Algarve Vacation Anmeldelser 

We had a perfect stay at this villa! It was everything we hoped for — private, spacious, and very comfortable. The pool was wonderfully warm, making it a highlight of our week. The villa itself is roomy and well set up, with charming surroundings that made it feel peaceful and relaxing.The location was excellent, just a short 10-minute drive to Carvoeiro and beautiful beaches as well as several grocery stores. Communication with the host was great from start to finish, which made the stay stress-free. I was initially a little worried after seeing some old photos on Google Maps showing abandoned houses nearby, but those are outdated. In reality, the area is lovely with a nice house right next door and several other well-kept villas around. It felt safe, welcoming, and quiet. Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better place to spend our week, and would love to come back.

Buchung: Apartment Brisbane, Albufeira im August 2025
Nach der Buchung wird man vom Anbieter Algarve Vacation zugespamt. Ich habe zwischen Buchung und Anreise 40 E-Mails erhalten.
Die Wohnung war abgewohnt. Cashcow. Mehrfach Stromausfall, weil Elektroanlage zu schwach abgesichert. Matratzen extrem durchgelegen. Bettwäsche fleckig und dreckig. Und das für mehr als 380 EUR/Nacht!
Mängel wurden bei Algarve Vacation sofort angezeigt und Abhilfe verlangt. Statt zu handeln wurde man mit Entschuldigungen hingehalten. Angeblich würde man sich mit dem Property Manager in Verbindung setzen und intern im Team beraten, wie man schnellstmöglich die Mängel beheben kann. Passiert ist aber NICHTS. Wir kamen uns extrem veräppelt vor. Totale Abzocke. Man vermietet hauptsächlich an Jugendgruppen. Die teilen sich den Preis. Dann ist es ok. Denen ist auch die Qualität des Apartments egal. Also niemals die Unterkunft als Familie buchen.

Appartement Lily

🙂
- Bel appartement propre et fonctionnel et bien éclairé
- Espace lunch à l’extérieur
- Bien situé
- Piscine agréable
- Stationnement dans la résidence.
☹️
- La première semaine il n’y avait pas de drap dans le lit juste un couvre lit
- Pas de lampe de chevet dans la chambre
- Pas de placard ou armoire pour ranger le linge
- Un seul coussin par personne dans le lit Queen
- Le wifi ne fonctionne pas ou est très faible dans la chambre

Algarve Vacation completely mispresented this property on their Web site.

It was not a quite residential area but next to a major construction site with a huge crane less than 100 feet away from the garden & pool. At no point over the last 8 months was this communicated and no surprize that the adjacent properties were vacant. In addition the pool was filthy with scum, parasols broken and ripped. sunbeds in poor condition and the children's swing rusty and broken making it an eye sore. We stayed 2 nights but when the the workmen, cranes, forklifts, noise and dust started on the Monday, we left the property for alternative accommodation. Algarve vacation were happy to take our money in advance and a hefty deposit but not able to relocate us free of charge or reimburse anything so far. It is hard to believe that they think this is acceptable.

Very poor customer service that did not want to take ownership of the situation and resolve it. just kept saying we apologise for the inconvenience.

Nice large villa room for all our family.lovely outdoor area around the good size pool.outside covered area with large dining table.short stroll to modern supermarket. Used taxis to get into town but very reasonable prices. Would recommend. Nice annexe for two adult grandchildren.

COMMUNICATION WAS EXCELLENT,APPARTMENT WAS BETTER THAN THE PHOTO S;
GREAT LOCATION

Excelent! I strongly recommend.

The entire experience of dealing with Algarve Vacations was superb from start to finish. Olivia is one of the most efficient persons on the planet! She must work 24/7 as no matter when I sent an enquiry, I would get a response immediately.
We booked an airport transfer with AV and this was seamless. We were picked up by the charming Martin Chambers who was a mine of information. He dropped us off at the check-in place then picked us up to take us to Villa Atlas, making a few small detours on the way to show us the beach and the supermarket.
The villa was everything we expected. Our friends had stayed there last year so we had a good recommendation. The location was excellent, cafes, restaurants, beach and supermarkets all within walking distance.
Return pick-up to the airport by Miguel was on time too.
I cannot lavish enough praise on Algarve Vacations for giving my whole family a memorable experience. I just hope I get my deposit back😀

I booked a villa managed by Algarve Vacation through Booking.com trusting in their reputation for safety and professionalism. Instead, I experienced a complete breakdown in standards.

Shortly after booking, I received a fraudulent WhatsApp message impersonating Algarve Vacation staff demanding urgent payment via a suspicious link. The scammer had my full name, booking dates, mobile number and the property name, information that clearly came from either Booking.com or Algarve Vacation’s systems.

When I raised the issue, Algarve Vacation deflected all responsibility even going so far as to blame my personal device, an insulting and baseless excuse. After constant pressure, they eventually admitted that my personal data (name, phone number, booking dates) may have been accessed!

As if that weren’t enough, the experience at the property was also appalling.

We were locked inside the villa by the cleaners, forcing my daughter to climb out a side window to retrieve the key and let everyone out, a clear health and safety hazard.

We paid for a heated pool, but it wasn’t heated until halfway through the week!

The villa itself was tired, dated and not well maintained.

After our stay, Algarve Vacation withheld our entire €350 deposit, alleging vague, undocumented damages totalling €500+ including a mirror we didn’t touch and furniture that was already worn. They provided no inventory at check-in, no walkthrough, and no proper evidence to justify their claims.

Sadly, I now know I’m not alone. Just look through the reviews here: nearly 30% of guests have left 1-star reviews reporting similar stories of data breaches, scams and withheld deposits. This isn’t bad luck, it’s a pattern of dishonest and unethical conduct!

Booking.com should be ashamed to continue partnering with Algarve Vacation. I’ve used Booking.com for years and never experienced anything this unprofessional.

Avoid this company at all costs. An absolutely dreadful experience.....

Avoid Algarve Vacations – Serious Security & Maintenance Issues

Where do I start…

I booked a villa through VRBO, and shortly after, I was contacted by Algarve Vacations, who claimed to be the property managers. I paid the booking deposit through VRBO and the balance directly to Algarve Vacations. About two months before the trip, I received a WhatsApp call from Algarve Vacations to explain details about the villa, the area, and the check-in process.

So, when I later received a WhatsApp message from a woman claiming to be from Algarve Vacations requesting a security deposit, I thought nothing of it. She had my full name (spelled correctly), the property name, and our exact booking dates. It all seemed legitimate — but unfortunately, it was a scam, and I lost €400.

About two weeks before our holiday, I then received another email asking for a security deposit. Given the earlier scam, I refused to click the link and called Algarve Vacations instead. They confirmed they were aware of scammers and said they were investigating a possible data breach.

Once we arrived at the villa, we found several maintenance issues:
• A punch hole in a door
• Broken cupboard doors
• Blocked sink and showers
• General wear and tear that should have been addressed before guests arrived

Despite this, I was still contacted repeatedly about the security deposit. I insisted on seeing a full inventory before paying anything further — I wasn’t comfortable paying a deposit unless I knew what condition everything was in beforehand, including plates, glasses, cutlery, and even ornaments.

We then discovered security cameras installed in the communal areas. At no point were we informed about their presence, and under Portuguese law, clear signage is mandatory in all monitored spaces — yet none was displayed.

This entire experience — has left me very disappointed. I would strongly advise steering clear of Algarve Vacations.

2 Wochen Villa Farol Boutique in Carvoeiro als Familie - das Haus war sehr schön und hatte eine sehr schöne Lage.

Die Erfahrung mit der Agentur war leider etwas durchwachsen:
1.) Nach dem Buchen kam es offensichtlich zu einem Datenleck - wir erhielten verschiedene Phishing Nachrichten über WhatsApp und viele Mails von Algarvevacation, dass wir darauf bitte nicht reagieren sollen.
2.) Es war nicht möglich vor 16:00 in das Haus zu kommen um zumindest unser Gepäck abzustellen - unser Flieger landete deutlich früher und wir hätten uns gefreut die Zeit nutzen zu können um schon mal einkaufen zu gehen. Da gab es kein entgegenkommen und keine Flexibilität.
3.) Eine Sofaarmlehne wurde uns in Rechnung gestellt . Diese "implodierte" gleich am ersten Tag quasi bei der ersten Berührung und wir hatten den Eindruck, das diese Lehne vorher nur notdürftig zusammengeflickt wurde - so dass sie beim ersten anschauen in Ordnung wirkte aber so instabil war, dass man sich nicht darauf abstützen konnte. Hätten wir gleich melden sollen, hielten das aber für ein bekanntes Problem und hatten im Urlaub auch keine Lust kleinlich jeden Defekt zu melden und zu diskutieren. Kostete uns jetzt 60 € - nicht die Welt aber ärgerlich wenn man der Meinung ist, dass man für den Defekt nicht verantwortlich ist. Etwas Kulanz wäre hier sehr wünschenswert.

Extremely disappointed with Algarve Vacations.

Our villa was cancelled less than 48 hours before arrival, with no suitable alternative offered in our location and the price difference being paid by me. A real lack of empathy given I had no holiday accommodation , no support, just processed the refund and then you are not our problem. Airport transfer was also cancelled without notice. Requests for any compensation for my out of pocket expenses ignored .

Poor service all around.

Adriana was amazing! She was uber responsive to all our questions and extremely knowledgeable of the area and things to do. She made our trip planning super easy. I will be coming back and I look forward to working with her again!

Estadia incrível em família, numa villa moderna, bem equipada e com uma piscina maravilhosa em Albufeira. Serviço de apoio da equipa 5*. Sempre disponíveis e eficazes.

Absolutely a fraud. They have not only taken the security deposit they are claiming 1,700
Euros. No evidence or photos have been supplied. We complete dispute this and nothing as been forthcoming.

Avoid !!! Book Air B N B next time.

Brilliant villa for me and my group of friends, bedrooms had plenty of space and all with aircon. Kitchen was fully equipped. Smart tv and plenty of chairs and sun loungers for all guests. Pool was a good size and the bbq was a great addition. The villa had everything we needed. Only improvement would be a second set of keys as the villa is suitable for a large group.

Terrible company and bordeline fraud through misrepresentation. We arrived at Villa San Juan to a huge construction site with two large cranes over looking the property. This was never stated in the advertisement nor any communication with us.

This was only the beginning of a horrible experience with young children. Broken toilets, many other broken items, cigarette butts left on floor and a lack of care across the property. We still at workman in the house at 9pm stopping our children going to bed.

We asked to be refunded and we would find alternative accommodation but they just refused with no reason despite violating advertising standards and costumer protection. Not to mention many rude staff.

Evidence attached. I highly discourage anyone from booking with this company.

Villa Farol Boutique! No luxury, overpriced let down with tiny pool!
Our review must begin with the main issue, for us at least. We felt hugely misled over the size of the pool at our villa. In the marketing image that led to our booking on airbnb the pool looked substantial. In actual fact it is only 5 x 2.9Meters. A huge disappointment to say the very least.(At this point the host may say there are other images of the pool, but at the time we booked there were not).
Generally the property was not cleaned very well. The BBQ was greasy and not usable, and not cleaned at all. There were lots of flies around (hence the fly spray found under the sink). It must be a known problem.
The property is on a main through road and the pool is at the front of the property. Lying out during the day you have a constant stream of traffic coupled with construction work and barking dogs either side of the property. (The 10 days we were there, barking occurred throughout the day and even from 4am!)
The house was of a clutter free modern style, which was generally well done.
Beds were very firm though and didn’t feel comfortable at all.
Our host (Algarve Vacation) were not helpful, understanding or compassionate when we reached out to them to flag these issues and observations and weren’t interested in making things right for us or offering any alternative, despite our dissatisfaction and unhappiness with the property in general. They did answer in a polite and professional way though.
Locally there was a nice selection of restaurants in walking distance though.
However, no beach within 5 minutes walk as was advertised. It’s a good 15 minutes walk to small coves often difficult to access for those less mobile. No instructions or guest manual in the property either.
In summary, I felt quite let down and more than a little ripped off. I’m a super host on Airbnb myself and understand what guests want and expect. On this occasion this luxury villa property and its host unfortunately fell way short of anything resembling good customer service and value for money in my opinion. Proceed with caution!

Stayed at Villa Abel, Gale. Algarve Vacation where prompt and efficient and helpful for all requests. Their customer contacts system suffered a cyber attack a few months before our stay resulting in recieving messages for me asking for money from fraudsters. Algarve Vacation were slow at reponding other than sending me emails and messages saying not to worry, which didnt feel reassuring.
Villa Abel, is in a superb location and a 10 minute walk to the beach and restaurant. It is an older property on its own, surrounded by grass / land. and has a lovely pool. The outdoor furniture was a bit dated and the table was plastic with plastic chairs. Inside there were two new sofas but could only seat 4 people, we were 6 so not ideal. All the bedrooms had great airconditioning, the main bed matress was very uncomfortable, rock hard and the pillows were like ballons not great for sleeping. The other beds were good. The bathrooms are dated and tired and need updating, there is mould at the bottom of some. The kitchen is small and also dated, we ate out most nights, but when we did eat there were only two cutting knives. Algarve Vacation were brilliant in getting some extras delivered. The kitchen wasnt equpped with enough bowels or other amenities. The gardens and pool were cleaned and serviced during our stay and really well looked after. Martin was very helpful to us, big thanks.
Overall a great location, lovely pool and gardens, dated inside and needs some money spending on it to bring it up to standard

The house was great! Every room was nice, the kitchen is super big and the pool area is amazing!
Also Sandra and Olivia were always there for us. The experience was amazing!