Accommodations in Lisbon and the Algarve

We can heartily recommend all of the places we stayed. Some were more modern and upscale (Vicentina Hotel in Aljezur, Bowen Luxury Suites in Lagos, Loulé Jardim in Loulé), some on the funky side (Selina Milfontes in Vila Nova de Milfontes, Ponte Romana in Silves), and some exuded old-world charm (Ondazul in Zambujeira, Residencial Marés in Tavira). All were clean, comfortable, and, most importantly, centrally located. I’ve learned from past travel that location matters more than anything else. I like to be in the middle of things, to step out into a lively neighbourhood, and to have at least one eatery just around the corner.

I may have already said this — we were not interested in 5-star hotels. I find big-box, brand-name places distasteful and impersonal. I don’t need a huge room and fancy furnishings. I like a hotel to be a reflection of the culture that surrounds it. I like small (“boutique,” if you must), family-run places, when possible, where you get a sense they’re genuinely happy to host you. Most of our places were like this.

We booked all of our accoms through Booking.com except the Ponte Romana, which was through Expedia. While I prefer to book directly with a hotel (they don’t pay fees that way), the advantage of the booking site is that you can pay a little extra for being able to cancel on short notice. This was important to us, considering Covid and our age. For cancel-ability, the cost was a little higher than if the booking had been nonrefundable. The prices I list are for fully-refundable reservations. Rates change with the season, and, of course, over time. "Total price" means the total for the number of days spent at a hotel, not the price for one night. Note that prices were noticeably lower in Silves and Loulé, which are inland and off the well-beaten tourist track.

In Lisbon and in Lagos, the two places where breakfast was not included, we found fabulous breakfast places very close by — right next door to our Lisbon hotel was the Copenhagen Coffee Lab, and around the corner from our Lagos hotel was the Black & White Café. We spent about €8-12 for breakfast when we had to buy it. When breakfast is included, the value of an accommodation becomes exceptional. Breakfast was similar at all of our hotels, usually a buffet that included several kinds of cooked eggs, a variety of breads and croissants, cheeses, cured meats, fruit, juices (often freshly squeezed orange juice from local oranges), yoghurt, granola, cereals, baked sweets, and a coffee machine that served a variety of espresso drinks. A tray of teas was always available, and I was pretty happy with the black tea that is my mainstay in the morning. Elly found the coffee good.

A note of some importance: every one of our places had AC, all but one in the form of a heat pump with remote control, just like the one I have at home. We definitely needed the AC!

(I didn't always remember to take photos of the rooms, but there are a bunch at the bottom, probably more than anyone wants to see.)


Lisbon — Oct 2, 3, 4
Alfama-Lisbon Lounge Suites
Check-in: 3 pm; check-out: noon
Total Price: €327.51     + charge to be collected at property: €12 city tax    breakfast extra
Escolas Gerais 38, Alfama, Santa Maria Maior, Lisbon, 1100-213, Portugal
Phone  +351 913 742 935
Recommended breakfast, right next door: The Copenhagen Coffee Lab


Vila Nova de Milfontes — Oct 5
Selina Milfontes (hostel)
Check-in: 3-11 pm; check-out: 8-11 am
Total Price: €78.21    includes breakfast    
Rua dos Carris 9, 7645-242 Vila Nova de Milfontes, 7645-242, Portugal
Phone  +351927514681


Zambujeira do Mar — Fri Oct 6
Ondazul
Check-in: 4-7 pm; check-out: 8:30-11 am
Total Price: €80    includes breakfast    
Rua da Palmeira lote nº1, Zambujeira do Mar, 7630-794, Portugal
Phone  +351283961450


Aljezur — Sat Oct 7
Vicentina Hotel
Check-in: 5-10 pm; check-out: 8-11 am
Total Price: €81    includes breakfast    
Av General Humberto Delgado S/N Junto Aos Bombeiros Voluntarios, Aljezur, 8670 -001, Portugal
Phone  +351282990030


Salema — Sun/Mon Oct 8, 9
Hotel Residencial Salema
Check-in: 2 pm; check-out; 11 am    
Total Price: €180    includes breakfast    
Rua 28 de Janeiro, Salema, 8650-200, Portugal
Phone  +351282695328


Lagos — Tues/Wed Oct 10, 11
Bowen Luxury Suites
Check-in: 4-8 pm; check-out: 11 am
Total Price: €198    breakfast not included    
Rua da Amendoeira nº 47, Lagos, 8600-685, Portugal
Phone  +351 917 427 387

Recommended for breakfast, 2 short blocks away: Black & White


Silves — Thur Oct 12
Ponte Romana
Check-in: 2 - 9 pm; check-out: 11 am
Total Price: €55.29 (may be surcharges)    breakfast included
    note: MUST call hotel at least 24 hours in advance to confirm arrival
Horta da Cruz Ladeira de S. Pedro, 8300-033 Silves
Phone  +351 965 441 476


Loulé — Fri Oct 13
Loulé Jardim
Check-in: 3 pm; check-out: noon
Total Price: €69    breakfast included    
Largo Manuel de Arriaga 25, Loulé, 8100-665, Portugal
Phone  +351289413094

Tavira — Sat Oct 14, 15
Residencial Marés
Check-in: 3 pm; check-out: 7am-noon
Total Price €146.38    breakfast included    
Rua José Pires Padinha, 140, Tavira, 8800-354, Portugal
Phone  +351 281 325 815


Lisbon (part 2) — Oct 16, 17
Alfama-Lisbon Lounge Suites
Check-in 3 pm; check-out noon
Total Price: €232.20    + charge to be collected at property: €8 city tax     breakfast extra
Escolas Gerais 38, Alfama, Santa Maria Maior, Lisbon, 1100-213, Portugal
Phone  +351 913 742 935

 

 

Lisbon: Alfama-Lisbon Lounge Suites:

The only sign for our Lisbon hotel

To the hotel door -- watch for trams!

Our second room, much like the first, in the Lisbon-Alfama Lounge Suites. We're at roof level, hence the beam. The rooms are all on the street side; the suites are on the garden side. The rooms are huge by European standards.

Lisbon bathroom, probably the least modern of all of our bathrooms. Note bidet (toilet not pictured)

 

Vila Nova de Milfontes, Selina Milfontes:

Selina Milfontes hostel room

Selina Milfontes bathroom

Lounge space just outside our door

Beautiful included breakfast served to us (not a buffet). Orange juice, freshly squeezed

I don't have photos of the room in Zambujeira.

Aljezur, Hotel Vicentina:

We didn't know we would get a whole suite! There's a swimming pool here, as well.

Kitchen, with charging bike batteries.

Who needs a kitchen when you're served a breakfast like this??

 

Salema: Hotel Salema Residencial

It's pretty ugly on the outside, but we liked the balcony...and the elevator.

The room was pretty nice, tile floors, art on the wall, a whole lot of light switches.

 

Lagos, Bowen Luxury Suites:

Not a typical facade for a hotel. You need to know what you're looking for, including the tiny sign by the door

Wrought iron railings, stairs from lobby below.

Rooftop terrace.

Nice room!

Nice bathroom!

The best bathroom goodies we found, including a shoe shine sponge, if you want to shine your sneakers.

Silves: Hotel Ponte Romana

Hotel Ponte Romana, made up of several buildings. Our room was small and basic, but there was a pool.

Loulé: Loulé Jardim Hotel

Outside and inside. The breakfast room was beautiful, if steamy, in an atrium.

Loulé Jardim by night...

...and by day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The room was typical of European hotels, which is to say, small.

Not enough room to push our beds apart as much we would like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tavira: Residencial Marés

Entrance squeezed between two restaurants

Seating area outside our room, including bookshelf with books for the taking.

Stairways to everywhere, hotel interior

Charming, old world room. Importantly, a balcony for drying clothes.

Hand painted tiles around the mirror

Finally, Elly's apple. Some people bring a gnome or a stuffy on their travels. Elly brought an apple.

From Ottawa to Tavira, a good companion, now to be abandoned.