IFA Faro

I don’t know how anyone can complain about this hotel. It’s absolutely beautiful. We have been lucky enough to have been to many hotels all over the world but this is absolutely the best. We were treat like VIPs from the moment we arrived. Taking our luggage to our room and a lovely welcoming from reception with a choice of welcome drink. We were wowed by the beauty of the hotel from the moment we walked in the hotel. Yes it’s dark but it’s classy and sophisticated. Our room is the nicest we’ve ever stayed in. The ‘sink and storage’ is not an issue. There is ample room to put your toiletries. The room is cleaned at least once a day and towels replaced. No issues getting sun beds. These are the comfiest we’ve experienced. All staff are amazing., friendly and can’t do enough for you. Breakfast is great. Good choice. Something for everyone., ( we stayed B&B) we booked the roof top one day on the condition you spend €30 per person. Well worth it as food, drinks and views are amazing. Location is great as you’re near to everything. My only recommendation would be to reduce the price of drinks as they are expensive and have a pool bar. Yes the waiter/waitress service is nice but we waited a long time trying to get drinks. A bar would have been nice. Wed would have spent more time in bar etc as it’s beautiful if drinks were more reasonably priced. Thank you for a beautiful stay 😎

We stayed at the big family Lopesan next door nearly 20 years ago, so thought we’d come back and try the adults only as empty nesters.

The hotel is only 25 minutes in a taxi from the airport and as you embark it’s difficult to find the exterior of the hotel attractive. However, our cases were whisked away and we were greeted at reception and offered a drink of our choice. The lobby has an ultra modern design, with dark tones that surprisingly create a calming atmosphere.

Our room was 1409 and had a double aspect balcony and had sun in the late afternoon. The room was again dark and had ample storage space for a week. Yes, the sink is in the middle of the room and if hubby was shaving and I wanted something in the wardrobe we both had to squeeze in. The bed was large and had clean, crisp sheets and two big fluffy pillows each. Personal choice but I did not find the bed comfortable as a little too firm for me. Free water for tea and coffee but the full fridge was chargeable. Two free cocktail bottles and chocolates on arrival. Turn down service around 5.30 with a chocolate bar.

We were B&B and really enjoyed the breakfast (bar one thing, explain later). Lovely fresh orange juice and coffee poured on being seated. Fabulous fresh fruit, credit to the fruit guy! There is a menu to order certain things, eg porridge, omelettes, eggs Benedict, Croque Madame etc, which we can highly recommend.

The pool area is lovely, the most comfortable sunbeds with a warm pool. It is windy but not all the time, it comes and goes but one really big gust covered us in a bit of sand from the beach! There is a towel hut, lifeguard and an umbrella man who is extremely helpful and a credit to the hotel. No pool bar as such, waiter service only and at times it was hard to get their attention. No music playing and no pool activities. There is a gym and Pilates classes but did not see much happening.

If you go out of the back door you are on the promenade along the back of the beach. To your left are beach bars and restaurants and of course the beach. Lovely walk all the way to the sand dunes and back. To your right is the Lopesan boulevard with bars, designer shops and many restaurants. Our favourite restaurant was El Salvador and we ate there twice. Lots of supermarkets scattered about.

This was a flop and drop holiday but we did get the bus into Puerto de Mogan about 5ish one day, where we had a walk about, a drink and then a fabulous dinner at a restaurant called I Love Mogan on the harbour. Mogan is well worth a visit, very different vibe.

All in all a great week in a hotel that is so very nearly 5*. Most staff cannot do enough for you and are a credit to the management.

Couple of moans coming up - I don’t drink coffee so at breakfast while hubby got poured his first coffee of the day I had to go up to the machine to make myself a cup of tea. Most 5* hotels would serve me this at the table. Secondly, the drinks pool service needs refining; I would have been happy to go to the bar myself, rather than trying for ages to catch someone’s eye but there isn’t one. Alternatively, as other hotels do, let us be able to order our drinks online which will surely be easier for the wait staff.