Hotel Vale do Navio

We had a good couple of nights at the Hotel Vale Do Novio. It was easy to find, lots of free parking on site, and check in was easy. It’s a fairly big resorty type hotel, with multi-storey rooms centered around a outdoor pool area. The place has seen better days, the cracks were literally showing in the cement walls, a bit of peeling paint here, dark, dingey hallways there, etc. Just in need of a facelift, that’s all. Our room was large with a sliding glass door overlooking a nearby roof – not much of a view for us! Everything was clean and tidy, the internet worked well, and we had a decent sleep – overall comfortable enough. The gym was surprisingly good. All of the gear was high-quality Technogym gear and appeared to be almost brand new. There was a variety of cardio machines and a good selection of weight machines, free weights, and dumbbells. We were rather impressed with it and made use of it during our stay. The breakfast buffet was very good and we had a good feed. Overall we had a good stay and would recommend it to other travelers.

Not a 4* hotel in my opinion, more a 2* possibly 3* at a push. Photos are very out of date & give the illusion the outdoor pool is bigger than it really is. Stained corridor carpets, holes in bar seating cushions, leaking sink in room, noisy generator below window. The 'seating area' in room was 1 chair next to the patio doors. Booking site boasted floor to ceiling windows with views of the sea in the restaurant - there were bushes all the way around apart from view of the carpark. Very expensive bar prices. Only redeeming point was hotel's willingness to let us cancel free of charge after 1 night, so we could move to another, better one.

Nice quiet location (you need a car), good medium plus quality hotel, friendly staff. Satnav on first arrival may get confused (I mean satnav users, of course) by two close but unconnected branches of road having the same name – you have been warned ! Slightly uninspired food (you can have supper here including a Saturday buffet, but there are better restaurants within a short drive. Wine selection very poor). Breakfast buffet typical - good fruit, poor ‘fruit juice’, best bacon I had in half a dozen Azores hotels ... if you want proper coffee rather than instant you have to ask for it. Restaurant has outdoor seating for smokers. Would recommend overall.

You pay the price of a four star hotel and you get the facilities of a 3 star pushing. We spent 5 nights without air conditioning, the sauna was out of service, the bedroom safe was not working, the gym equipment is rusty and after 2 days of rain we woke up to find a hole in the ceiling just outside our bedroom. The only good thing is that the staff are very nice. I do not recommend staying here.

This hotel is lovely! Very comfortable with an impressive and tasty breakfast buffet, beautiful pools (indoor and outdoor), jacuzzi, etc.I didn't try the gym so can't comment. The rooms are very pleasant with very comfortable beds. Staff are super friendly. I don't usual bother reviewing hotels but thought I'd make an exception because the last few negative reviews put me off booking a longer stay. I now regret only staying one night! Genuinely baffled by the recent negative reviews.