Eden Resort

Overall, we had a good stay at Eden Villas & Apartments, although unfortunately one incident with housekeeping left a very disappointing end to what was otherwise an enjoyable holiday.

The food was generally very good. It was fresh, tasty and had plenty of choice, including different options each day. The main downside was that the buffet area felt far too small for the number of guests, particularly at breakfast when it could become extremely busy and overwhelming, with queues forming around the food stations. Labelling could also be improved. For example, one evening there were “chicken pies”, but after biting into one I discovered it also contained bacon. For guests who avoid certain meats for dietary, religious or personal reasons, ingredients like this really need to be clearly labelled.

Our apartment was clean, spacious and had a lovely balcony with a great view. The mattresses were very thin and uncomfortable, however, and we also had a significant problem with ants in the apartment and came away covered in bites.

The resort itself is particularly good for families. The pools were great for children and the kids’ club was very good, with lovely staff running it. The onsite shop was convenient, although considerably more expensive than shops elsewhere.

The location is worth being aware of before booking. There is very little within walking distance around the resort, so realistically you will need a car or Uber to get anywhere. That said, Albufeira Old Town is only around a five minute drive away.

Most of the staff were fantastic throughout our stay, both friendly and attentive. The restaurant staff in particular were excellent. They quickly came to recognise us as a family, would greet us when we arrived and even remembered and brought over our usual drinks, which was a really nice touch.

Unfortunately, our experience with housekeeping was completely different and is the biggest reason for our disappointment. We had purchased €35 worth of gifts from the resort’s own onsite shop, which had been given to us in one of the shop’s brown paper bags. We left the bag containing the gifts inside our apartment, and after housekeeping had serviced the apartment, we discovered that the bag and everything inside it had disappeared.

We appreciate that housekeeping may simply have mistaken the bag for rubbish rather than intentionally removing our belongings. However, that does not make the situation acceptable. Before removing a bag from a guest’s apartment, particularly one containing items, housekeeping should be thoroughly checking that it is actually rubbish and intended to be disposed of. Guests should be able to leave their belongings inside their accommodation without worrying that they may be removed during cleaning.

We immediately reported this to reception and were surprised to be asked whether we had “left the bag in the apartment”. Of course we had – it was our private accommodation and we had no reason to expect a bag containing our belongings to be removed from it. We were told they would check with housekeeping, but around an hour later we simply received a generic message saying the missing bag had not been found.

That was effectively the end of the matter. No reimbursement, replacement or other resolution was offered, so we had to spend another €35 replacing gifts we had already purchased from the resort’s own shop. In effect, we paid the resort twice because of what appears to have been a housekeeping mistake.

The €35 itself isn’t really the most concerning part. Had that same bag contained passports, medication, travel documents or other important belongings, what was a frustrating inconvenience could very quickly have become a serious problem. We were therefore particularly disappointed not only that our belongings had been removed, but by the lack of urgency afterwards and the absence of any attempt to reimburse us or otherwise put things right.

It’s a shame because, housekeeping incident aside, there was actually a lot we liked about Eden. The resort is attractive, the apartments are spacious, the food is good, the facilities are great for children and the majority of the staff were genuinely excellent. However, the way the missing belongings were handled fell well below what we would expect from a resort of this standard and unfortunately left a sour note at the end of an otherwise good stay.

We (2 adults & 2 teenagers) spent a week here all inclusive in August and loved it. The 1 bed deluxe apartment was perfect, the beds were really comfortable, including the fold out beds the teens used. We were located in the middle of the resort between the two pools and it was lovely and quiet in our apartment. The whole complex was exceptionally clean. The food was good with plenty of choices at all meals and a different theme each night. The drink choices were good and the cocktails were great. The staff were so friendly and would do anything for you. The evening entertainment was good. The pool bar had a great selection of snacks during the day. We spent most of our time at the quiet pool which wasn't always quiet but we didn't mind it. This is an excellent resort if you have children u12s or for teens who like relaxing by the pool. There were regular shuttle buses into the town which wasn't that far away but too far to walk. We will definitely go back.

Was so lovely and relaxing, such a good therapist ❤️