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4.0
#6 of 29 hotels in Alvor
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The Pestana D. João II is a is a 4-star hotel overlooking the sandy Alvor beach with calm, crystal clear waters. It is only 10 minutes on foot from the town centre, very close to the Alvor river. Take a dive into one of the 2 outdoor saltwater swimming pools surrounded by lush and peaceful gardens, or relax at the Spa with an indoor swimming pool, Turkish bath and sauna where you can schedule a Magic Spa massage. For your meals, there is 1 restaurant and 3 bars (2 of which only open in the summer). If you have kids, the Pestana Kids Club is the perfect place for them to have fun (open from June to September). All rooms offer a balcony with views of the sea (frontal or side), garden or hotel grounds and have a TV and Wi-Fi.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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With its prime location, the Pestana Dom Joao II Beach & Golf Resort is often celebrated by guests for its proximity to the beach and easy access to local attractions. The hotel's staff receives accolades for their friendliness and helpfulness, while the cleanliness of the premises is also highly commended.
Though some travelers feel the rooms could benefit from updates and find service charges steep, the comprehensive amenities, including well-kept pools, a gym, and a varied breakfast buffet, are popular highlights. However, opinions on the value offered by the hotel are mixed due to the cost of extras.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Relaxing
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Well-appointed
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Stayed here before with golf buddies but decided to take my wife for a long weekend before Christmas and also to escape the chill of -7C at home. Everything was great, the sea view room, the cleanliness of the room and the hotel and the staff were very cheerful and helpful. Very nice buffet breakfast provided and even allowed us in the breakfast room early due to an early flight home. Thank you to the lady in the bar for staying open until midnight to allow us a bedtime nightcap. As a Pestana member from the last time I stayed here, the cost of the stay was really competitive, Hope to be back in the future.
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Date of stay: December 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â If you enjoy early walks or runs on the beach this is the hotel for you.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bárbara Barão, Guest Services / Front Office at Pestana Dom Joao II Beach & Golf Resort
Responded 9 May 2023
Dear Mr. PeterSOnHoliday, We were delighted to hear that your recent stay at Pestana Dom João II was delightful and that you thoroughly enjoyed your stay. Our team would like to thank you for your very kind feedback. Many thanks for choosing Pestana Dom João II for your holiday. We look forward to hosting you again soon at our hotel. Kind regards, The Team at Pestana Dom João II
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We have stayed at this hotel many times during the past five years as its in such a great spot on the beach and a lovely ten minute walk to all the fab restaurants in the pretty fishing village of Alvor. The refurbishments earlier this year are really great, particularly as there are now hairdryers in the rooms. Due to the current Covid situation, we were a little concerned about the breakfast restaurant but had no need. As guests enter, wearing masks (only to be removed when eating or drinking) they are asked to use the hand sanitiser, then taken to their table, which is sanitised, with each person having a disposable paper table mat with cutlery and a napkin, in small paper bag. Tables are well spaced and guests follow the arrows on the floor, to the next hand sanitiser station, where they are each given food tongs to use along the buffet, before dropping them off at the end of the line. I think the staff are doing all they possibly can to keep us safe in the circumstances. It must be difficult for them working in the heat wearing face masks all day long, but we are so grateful that they are doing their very best to keep everyone safe.
A massive thank you to the lovely Manager, Pedro, who arranged our fantastic sea view room on the top floor. To open the doors onto the balcony to the sound of the sea and the beautiful views, is just great.
There’s only one small thing I could fault, for some reason the sun beds area nearest the pool bar was not as spotless as everywhere else yesterday, but I’m sure this will be rectified today.
The Dom Joao is always our first choice of hotel in Alvor and in the current circumstances, we feel very safe here.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Top floor sea view
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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The hotel has had a facelift inside and we stayed for 3 weeks this time. I had some difficulty with my membership number so booked through Expedia for the same price the hotel was offering. I had to make two bookings for the three weeks as it looked full for the last two days but I think cancellations made it available just before we came so booked a sea view. The carpets decoration in the lift halls and circulating areas are very nice and as always the views from the upper floors is wonderful. Most staff and especially the cleaning staff and those on breakfast reception are lovely. Special mention to Raquel who was on both reception and breakfast sometimes and always pleasant and helpful. Breakfast is pretty much the same as the past with personal tongs to save multiple handling but no champagne for the same reasons but COVID control aside is pretty much bedlam. The fruit is lovely and became our staple starter and the usual toast and cheeses and cold meats were fine. The cooked buffet not so good with occasionally finding some hot food but mostly it was lukewarm and sausage wee Willie winkie type hot dogs which I never enjoy. We spent a lot of time at the pool which was a bit cold but mostly pleasant in the heat. There were staff around and option to change towels every day. One criticism is the cleanliness around the pool which could have been better with spilled drinks from the night before along with masks and old towels and masks left from days before all attracting flies which became a pest when sunbathing. It would also have been good to sweep the areas in front of the toilets to remove small stones and fruit from trees more regularly as most in bare feet found it a bit sore to walk on. There are showers around the pool and a couple in the toilet changing area along with a few changing cubicles. The gents was cleaned regularly and fine but my wife complained about the smell in the ladies. The hotel is a pleasant walk to Alvor either using the walkway or road and so many choices and places to eat. Capacho and Steak on the Stone among our favourites but so many we ate in a different place most nights. Taxis are plentiful and about €5 into town. Buses are on the doorstep though timing can be 20-30 minutes late but only €4.30 to Lagos each way. We took the water taxi from Alvor to Lagos for €25 each for the return and well worth the journey to see fishermen windsurfers and water sports along the coast. The hotel is full of golfers as usual and it’s what attracted us all those years ago with multiple nationalities but most were courteous and pleasant though some didn’t want to share a lift even when wearing masks (which up till this week was compulsory. We still have a few days to go but overall a lovely place to stay and hope the criticism is constructive to help make our next stay even better.
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: On the beach it will cost €15 for two sun beds but if you walk a hundred yards left they provide...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dom João Pestana, General Manager at Pestana Dom Joao II Beach & Golf Resort
Responded 21 Nov 2021
Dear Guest, Thank you for visiting the Pestana Dom João II and for taking the time to share your opinions and views about the hotel. We were all very happy to learn that the hotels services and facilities met your expectations once again, and that you enjoyed the hotel’s atmosphere and staff courtesy the most. It's through guest feedback such as yours that we are able to confirm our strong points, as well as identify any area that may require improvement. We sincerely hope to welcome you again, in a near future. Kindest Regards, Mariana Gonçalves Guest Relations
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I booked a Deluxe Sea View room but was checked in to a "Classic Sea View" and when I queried was told that all rooms are deluxe. Well the room I had was anything but deluxe. It was tiny, the decor and furnishings very dated and the sea view was obscured by a long flat roof and trees. The hotel is over 1km from the town centre where the majority of restaurants and bars are. The breakfast was basic and it was probably the worst orange juice I've had at a hotel - thin, watery and lacking in taste.
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Date of stay: October 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Â Stay somewhere else
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed here on a bed and breakfast basis for 7 nights and thought it was a lovely hotel. Very clean and we paid slightly for for a full sea view which was worth it as we got a balcony that was twice as wide as most in the hotel and we had an excellent view. The grounds are beautiful and as we had a week of good weather we spent a lot of time on the beach or walking on the board walk. The hotel is right on the beach and has access to the board walk. There are some bars and restaurants within 10 minutes walk if you head left on the board walk from the hotel. There is a bowling alley nearby and bus stops where you can get cheap buses into town or to Portimao. The hotel runs a shuttle into Portimao but we didn’t use this. It is a bit of a walk into the s of town where there are bars and restaurants which we were able to walk but I think a lot of people wouldn’t manage and some seemed to be using taxis. The buffet breakfast was extensive and lots of choice. We didn’t eat in the hotel in the evenings. We did enjoy a couple of drinks in the bar and listened to the live music one evening. There is a very challenging mini golf in the grounds - not sure how anyone gets the balls in the holes!
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Arrived on 6 September 2020 for 10 days. Reception staff were excellent all the holiday, and any slight problem was quickly resolved. Check in and check out were quick and easy. This is a lovely recently refurbished hotel with extremely clean and well appointed rooms. We only booked bed and breakfast, but were pleasantly surprised by variety of food on offer. The hotel is very safety conscious, and all Covid distancing measures and requirements are adhered to, even around the large saltwater pool. Alvor town and harbour are within easy walking distance, although at only 3.5 Euros per trip was well worth it. Overall an excellent place to relax.
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Date of stay: September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was our first visit to Portugal so didn't know what to expect but choosing this hotel was the best choice ever. Everything about the hotel was first class, the situation, our room and facilities but most important was the friendliness and help given by all staff. Our seaview room overlooked the vast expanse of beach and was comfortable and clean. All precautions were taken regarding covid, not only here but in Alvor. (felt safer here than back in UK) The large peaceful gardens led out to the beach & the boardwalk. Nearby is an area of outstanding protected beauty which you can walk to on the boardwalk and leads to Alvor. The restaurant was well managed using time slots. Cleaning was strict with everyone having to wear face masks & using hand sanitation each time using the buffet. A special mention to Lourdes who kindly reminded everyone about the instructions.( We were sorry to see a group of people raising their voices to her for some reason. (not english !) Plenty of choice for breakfast and dinner. Amazing patient and helpful bilingual reception staff. Looking forward hopefully to next year when we can return for another great holiday.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â a sea view room is a must despite having to pay extra. 5 stories so the higher the floor better...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Arrived at Pearana Don Joao II on the 27th May late flight but when we arrived greeted by reception politely unfortunately the restaurant had closed and no way to get food unless walking to Alvor approximately a mile away give or take so a little disappointed that nothing was offered. We received our room key and on arrival the room was spacious and clean with a car park view ( wrong side of the hotel unfortunately but the view from the 3rd floor we were on when waiting for the lifts was very pleasant. The breakfast was plentiful and the area spacious with plenty of room for everyone. Good variety for breakfast fresh fruit, continental and the bacon eggs beans with omelettes cooked to order so a bit for everybody. The pool was clean very big and over 12’ deep at the deep end but it was very cold. The pool area was quite quiet so none of this rushing for sun beds and to be fair there were plenty around the pool and even more scattered about around the gardens. Location wise it was quite isolated with a supermarket just around the corner and a local restaurant right next to the hotel ( good quality food and reasonably priced ). The hotel is about a mile away to the centre of Alvor which has some nice restaurants and bars with local shops in abundance. The weather was warm at around 26° most days but the wind could catch you out so beware as it feels cooler than it actually is at night the temperature did drop so something warmer than a T-shirt is recommended. The beaches are white sand and immaculate, At the rear of the hotel over the boardwalk turn left you can walk on the beach to the caves at one end and turn right you head towards Alvor. Getting back to the hotel my only gripe really is we had to check out at 12pm and they said we couldn’t keep the room on unless we paid €50 which wasn’t worth it as we left at 15.00hrs and the only option we were given was to change in the Spa area which unfortunately isn’t good enough especially if there is more than two of you ( couple ) as it was just the men’s toilet/showers so no privacy and the urinal is right next to the small area you could get changed in which isn’t ideal the ladies does have a chair in it I am told ( something the hotel I believe needs to look at ) overall a pleasant break would we come back the jury is out on that one. I hope this helps when choosing your next holiday.
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bárbara Barão, Guest Services / Front Office at Pestana Dom Joao II Beach & Golf Resort
Responded 4 Jun 2023
Dear Mr. Ref69, On behalf of our entire team at Pestana Dom João II, we would like to thank you for taking the time to provide us with your positive feedback. Your opinion is crucial for us to continue improving our service and anticipate our Guests' needs. We thank you as well for your suggestions that we'll take into account. It was a real pleasure for us to have you as our Guest, and we look forward to welcoming you again at Pestana Dom João II. Best regards, The Team at Pestana Dom João II
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Just home from an enjoyable week long family holiday with my husband, two very young children (2.5 and 6months) and my mum. One of the first things we noticed is the number of stairs with no ramps for prams. My husband had to lift our baby in his pram up and down lots of different stairs to access the restaurant, pool and other areas of the hotel. Staff are very friendly and do offer to help but as a family oriented hotel I was surprised by the inaccessibility. We had two deluxe garden view rooms. I had emailed and requested rooms close to each other which the hotel accommodated. Both rooms were modern, clean and comfortable. The fridge in one room wasn’t working when we arrived but after mentioning to reception it was fixed quickly. Unfortunately we found the air con very disappointing, it really had no effect in cooling the room and we found it better to keep the doors to balcony open during the day & early evening to let a breeze in. This was manageable at this time of year because the evenings cool down to low 20s but in the hotter summer months I think it would be too warm particularly for babies and younger children. The view from our deluxe room was more of the car park and road than the gardens as advertised however it was quiet and we were happy to have rooms side by side so didn’t complain. The location of the hotel is brilliant, the board walk has some lovely restaurants within a few minutes walk. We choose to walk into Alvor town for dinner most nights but went out the front door and walked the main way as it’s much quicker, 5-10 mins at most. The pool area was clean and there was always plenty of free beds so no need to reserve them early. The hotel provide pool towels and change them daily. The food from the pool snack bar was very good and reasonably priced although I was disappointed they didn’t have any children’s options considering they are a family friendly hotel. Overall we enjoyed our stay at Pestana Dom Joao ii and the location really is wonderful but I’m not sure I would recommend it to families with young children.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Catarina Arede, Guest Services / Front Office at Pestana Dom Joao II Beach & Golf Resort
Responded 1 Oct 2022
Dear Mr./Mrs. cheritho, On behalf of our entire team at Pestana Dom João II, we would like to thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. Your opinion is crucial for us to continue improving our service and anticipate our Guests' needs. It was a pleasure for us to have you as our Guest, and we look forward to welcoming you again at Pestana Dom João II. Best regards, The Team at Pestana Dom João II
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Stayed in this excellent hotel recently and was very pleasantly surprised. The photos on the website do not do it justice. The interior is lovely and the outside eating area has some seating in the shade and some in the sun, with nice views over the pool area. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. There aren’t any tea and coffee facilities in the rooms but that can soon be remedied with a travel kettle. There is a small supermarket close by and a larger one in Alvor.
The lovely pool is quite large and very clean. The grounds are very well cared for and if you want to sunbathe away from the pool, there is plenty of space in the gardens. And then there is the beautiful beach just a short stroll from the gardens. There is a boardwalk along the beach, then two rows of fixed umbrellas with a sun bed either side. These cost €13.50 for the morning and the same for the afternoon. Apparently there aren’t any private beaches in Portugal so the beds and umbrellas have to be paid for, but you may be lucky enough to miss the man who comes round to take the money for them.
There are lovely sunsets to be seen from the quayside in Alvor and further in the town there are lots of restaurants and bars, it has a brilliant lively atmosphere. Average price of a meal with drinks per person is €25 to €30.
There are lots of trips available and we did the boat trip from Portimao to the Benagil caves which was brilliant. The boat was a rib and the drivers were obviously very experienced as they handled the boat very well. There are also boat trips available from Alvor to Lagos, most have to be booked in advance from a kiosk on the quayside or online. In Lagos you can walk across a small bridge on the quayside and get a water taxi back to Alvor. There is also a pretty reliable bus service to Lagos and back.
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: The current in the sea is strong but it’s still good to get through the waves to have a swim.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rui Lopes, Diretor-Geral at Pestana Dom Joao II Beach & Golf Resort
Responded 29 Sept 2023
Dear Guest, On behalf of our entire team at Pestana Dom João II, we would like to thank you for taking the time to provide us with your positive feedback. Your opinion is crucial for us to continue improving our service and anticipate our Guests' needs. It was a real pleasure for us to have you as our Guest, and we look forward to welcoming you again at Pestana Dom João II. Best regards, The Team at Pestana Dom João II
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Plenty of restaurants of all styles in Alvor, 15 minute walk or a couple of minutes in a Taxi / Uber (4-5 Euros). Limited menu at a reasonable price in the hotel bar (food was a good quality). The main restraunt in the hotel is also open but we didn’t eat there.
There are more places to choose from in the Alvor area.
PRICE RANGE
HK$568 - HK$1,376 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
pestana dom joao ii hotel alvor, pestana dom joao ii alvor
LOCATION
PortugalAlgarveFaro DistrictPortimaoAlvor
NUMBER OF ROOMS
257
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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