Hotel Falesia

The Falesia is located 22 miles west of Faro international airport (a half hour by car). To reach it, take National Road EN 125 towards Albufeira. At Albufeira crossroad ( BP station service on the right), turn left. Go straight in Albufeira, towards Olhos d'Agua, then follow "Falesia Beach" sign. Turn left at "LTI-Alfamar" and "Sheraton Pine cliffs". The hotel is just after the Sheraton.

We have not integrated an evaluation of the beach in our assesment of the hotel. Indeed, it is a 15 minute walk from the Falesia.
The tourists are mostly German and English.

The Falesia hotel, a T-shaped white building with three floors, welcomes the visitor through a large patio around which there are the rooms. Red columns, clear marble, massive plants and fountain. You will find yet the whole setting a little cold and somber despite the lights hanging from the ceiling. Back into the heat of the garden, nicely blooming with aromatic plants, peonies and daisies, and fitted out with rippling ponds. A large, pleasant bean-shaped swimming pool with rows of deckchairs under a large dais.

The 169 rooms and suites can each accommodate up to 4 people. They are not large, 23 m² for the first ones, 33 m² for the second ones, but bright. The equipment is simple but the basics are there : individually controlled air conditioning, a small satellite television (14 channels), bathroom with bathtub, hairdryer and just a soap bar. A small balcony with a low table and two plastic chairs. There is a safe available for a fee at the reception; the minibars are only available in the suites. All units have a garden view.

The main restaurant has a buffet only in the morning and in the evening. The international cuisine is simple and succinct. You will have the choice of dozens of salads and desserts, a meat dish and a fish dish. You will eat in a large air conditioned room without much character overlooking the parking area and the garden. A snack-bar has light dishes all day in the summer. There are also a piano-bar and a pool bar open in the high season.

The nearest beach is Praia da Falesia, 1.2 miles away. It can be reached in 5 minutes with the hotel shuttle or on foot in fifteen minutes through a nice path that is not always shaded. By passing through the pretty garden of Sheraton Pine Cliffs hotel, you will arrive at the beach section devoted to the 4 star hotel's clients. Surrounded by high ochre cliffs, this place is wonderful, pleasantly fitted out with deckchairs and sunshades, and there is a snack bar in high season (extra charge). Its crescent shaped configuration makes it a difficult area to access and so it is quite private. A small nautical base (activities extra) is open from April to October. Some will find the distance a little bit too long but the setting deserves this effort.