Poolside service for drinks was a little slow but the hotel’s app advises you there’s a wait of up to 30 minutes.

We visited the spa and wellbeing centre which looked lovely as did the well fitted gym. See photo of some of the spa offerings which was left in our room.

The hotel is located in a predominantly residential area. There are a few restaurants around within walking distance, albeit limited. Some close for the winter season at the end of October.

We would definitely come again - the only downside is the lunchtime and evening food offering. Had this been better we would have given it a 5* rating.

Not what you would expect from a Kimpton hotel, not true 5 star and non-existent customer service!

Just returned from the Algarve and was due to check into the Kimpton for a 3 night stay on 4th October, left the property after 1 hour due to the worst check-in process I have ever experienced.

Arrived at the hotel to no staff present outside, no understanding of where to leave the rental car. Carried our suitcases and 14 month old into reception to find staff waiting behind the check-in desk. Booked on a Hotel Collection rate via American Express since the early check-in and room upgrade (subject to availability) is usually a welcome addition to a travel day.

It was 2pm by this point and was told that no rooms were ready and early check-in wasn’t available. Understandable but no real explanation as to where we could go in the interim. I then enquired about whether we had been able to secure a one-category room upgrade, to which I was made to feel as if I had asked a preposterous question (despite this being listed as a possible benefit of the Hotel Collection rate) because the hotel was completely ‘full’ and it was ‘high-season’ to quote the female employee I spoke to on reception. Does high-season extend into early October?

I expressed my disappointment since this was an anniversary trip and asked whether the hotel was full for the entirety of our stay. Anyway, the staff member then proceeded to go into the back office and returned 5 minutes later to let me know she had been able to ‘unlock’ an upgrade but that this ‘had been taken from another guest due to check-in today’. Firstly a strange thing to tell another guest and secondly, based on this what was the qualification criteria for an upgrade then? And why didn’t we meet it on this occasion?

The whole interaction was completely frosty and I felt like a hindrance rather than a paying guest. I then asked about the valet parking (another Hotel Collection listed benefit) and was told ‘well guests usually like to park cars themselves’.

After this interaction I decided to contact American Express and understand whether I could extend my stay at the second hotel I had booked for later in the week. The whole trip felt like it got off to a bad start, and if this was the check-in process then I hope this was not reflective of the hotel experience.

For the record, as we walked out two lovely young ladies pulled up and was greeted by staff which seemingly appeared out of nowhere to help with their bags and check-in, they were offered a cold drink whilst they waited and seemed to have a completely different experience so maybe a case of preference.

I have stayed at many other Kimpton properties including the Marbella property in Los Monteros and have never experienced anything like this. A full review of staff processes and guest interaction is needed to ensure this hotel is truly reflective of the Kimpton brand.

We then moved to the Viceroy and were welcomed with open arms and staff couldn’t do enough for us, would recommend this hotel as an alternative!