Yellow Alvor Garden

The hotel is surrounded by a pleasant grounds with ponds and wide lawns that have plenty of space for sunbathing, but there's very little in the way of shade trees. There's a relaxed vibe, with families and couples making use of the two pools as well as the all day-long inclusive eating and drinking. The common areas are colorful and airy, but signs of age are apparent everywhere, from the lobby's worn orange armchairs to the old tube TVs in the rooms. While competing Pestana Delfim Hotel is within walking distance of Tres Irmaos Beach, the Yellow Alvor Garden is within walking distance of downtown Alvor -- though as rates here are all-inclusive, guests might not be looking to take advantage of the town's restaurants and nightlife. 

The hotel is in a quiet residential area near other hotels and vacation apartments. There's very little in the immediate area, though the hotel is around a 15-minute walk to some of the restaurants and nightlife in downtown Alvor. From Alvor, it's about another 10-minute walk to Alvor Beach. Alternatively, a free shuttle can take guests into town for riverfront seafood restaurants, shops, and nightlife that caters to tourists. The old fishing town also has historic attractions like Alvor Castle and the 16th-­century Matriz Church. The much bigger town of Portimao is about a 16-minute drive away, while Faro Airport is closer to an hour by car. 

Most of the hotel's 155 units are Standard Rooms, and there a few connecting Family Rooms and eight Junior Suites available. All have casual and colorful decor, with orange accent walls and red upholstery, but also dated amenities such as old tube TVs. There are fees for the in-room safes and minibars, and Wi-Fi isn't available in the rooms at all. Small sitting areas have wooden tables with a pair of chairs, and the small balconies have green plastic patio furniture. Blue-and-white tiled bathrooms have bidets and shower/tub combos.

The Yellow Alvor Garden is an all-inclusive and guests can eat and drink from morning until late night, with set times to get extras such as ice cream each day. One main buffet restaurant is augmented by a lobby bar with mezzanine seating and a pool bar. Nightly live entertainment is provided, along with supervised kids' activities, but the kids' club itself is little more than a tile-floored room with a few toys. The sparse fitness room is equally disappointing, and there's no full spa here -- just an outdoor massage table under a cabana. The outdoor pool has a large sundeck, along with a kids' pool, and there's plenty of room to spread out across the grounds between two small ponds. There's also an indoor pool, housed in an attractive glass atrium, along with a sauna and Turkish bath. The free shuttle to Alvor Beach operates four times a day.