Quinta das Palmeiras Bloco E, Porches, Portugal | (888) 708-2081
Large, bright apartments have kitchens with full-size fridges and coffeemakers
Rooms have dining tables and furnished outdoor spaces
Nine minutes’ walk from Praia da Senhora da Rocha
Sunny terrace with pool shaded by mature palm trees
Separate shallow pool for children
Kids’ playground and a sandy football pitch
Option to go half-board, full-board, or all-inclusive
Rooms do not have air-conditioning
Rooms are dated and some have rusted stovetops
Food at the restaurant receives poor reviews
Very little to do in the surrounding area
Some apartments have tube TV sets
Have to pay to access Wi-Fi in the rooms
The Terrace Club is a two-pearl apartment complex, set a nine-minute walk from the Praia da Senhora da Rocha in a sleepy residential part of Porches. The185 apartments are large and have well-equipped kitchens with full-size fridges and coffeemakers, although some stovetops need replacing and there's no air-conditioning. Additionally, guests need to pay to access Wi-Fi in their rooms. There is the option to stay either full-board, half-board, or all-inclusive at the Terrace Club, but the restaurant's food receives poor reviews. An outdoor pool and kids' playground add some recreation opportunities on-site. Guests looking for a self-catering option with more activities should look at the Ouratlantico Apartments in nearby Albufeira.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
White-concrete apartment block with a sunny pool terrace and small cafe
A big white-concrete apartment block surrounding a sunny pool terrace, the Terrace Club tends to attract a crowd of young Brits looking for low-cost fun in the sun. The hotel has a tiny reception painted a sunny yellow, with potted greenery and sofas upholstered in a rough taupe fabric. Out by the pool is a small cafe with glass counters and bent metal chairs, while the hotel’s restaurant is a large, windowless room painted lemon yellow, with blond-wood chairs and a row of buffet counters along the long end. Though apartments are dated and drab, common areas are more cheerful and contemporary.
Location
Nine minutes' walk from the beach, in the residential suburb of Alporchinhos
The Terrace Club is located in the residential Porches suburb of Alporchinhos, a nine-minute walk from the Praia da Senhora da Rocha, a sandy cove with a seafood restaurant and boats on the tideline. There are very few amenities in Alporchinhos: A few restaurants and a supermarket are within a 10-minute walk, but little else. Armacao de Pera, the next town along, bustles with more shops, bars, and restaurants, as well as larger and busier beaches than Alporchinhos, but guests will need to drive there or take a cab, as it is not within walking distance. Portimao and its airport are a 25-minute drive away. Expect transfers to Faro Airport to take between 45 and 70 minutes.
Rooms
Large and bare apartments with kitchens
The Terrace Club’s 185 apartments -- ranging from Studios to two-bedroom units -- are all large, and have sizable kitchens, but their decor is dated and pretty basic, feeling bare with its whitewashed walls and gray tile floors. Studios have a small dining table and chairs, while apartments have living rooms with a sofa bed and a chest of drawers doubling as a TV stand. Kitchens are in a separate room and have a four-burner stove that can look worse for wear, a sink, microwave, kettle, and a coffeemaker, as well as a full-sized fridge and the usual cookware. Bathrooms have an aging shower/tub combo with a tatty shower curtain, and a bidet. The apartments are not air-conditioned, leaving a ceiling fan to do the work of cooling the place, and Wi-Fi access comes with a hefty fee. Some TVs are flat-screen, while others are old tube-style sets.
Features
Pool terrace, cafe and buffet restaurant, and children’s play area
The Terrace Club has a short list of features aimed at satisfying families with kids in tow. The apartment complex’s most impressive feature is its pool terrace shaded by mature pines, with a large lap pool and a smaller pool for children. Also on-site are a sandy football pitch and children’s playground. Though many guests cook themselves, a small cafe is on-site and offers drinks and light meals such as sandwiches from behind a deli-style glass counter, burgers, and pizzas. Travelers can also go half- or full-board, or all-inclusive at the buffet restaurant, although it receives poor receives. Free Wi-Fi can be accessed in communal areas, but it costs extra in rooms.
