Hotel Almar

From the outside, Hotel Almar's stark-white concrete makes an impression, but interior design is far from its strong point. The lobby is a dim space with a scuffed stone floor, dominated by a heavy blond-wood reception desk, and featuring a small waiting area with a single couch, coffee table, and oversized red urns. A tiny bar doubles up as its breakfast room: It has a ceiling clad in blond wood, bent-wood chairs at tables covered in white linen, and banquettes in muted shades of ochre and sage. Outside -- and in the apartments -- things pick up, though. The hotel has a large lap pool set in a terra-cotta terrace surrounded by a stretch of green lawn. The terrace overlooks the clay roofs of Albufeira and the blue Atlantic. Attracting both families and couples, this is a good self-catering option at an affordable price.

The Hotel Almar is ideally located for guests looking to stay in the center of Albufeira. It’s an eight-minute walk to the Praia do Inatel, and the escalators leading down to Fisherman’s Square are a 10-minute walk away. There is a small supermarket a three-minute walk away, for guests to stock up, and there are plenty of shops, bars, and restaurants nearby. The Strip, which is home to much of Albufeira’s nightlife, is a half-hour walk away, or an eight-minute drive. Expect transfers to Portimao Airport to take between 30 and 40 minutes, while Faro Airport is a 40- to 50-minute drive away.

The Hotel Almar’s 44 apartments are a bit minimalist, but they are far more contemporary than the common areas. They have either one or two bedrooms, and are decorated with dark-wood floors, white popcorn walls, and furniture in moody shades of navy blue and cool gray. On the downside, rooms lack air-conditioning, and fees are required for both fans and safes. Bedrooms are large, and have two single beds pushed together to make a double, as well as a desk and chair. The apartments have a sizable living and dining space, with the two areas separated by a low cabinet unit painted gray. The living area has a coffee table, two couches, and a flat-screen TV, while the dining room has a table and chairs next to a serving hatch. Kitchens have outdated patterned tiles, but everything else is sleek and modern. They're equipped with a two-burner stove, microwave, mini-fridge, kettle, and toaster, as well as the usual cookware and crockery. Some older tiling also remains in the bathrooms, but they're kept clean. They have a shower/tub combo with a plastic curtain, bidet, and magnifying mirror, plus toiletries. All apartments have good-sized terraces with plastic furniture, and either ocean or garden views.

The Hotel Almar is a bit light on amenities, though that's a bit to be expected for an apartment-style property. The centerpiece is undoubtedly a large lap pool in a terra-cotta terrace surrounded by a stretch of well-kept green lawn. A smaller, shallow pool for kids is also here, and both are surrounded by a handful of white plastic loungers. Dining-wise, a pool bar serves drinks and snacks throughout the day, plus a buffet breakfast is served in a small dining room. A computer and printer are available, but for a fee. Free Wi-Fi is limited to the lobby.