Garden PlayaNatural Hotel & Spa

Lovely hotel with great pools in a beautiful and quiet area close to a river and sea. Spa, gym and activities leaders available. Good self-serve buffet for all meals with lots of sanitisers for COVID-19 safety processes. Large room with balcony overlooking woods and river view. Aimed at all-inclusive guests so San Miguel and wine on draught and small range of branded drinks, plenty of cocktails on offer. Service in pool cafe was slow. QR codes with menu in each area but hard to get overview of activities or options. A few staff were friendly (Emil and Isabel in restaurant, Teresa in cafe/bar and one of receptionists); rest were efficient but impersonal.

We had a hire car and used Faro airport. It's not a bad journey, and we went out for a couple of days too, so car proved very useful. Hotel is a little remote, so would recommend a car to all. Our room on the top floor overlooked the pool but also the nearby marina and the very busy river. Lots of folk have written lots about the hotel, I will just say we are in the process of booking again for next year and thoroughly looking forward to it

This is Avery This is an immaculately clean hotel,with 3 floors of accommodation.The large reception area is on the 2nd floor, with a lovely marble staircase or 2 lifts down to the 1st floor,where there is access to the garden and pool area.Also on this floor is a large dining room.There is a wonderful selection of food both for breakfast and dinner.Although it might look repetitive,with a vast choice of meat,fish and salads,you can have a different meal most nights.The indoor bar is on this floor,but this only opens in the evening for the entertainment.In the basement there is a spa,with indoor pool. The garden has a central long water feature with fountains and each side are pomegranate and olive trees.The top swimming pool is shallow one end going up to about 1& 1/2 metres.the bottom pool is quite deep all over.The pool bar & pools are only open from 11am. The downside of the hotel,it is very remote and unless you hire a car,it isn’t easy to get around,unless you have book the trips out.There is a beach over the other side of the river,but this is only accessible by a ferry.There are no facilities either.The entertainment staff work very hard during the day organising games, but the evening entertainment isn’t up to scratch,apart from the professional acts. The hotel concierge is very helpful if you need any advice.The travel agent using the hotel,was Thomas Cook,but I think any travel agent could book you in,if you want a relaxing holiday.