Nau Salgados Dunas Suite

“Nice location but the resort could use a facelift!”

My partner and I haven't been to Portugal and were itching for a weekend getaway, so we decided to explore Lisbon while soaking up the remaining summer sun in the Algarve region. We wanted to make the most of our trip, so we settled on Guia, a charming little town famous for its piri piri chicken a… more

My partner and I haven't been to Portugal and were itching for a weekend getaway, so we decided to explore Lisbon while soaking up the remaining summer sun in the Algarve region. We wanted to make the most of our trip, so we settled on Guia, a charming little town famous for its piri piri chicken and conveniently located near the beach. Guia is just a short drive from Faro and the port where boat tours to the stunning Benagil caves set sail. After some property hunting, I stumbled upon a resort that was ranked number one out of the four hotels in Guia. I snagged a Junior Suite with pool views at a steal since it was already the tail end of summer. Booking directly through their website was a breeze, and I received a confirmation email in no time. Just a heads up: if you want to stay at this resort, you’ll definitely need a car. Upon arrival, we found ourselves navigating multiple buildings, and the building where the front desk was housed in was not very conspicuous. Once we located it, we parked and headed inside to check in. The reception area was rather lackluster, with busy staff who seemed to have forgotten their smiles. There was a concierge at a lonely table who pointed us to the front desk, where a middle-aged woman assisted us. She was professional but lacked the warm, welcoming vibe we were hoping for from a Portuguese resort. After checking in, we drove a short distance to our room and parking area. The internal parking had plenty of space, and we took the lift to our ground-floor room. The lift was spacious but definitely showed signs of age. The hallway leading to our room was stuffy and drab, lacking air conditioning and sporting shabby fixtures. However, the room itself was large, complete with a nice long terrace for lounging. As we walked in, we were greeted by a rather uninspiring brown round dining table and white chairs, along with a cupboard that had empty shelves and a coffee machine on top—though we didn’t use it since the coffee wasn’t complimentary (a bit odd, considering even budget hotels usually offer free coffee). The room had seen better days and could use a makeover, as the decor felt more suited for a retirement home than a resort getaway, especially with the dull sofa and brown doors. It was clean and functional, and the bed was comfortable, though the sheets and pillowcases had seen some action, with a few visible laundry stains. The furniture showed some wear and tear, but nothing too alarming. The shower was spacious but also in need of a refresh. Plus, every time we showered, the floor turned into a mini lake—couldn’t remmeber if it was a faulty shower door or just the lack of one. Once we settled in, we ventured out to the beach, which was easily accessible from one of the resort's pools via a pleasant boardwalk. The boardwalk and beach were definitely the highlights of our stay, even though we didn’t take a dip in the ocean due to the strong wind and waves and slightly chilly températures. The pools were decent but had some sand from the beach, and most of the sun loungers were empty since it was the end of the season. We missed out on the pool bar and the spa, which was undergoing renovations across the road from the main building. Breakfast was served in the main building and offered a decent selection of food and drinks. It was quite busy every time we went, and some items weren’t replenished quickly enough. I couldn’t help but wonder how chaotic it could be during the summer. Some of the breakfast staff seemed like interns, but they were friendly and helpful. Check-out was quick and hassle-free. Overall, the resort was fine—not exactly a memorable experience—and I’d only consider returning if they decide to give it a much-needed facelift in the future.

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