NAU Sao Rafael Suites – All Inclusive

Hotels
Highgate Independent
8.4 (189 reviews)
Sesmarias 8200-613, Albufeira, 8200-613 , Albufeira , PT

Pets allowed

Facilities

Full-service spa
Parasailing nearby
Free WiFi
24-hour front desk
Terrace
Garden
Luggage storage
Sauna
Concierge service
Outdoor furniture
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Attentive and helpful staff
Variety and quality of food
Cons:
Cleanliness issues
Poor room comfort and service delays

Categories

Cleanliness
5.65
Guest reported mould in bathrooms and crumbling balconies, indicating poor cleanliness standards.
Service
9.65
Overall positive experiences with staff being attentive and helpful, but specific service issues were noted.
Location
9.05
Location not specifically mentioned; assumed to meet expectations.
Room Quality
6.65
Issues with cold rooms and damaged furniture impacting overall room quality.
Amenities
9.15
Standard amenities expected for the hotel tier, no specific issues mentioned.
Value for Money
9.05
Mixed reviews; some found value in food and service while others questioned the hotel rating.
Food and Beverage
9.65
Highly praised variety and quality of food during the stay.
Overall Experience
8.35
Overall mixed feelings; positive moments overshadowed by significant issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-07 02:17

Property Description

Escape to a luxurious haven at NAU Sao Rafael Suites – All Inclusive, where relaxation meets adventure.

Indulge in Spa Serenity
Rejuvenate your senses at our exquisite spa, offering an array of massages, body treatments, and facials that will leave you feeling refreshed and revitalized.

Unmatched Recreational Offerings
Dive into fun with both indoor and outdoor pools, or perfect your swing on our outdoor tennis court. Whether you’re looking to lounge or engage in activities, we have it all.

Gourmet Dining Experience
Savor delightful meals at our two on-site restaurants or enjoy 24-hour room service. With all-inclusive dining, unwind with a drink at our bar or by the poolside bar, making every sip a moment to remember.

Elevate your getaway experience—book your stay at NAU Sao Rafael Suites today!

Important information:

  • Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section).

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: FAO

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Only dogs and cats are allowed

  • Pets

    Service animals are exempt from fees/restrictions

  • Pets

    Pet max weight (per pet) in kg is 10

  • Pets

    Pets cannot be left unattended

  • Pets

    Pets allowed

See all policies

Location

Guest Reviews

8.4
Based on 189 reviews
Cleanliness: 5.65
Service: 9.65
Location: 9.05
Room Quality: 6.65
Amenities: 9.15
Value for Money: 9.05
Food and Beverage: 9.65
Overall Experience: 8.35
8
864bj_rnf Friends getaway
8
Good food
Pros:

Good food nice personal good atmosphere

2026-03-25 via Tripadvisor
D
dominikdM3108YT Friends getaway
8
Experience
Pros:

Great area. Good service. Good Restaurant

2026-03-25 via Tripadvisor
L
Longboc Couples Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
10
Who doesn't love a free upgrade
Pros:

We are here for a 60th birthday celebration, please of choice for all inclusive package, some named brands like smirnoff, we are still here the temperature is the hottest around Europe at this time , 22 degrees. Only a small taxi ride from main strip

2026-03-23 via Tripadvisor
J
Jeff_Wals Friends getaway Celbridge, County Kildare
10
Loved it
Pros:

Loved our trip, made better by the friendly and knowledgeable staff. The spa is a must visit!

2026-03-21 via Tripadvisor
C
cole71 Couples Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
10
Comfortable and quiet
Pros:

A quiet relaxing 4 days spent in our first visit to Portugal. We were upgraded to a bigger room which we didn’t request so off to a great start. Thank you. The receptionist I think (Helena) was so helpful and polite.
The food was beautiful. Not a big variety like some which is better as the focus is on quality not quantity. You could eat from 7-10.30 and have a quality food. The staff were pleasant the place spotless. The bed was comfortable and the feather pillows great.
It’s about 5 mins from Albufeira in a taxi which is between 6-10 euros depending on where you get it from. And there’s a bus stop outside which brings you into the centre. The only thing is remember to bring water if you need a cuppa in the morning as the housekeeping doesn’t always replace. It’s not a major problem and I’m not complaining. I’m just a need a cuppa before I face the world and wasn’t a pretty site at reception looking water at 6am.

2026-03-20 via Tripadvisor
C
Coastal24733472117 Solo travel
10
Wonderful stay
Pros:

Just an amazing place to stay.
I was so pleased with the service and how well they looked after you.
The rooms are big and very clean.
Many choices of food and so delicious.
The front desk and staff are so polite and helpful.

2026-03-17 via Tripadvisor
M
michelleoL3112YS Couples
6
Not up to standard. Needs a lot of work in the way it’s run
Pros:

Stayed for 4 nights. This has its 5 star rating purely based on having a spa as far as I can see. The actual hotel is probably more around a 3 star.

Shocked at the lack of choice of food. No freshly cooked meat. Only around 3 choices of main course. No ice cream offered at all. No eggs at breakfast other than boiled or scrambled.

The bar is really small so always a queue. No drinks menu. No idea how they cope when the hotel is busy. I appreciate the outdoor bar wasn’t open due to being out of season but access to just a water fountain outside would be appreciated.

The hotel advertises having a heated indoor pool but we didn’t realise it’s in the spa so you have to pay 20euros each per day to use it!!!

Went out during the day and come back around 4.30 to relax only to find the room hasn’t been cleaned two days in a row despite putting the card out along for a clean and asking reception of we could have it done earlier.

Day 1 asked for an iron, didn’t arrive and had to chase up the next day!

The hotel is very clean, although tiles around the pool desperately need redoing.

Room was lovely although couldn’t sit outside as the balcony chairs were incredibly uncomfortable!

Definitely not a place I would stay again. Needs way more management direction to bring it up to standard.

2026-03-17 via Tripadvisor
P
P1401UDmichellem Couples
6
Poor stay
Pros:

We staying here at moment, arrive 2 march. To be told are wasn’t ready, which wasn’t a problem. The problem was we was able to go in for food. We had to decide did we want food on first day or last day. Even when we were all inclusive, we wasn’t even able to get a drink. We arrived at 2:30 and was told to come back between and four we got there for 4 to be told our room wasn’t ready. The lady at reception went to speak to the manager and came back and told us we've been upgraded. In the room there was coffee pods, but no milk. The spa you have to pay 20 euros to use the heated swimming pool. I’ve never been to a spa where there is kids throughout the day in the spa because of the weather we decided to book a trip to Seville for the day we was being picked up at seven in the morning, But breakfast doesn’t start till seven I went down and asked. Is there anywhere you can get a coffee? The reply was no. Wouldn’t say this is a 5 star or 4 to be fair. I know it’s out of season but that’s no reason to be lacking . Pool and bar need to be looked at. A lot broken floor tiles around that area. Gym very small . The restaurant comes at an extra cost even if you’re all inclusive.

2026-03-06 via Tripadvisor
W
W395XPaimeem Family
6
Short stay
Pros:

Just done a short stay for 3 nights, I have to say I would not consider this to be a 5* hotel. The location was okay there’s not much around and a supermarket is quite a walk away however was cheap and easy to get Ubers to get around.

The atmosphere in the hotel was alright any staff we spoke to were friendly.

The room we stayed in was lovely and we had no complaints everything was topped up daily and towels were changed daily. Have no complaints and the bed was very comfortable.

The all inclusive food was not great, I think for a 5* hotel the food choices was absolutely minimum we decided to eat out a lot as there was not a lot we liked. Not saying the food was not up to standard but the minimum selection of choice made it difficult for us all to be able to have a full meal. If you’re taking children who may be fussy then I definitely don’t think the food choices are ideal. There’s pizza at lunch and dinner but other than that there was chicken nuggets one night so if going with children be prepared the options are not great.

A football team arrived to stay in the hotel on our last night, it did seem they were very well taken care of compared to everyone else but wasn’t the end of the world.

2026-03-05 via Tripadvisor
D
dees923 Family
10
Best hotel in albufeira 100/10
Pros:

Wow! The best hotel we have ever stayed at. We went with my dad as he has terminal cancer, we wanted to go to fatima to pray and wanted to stay somewhere lovely, the suite was out of this world, the staff were so friendly and caring especially towards my dad and the all inclusive hotel food was so delicious, everything was 100/10. 40 mins from faro airport, close to beaches. Everything is not far and can get uber and taxi, Highly recommend staying here. Hope to go back again soon.

2026-03-04 via Tripadvisor
S
sabinam1 Family
4
Not 5* at all
Pros:

This is NOT a 5* resort. Of If I was being very generous. Perhaps 3*

Staff are friendly enough but you have to ask for everything. Toilet rolls to be replenished, for the all inclusive coffee machines to be actually turned on. All the food was tepid at best.

Had to ask for tea pots and tea cups nearly everyday at breakfast. Bar on the evening is awful. Depending on who serves you, you can barely get an alcoholic drink.

Rooms were not clean, mould on the inside of the curtain in our room. A health hazard in very real terms.

Portugal was gorgeous but this venue is not for the faint of heart.

2026-03-02 via Tripadvisor
L
landstoo Couples Braunton, Devon, England
6
Not a 5 star hotel (yet!)
Pros:

Positives are the amazing reception area, you get the wow factor on arrival, the dining room and bar decor, the lovely outdoor seating area around the restaurant and games room, comfy beds, superb and friendly staff everywhere, menu changes every day so you get a variety of food.

Negatives were our room was very tired, (but we were told these were due refurbishment soon), we were down a corridor which the lights did not work in and being on the lower ground floor we felt we were in a dark basement area.

Our wardrobe door was hanging off but after reporting this it was fixed, housekeeping should have seen this and got it fixed, but we have a feeling the room we had was one of the last to be sold, this was probably our fault as we booked last minute but we still felt a little disappointed.

The outdoor pools were dirty so it didn’t feel safe to swim in them (however one of these were being thoroughly cleaned on our last day), the restaurant food was not very hot and the table drinks service was hit and miss, you are better going to the bar and taking your drink in with you. The bar is slow service and on the last morning we had breakfast at 7.15 before heading to the airport and were surprised to see all the dirty glasses were everywhere from the night before.

The spa said on the website while staying at the hotel you get unlimited access, we thought this meant you could use it at any time, what it actually means is if you pay 20 euros as a non-resident you get 3 hours but if you pay 20 euros as a hotel guest you get unlimited access on that day, so after booking a hotel with indoor and outdoor pools we didn’t actually swim at all due to the cleanliness and the additional costs.

All in all we had a nice time, but it could have been better, I would recommend the hotel but not during the low season, if we had been a week later I think we would have noticed a difference as just the pools being cleaned gave you a better feel for the place.

Once the rooms are refurbished to the same standard as the public areas I’m sure it will deserve it’s 5 star rating, but maybe rethink the charging hotel guests to use the indoor pool during low season, if the outdoor pools are not being maintained.

2026-02-28 via Tripadvisor
S
sooss82 Friends getaway
10
Nice trip
Pros:

It was so nice and i really enjoyed my stay

2026-02-25 via Tripadvisor
C
Climber11632803764 Friends getaway
10
Top
Pros:

Wow so super alles gut und sauber

2026-02-25 via Tripadvisor
V
vantony23 Couples
10
Sao Rafael
Pros:

Schöne Location. Nettes Personal und toller Spa.

2026-02-25 via Tripadvisor
F
fabiorA6437AM Friends getaway
10
Trainingslager
Pros:

It was very good
Personal was very nice

2026-02-25 via Tripadvisor
L
Ljubav1220 Friends getaway Dijon, Cote d'Or, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
8
A nice hotel.
Pros:

Had a good stay with my team. Its a calm and quiet hotel. The food was also good. It’s tidy and comfortable.

2026-02-25 via Tripadvisor
T
Tourist26871231179 Business
10
Love it
Pros:

Location, atmosphere, rooms

2026-02-25 via Tripadvisor
S
Sunshine16070122817 Business
10
Friendly staff
Pros:

Friendly staff, we had a great stay, thank you very much.

2026-02-25 via Tripadvisor
R
rayner2026 Friends getaway
10
Best girls holiday ever
Pros:

Just came back from this hotel on Friday, we wasn’t expecting much as we didn’t pay a really expensive price but wow, appartment was amazing! Big and clean, 2 bathrooms with made the girls trip very easy lol. The bar staff were lovely, and the restaurant food was really good. Massive hotel, and it always smelt amazing in there, I can still smell it now. Staff were very friendly and helped with everything, rooms cleaned daily. We had the best time, we’ll 100% be back.

2026-02-24 via Tripadvisor