Grand Muthu Forte Do Vale

Just back from the Forte Do Vale in Albufeira and wanted to give a honest review that will hopefully help other people decide if this hotel is the best value for them You always read reviews on here they either say it was great or awful with no real context other than people moaning if there beds aren’t made every day so I thought I’d give a more detailed review to help people get a better all round picture

First of all (again in my opinion) this hotel is not a 5* hotel and I would say it is more of a good 3 / average 4* hotel The hotel itself is nice from the exterior but is in a slightly run down part of Albufeira

POSITIVES (1) Rooms are massive and have a separate living room and kitchen in them (mainly as you can stay there self catering - which is kind of unusual for a 5* hotel in my experience) Rooms are ok for what you need them for (2) Nice indoor pool with a jacuzzi and steam/sauna room (3) Large Gym area (if that’s your thing on holiday) (4) Air Con really good in rooms (Large units and 1 in bedroom and 1 in living room area) - it was 35oc + every day we was there

NEGATIVES (1) Outdoor Pool is a basic small pool for a so called 5* star hotel with basically no day time pool entertainment (2) Hotel advertises as having multiple restaurants however they are spread over the hotel chains 5 Grand Muthu hotels in and around Albufeira and not to just this hotel - Only restaurant on site is called Flavours Restaurant - don’t be mislead by the hotel advertising (3) Food choice is as usual for a foreign holiday hotel - not the best but quite strange is there is not much choice in this hotel when you compare it to a 5* Turkey hotel for example and seems very catered for the foreign customers rather than British people (4) Drinks are very watered down - I challenge anyone to get tipsy on there alcohol 😂 - but not totally untypical for a AI hotel (5) The hotel bar is called Piccadilly’s Bar and again it is very small and basic for a 5* Hotel (6) Evening entertainment is probably the worst hotel I have ever stayed in (bear in mind this is the height of the summer season) - it’s basically non existent except a short game of bingo which the caller drags out like it’s a TV Show 🤷🏻

LOCATION If your there for the partying the New town club strip is approx 1 mile away and can be walked to in about 10 minutes as it’s a straight road from the hotel to the strip (not much there apart from bars/clubs)

If you prefer the old town (which is where the main shopping areas are) then that’s about €5 euro in a taxi and about 5 min taxi or 25 min on foot

Large Main shopping areas (like a shopping centre) is Algarve Shopping Park - which is about a 15 min taxi ride from hotel - approx €15 - think Trafford Centre/Bullring/Westfield type

I went with my family (2 Adults and 2 Kids) so appreciate certain people will look for different experiences then we had but if I had to summarise my experiences I would say

This hotel is functional but definitely not a 5* hotel - generally all the hotels in Albufeira look somewhat run down and prob not justifiable in the star rating they are given - I’m guessing this hotel got its 5* based on ticking enough of the criteria boxes (ie safe in room / indoor pool / coat hangers in cupboard etc - you get what I mean - rather than on customer experience) I would say this hotel has more of a business like feel to it than a family focused customer experience feel to it

Would I stay there again - Probably Not - This isn’t because the hotel or any of its staff done anything wrong while we was there - it’s probably a couple of reasons (1) The hotel just lacks a bit of character and it just doesn’t seem very customer focused on making sure there clients have a enjoyable experience there (2) Nothing to do with the hotel but being my 1st time in Albufeira I just felt comparing the cost and the overall package and the actual place that the money is better spent going to a 5* in Turkey / Greece etc and the experience would be more memorable

Hope this long review helps some people and gives you a real insight and some knowledge into this hotel before you book so you can make the most of what you decide

Thanks

Just returned from a 9-night stay at the Forte Do Vale. First impressions were excellent; the staff were welcoming, and check-in was swift and easy. (Quick tip: Be prepared to pay a €100 deposit for breakages upon arrival, which is refunded at checkout).

The Room Our room was exceptionally spacious and well-equipped. The living area featured a pull-out double bed, and both the living space and the bedroom had their own TVs and air conditioning, which was a huge bonus. The kitchen was highly convenient, complete with a cooker, microwave, dishwasher, and washing machine. An iron and hairdryer were also provided.

Food & Drink The all-inclusive food was very good, featuring different themes each night to keep things interesting. A major highlight was the option to book restaurants at their three sister hotels in the new town. We tried the sushi restaurant, which was lovely, and I was really impressed that the hotel provided free transfers to get there! The pool bar was also good, run by a very hardworking and friendly barman.

Location The hotel is brilliantly situated. It’s about a 10-minute walk to the new town strip and a 15-minute walk to the old town (which we personally found busier and livelier). Getting around is incredibly easy; Ubers are very cheap, and we also had a lot of fun using the local tourist train and tuk-tuks.

Things to Note (Minor Gripes):

The Main Pool: Be aware that the main pool is a uniform depth throughout (1.43m). My 11-year-old could stand, but it was too deep for my 7-year-old, so we had to buy a pool noodle and inflatables. There is a separate splash pool, but it is strictly for babies.

Sunbeds: You need to be an early riser! If you want a sunbed, make sure you queue up early; by 10:00 AM, they are all completely taken.

Entertainment: The evening entertainment wasn't as strong as at other hotels we've visited. It was pretty average (mainly bingo, karaoke, and a magic show). Seating is also very limited, so you need to secure a table by 8:30 PM.

Outdoor BBQ: The BBQ was just okay. They serve burgers, hot dogs, steaks, and kebabs. Unfortunately, my kebab was still raw in some parts, so I avoided it for the rest of the trip.

Overall Verdict Despite a few minor gripes, we really enjoyed our holiday at Forte Do Vale. The friendly and hardworking staff are a credit to the hotel, and the great location makes it a solid base for a family holiday.

The hotel is very clean and the rooms are huge! It is very spacious with everything you need and the Aircon is brilliant, the sofa bed in our room was not great and most of the decor and furniture is dated but we were still very happy with the room.

The hotel is in a very good location with various bars and restaurants within walking distance and the old town and the new town close by also.

The all inclusive food is good but the restaurant it's in is very small and if you go for food during peak times you won't get a table, we had this problem on a couple of occasions which isn't ideal! There is an Italian you can book on site and that's very nice and the theme and food is very nice!

The pool is good, not overly big but still works well with how many guests the hotel has! You have to queue up and the doors open at 9am to put your towels out if you don't make that 9am slot you're almost guaranteed to miss getting a sunbed! The pool bar is ok and the BBQ does well but I didn't eat it. There are also a few games like table tennis and darts by the pool but the darts board needs replacing it's had better days!

We had no problem with any staff members! Every staff member was helpful and offered good customer service! From reception to the pool bar all the way to the Italian restaurant! Lucian can be a bit too much but he means well!

Overall in my opinion it's not a 5* Hotel more like a 3+ and I have have only given it 4/5 on trip advisor because small things like the all inclusive not being big enough and queuing up for the bar etc

Would I come back to this hotel probably not but our time here was still good and we had a great holiday!