NAU Sao Rafael Suites – All Inclusive

What went well:

Excellent location right by the coast; very scenic and peaceful.

What didn’t go so well:

We stayed at this hotel during the Christmas period and were disappointed overall, especially given its five-star rating.
The suite bathrooms had no locks, which made privacy difficult when sharing with family. This could be the same issue say if friends where sharing the same two suits. No privacy at all. This was surprising for a hotel of this category. In public areas, especially the men’s toilets near the dining area, most cubicles had broken locks, leaving only one usable. Surely something that one would expect that would have been identified and fixed by the facilities team. Wife told me it was the same in ladies’ toilets too.
There were also safety concerns. In the main bathroom, the hot and cold taps were reversed, posing a serious burn risk. In the other smaller shower room the shower hose itself could not cope with the water pressure, as it kept flipping out meaning the showerhead had to be held manually, and water splashed everywhere. Lighting in the main bathroom was also poor.
The dining experience was below expectations, even though the time we travelled in December -Christmas time was off-peak season, there were long queues, which raises concerns about how the hotel service would be during the peak season. Food options were repetitive, with limited variety and heavy focus on the same fish. For a supposed five-star hotel, we expected far more choices. Basic essentials such as hot water, cutlery (forks and knives) regularly ran out, leaving guests waiting for replenishments if to just to make a cup of tea.
In addition, staff appeared disengaged. The hotel manager who was always noticeable she was very unhelpful and unfriendly, and staff complaints could be overheard in dining areas, which affected the overall atmosphere.
Overall:
While the location is beautiful, the hotel suffers from poor maintenance, lack of privacy, safety issues, limited food options, and subpar service. Unfortunately, it does not meet five-star standards, and we would not recommend it.

Just come back from a stay in this hotel, great location was a short cab ride away from most places or a 25-30min walk.

Walking into the hotel it looked clean and very well presented, the reception staff were attentive.

The rooms were a bit of a let down, they are in need of redecorating, more attention to cleaning despite waiting till 4pm for our room we found a pair of old pants and socks in 2 of the wardrobes, one of the balcony doors would not lock and the middle shower leaked so couldn’t be used.

The buffet was amazing and varied each day, all the food was delicious.

Overall was a good stay and we enjoyed ourselves, was great value for money

Thanks a lot for great experience! Definitely will come back! The room was very clean, foods in restaurant amazing! But the most lovely thing in this place are the staff! Thank everyone who contributed to make our holidays perfect! And in part i wanna send a big hug for Anna Paula!

We recently returned from a wonderfully relaxing week at Sao Rafael Suites in Albufeira, Portugal, and I wholeheartedly recommend it for those seeking a peaceful getaway. We travelled in January, which meant enjoying the area at its quietest – a real bonus if you’re looking to escape the crowds!

The suites themselves are fantastic - incredibly spacious, and spotlessly clean. Ours had a lovely balcony overlooking the garden & pool area and towards the sea, providing a peaceful spot for watching the sun set even though we weren't quite warm enough for sunbathing yet!

What truly made our stay special was the staff. Every member of the team – from reception to housekeeping, and particularly the friendly restaurant staff - were incredibly welcoming, helpful and attentive. We’d like to give a special mention to Richard and Ladysee – they were consistently cheerful, always stopping for a friendly conversation whenever we saw them, providing fantastic tips on places to visit, and genuinely willing to go the extra mile to make our stay as pleasurable as possible.

The food at Sao Rafael Suites was a highlight! The breakfast buffet had a great selection of fresh breads, pastries, fruits, cereals, and hot options – more than enough to fuel our days exploring. We also dined at the hotel restaurant at lunch/afternoon, and evening meals and were blown away by the quality of the cuisine. Large selection of dishes, beautifully presented, and delicious desserts – it was a real treat every time.

The location is perfect if you want a quieter base with easy access to Albufeira’s centre. It's around a 30-minute walk along the coastal path – a lovely stroll, although be prepared for some hills! Taxis are readily available too if you prefer.

It’s worth noting that January is definitely out of season. The temperatures were lower which meant the outdoor pool was far too cold for swimming and the sea bracing to say the least! However, this didn't detract from our enjoyment at all – it simply meant we focused on exploring the local area, enjoying long walks, and relaxing in the peaceful atmosphere of the hotel.

Highlights:

Spacious & Impeccably Clean Suites.
Exceptional Staff: Warm, friendly and incredibly helpful team.
Delicious Food: Excellent buffet and restaurant options at breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks and evening meals.
Peaceful Location: Quiet setting with a 30-minute coastal walk to Albufeira centre.
Great Value for Money (Out of Season): We felt we got excellent value during January.

Things to Consider (January Travel):

Cold Pool & Sea: Don’t expect swimming in the ocean or pool! Pack layers and enjoy exploring instead.
Quieter Atmosphere: If you're looking for a lively party scene, probably not the best time – but perfect if you want relaxation.
Overall, Sao Rafael Suites provided us with a truly tranquil escape. It’s an excellent choice for those seeking a comfortable, well-maintained base in Albufeira, especially during the quieter winter months. We would definitely return!

An amazing hotel with a perfect location and outstanding staff and services! The room was large, comfortable, and exceptionally clean.

I wasn't sure what to expect as some of the reviews gave mixed signals. From the moment we walked through the front door we were welcomed immediately and told that due to it being Christmas Eve the Restaurant was closing early so we left our bags in our room and went to eat. The food was plentiful and the staff were attentive and helpful which is a credit to whole Restaurant family, I cannot say enough about the staff and how they made our experience a pleasant and refreshing one, from the cleaning team to the reception team to the restaurant team were a credit to the hotel. There were so many stand out people too many to mention.
Rest assured from start to finish the holiday will be worth the effort you put in and the staff all go above and beyond

We stayed in NAU Albufeira for 4 days and were really impressed with the food. Every meal offered great variety, with plenty of tasty options to choose from. Everything we tried was fresh and well-prepared, and there was always something new to enjoy. The food definitely made our stay even better! Highly recommended for anyone who loves good meals while on holiday

The highlight of our stay was definitely the buffet. There was an excellent variety of food at every meal, with something to suit all tastes. The quality was consistently high, ingredients were fresh, and dishes were well presented. We especially appreciated the wide choice of options, the daily changes to the menu, which meant meals never felt repetitive. Desserts were also fantastic, with plenty of options to choose from.

This hotel is not by any means a five star hotel. It is very substandard. Whoever has rated this hotel as a 5 star hotel needs to look at its marking system again. While there my partner had jewellery worth a substantial amount of money stolen from our room. Bathrooms are mouldy, and furniture damaged. Balconies aroind the hotel are crumbling and are a health hazard. There is mould on the outdoor swimming pool which is a clip and health hazard.

My wife and I stayed at this hotel over Xmas. I’m afraid we will remember this vacation for all the wrong reasons.
Excessively cold rooms, bed linen summer level no duvets or blankets. Requested extra blanket but nothing delivered till the 3rd day of a 4 night stay. Had to go to bed in clothing to keep warm.
Breakfast, the breakfast buffet was stone cold. Reported to the waiter who had no clue what to do, (no management in sight) I suggested he told the kitchen. Their solution was to warm our breakfast in the microwave. No thanks. The cold food was not taken away from the buffet while I was there.
Dinner sittings were 20-30 min waits queued in the corridor before you were given a table.
The bar, 2 bar men, but only 1 serving. It could be ten people deep waiting but it made no difference. When you did get a drink we were served with plastic cups? Very nice to have cocktails in plastic cups. I could go on. We left the hotel 1 day early. I was tired of feeling cold, and queuing for food and drink
I think the hotel needs to rethink its operating level. They advertise 5 star, but based on the service level I experienced they are far away from that. This just serves to raise customer expectation they are not reaching.

We arrived for a 4 night stay in late December, as I write this I am still here, leaving tomorrow. We have loved our stay! We heard that maybe it was better suited as a 4 star hotel, rather than 5. And although that maybe true for the rooms, which are somewhat shabby and have the odd broken bulb and chipped tile, it most certainly isn’t true for the communal areas and the staff. They truly deserve 5 stars. We have loved each and every meal time, and every interaction with the staff. In particular the restaurant staff. The hotel is clean, tidy and incredibly well run. The food was delightful and plenty of options. My only criticism, aside from the shabbiness of the suites is the restaurant could benefit from slightly more vegan options and clearer signage for allergens. We truly loved our stay. Thank you!

We had a very pleasant and comfortable stay. Special thanks to the reception lady for kindly allocating us such nice rooms and for being very considerate of my medical condition.

The food was excellent—healthy, tasty, and with great variety. Many thanks to the chef for the fresh salads, delicious hot dishes made with fresh vegetables and meat, and the well-balanced desserts with healthy, low-sugar options.

A very special thank you to the restaurant manager, Ana, for her warm care, friendliness, and rich local knowledge. Her suggestions really helped us enjoy the history and culture of the area.

All the hotel staff were friendly and helpful. We truly enjoyed our stay and would happily recommend this hotel.

The locations is not so bad, but you need a car to go further. I wouldn’t give 5 start to this hotel, looks a bit old. The food is very good and the staff is amazing. Unfortunately the “restaurant a la carte” is not included in the price!!! I repeat, is not included even it says it is included. The massage is a bit expensive, even if you already gave a lot of money , you need to pay 100€ for a massage. I won’t come back. Thank you

Very poor.

This is NOT a five star hotel. It may have been once, but the signs of decline are everywhere.

Food okay, most of the staff generally good. Rooms reasonable. Desk staff very unhelpful. Room not cleaned twice in a week. Bar area left sticky after previous users. Signs of deterioration to small elements of the building.

Find somewhere else until someone you know and trust has been there and tells you it has improved. .

Amazing would come again, food was amazing, staff was wonderful, I loved every moment of it, if only I could of stayed longer with my friends

Amazing staff, very helpful and friendly! Did not tegret getting this booked 😃 every moment felt like paradise and luxury

I loved the atmosphere when I walked into the hotel for the first time. The reception was great and super kindhearted they let us know about all of the information about the hotel and all together it was a lovely experience

Lovely hotel, lovely staff and great experience! Would go again! Receptionist was lovely and accomodating! If you're staying in Faro, come here!

stayed here for 5 nights. this hotel is advertised as 5 star, i wouldn’t say it was 5 starts at all.
food was not fantastic- minimal options, some days better than others. most food had no seasoning and meat was often dry, had carbonara pasta one night and it had no flavour- needs lots of improvement!!
restaurant staff were slow,left with piles of plates on table, eventually had to put our plates on an empty table to make space because no one cleared them, they passed by us many times. some of them also seemed annoyed if you asked for anything, which made it uneasy to ask for drinks etc.
staff don’t come and ask you for drinks, you have to get up and ask them to bring you drinks. we tried to get the attention of staff on many nights and ended up being nearly finished with food by the time we managed to get a hold of someone for drinks.
noise from downstairs was very loud at night time- impacted sleep.
shoutout to the reception staff were lovely and very welcoming!!
rooms were okay. beds were very comfy, but the bathroom had mold and there were ants in the bedroom, which is unexpected since we weren’t staying on the ground floor.
attempted to book the spa but was told there was no spaces. the pool was good. we wanted to visit the outdoor pool but as no one was ever in it, we were unsure if they were even open to use in the off season?
there wasn’t many activities on for children, as it was off season so nothing on option.. disappointing as we paid for all inclusive, would have expected more, or at least something on?

overall, would not return here.

We arrived at 9.30 on Sunday morning to b told can't use all inclusive until 2.30 we paid for all inclusive for whole holiday not for it to start at 2.30 bought our own drinks until then .check in was at 3pm got key had our grand daughter with us only 18 months old no cot in room. 6 times went to reception to ask for it got it at 9.30 at night l. we had long day she was knackered. Food was awful nothing for children everything spices most times.view from r room was off out door gym terrible.
Staff not very friendly bar mess never lifted glasses for hrs had to b given plastic cup on our last night for drink. games room you cant use cause they won't give you change but they were only being installed on the last 2 days.
Rooms dirty lights not working very dark .1 bar staff during day bytvwas a friendly lovely guy Night varman was a lazy ao and so always que at bar when he was on l, no clean glases
Not once were we asked was everything OK complained to jet2 to b told nothing they can do
Indoor pool you have to pay for which is ridiculous in 5 star hotel will not b returning to this hotel even if it was free We understand the hotel was a temporary replacement due to damage to the Eden apartments but this was a 5 star whereas the Eden was a 4. The Eden was better in all aspects. Lovely Hotel from the outside but not for families and not a 5 star by any shape off your imagination.