This review is from our perspective as a family with an 18 month old toddler, so is quite practical. Lovely hotel, good location, lovely food, great grounds with sun-loungers and shaded areas of garden, lovely views of the beach and sea. Nice bar. The all-inclusive deal was good as the range of food and drinks available was excellent. Transfers from... more

We have just returned from a 10-day fab holiday at Club Med Da Balaia. We are a family with an 18-month old toddler. Absolutely everything was provided for us, from pushchair, high chair, travel cot, grobag, change mat to bottle warmer etc. This is the most relaxing holiday we have had in ages. The food at Da Balaia is gorgeous.... more

Lets be quite clear about this, at Club Med Da Balaia, you are staying in France not Portugal. This was fine, as far as we were concerned, but, you do need to understand that everything is French, including the excellent food, the polite children, the appalling music and entertainment, the vast majority of the staff and about 98% of the... more

The communal areas were lovely. There was an astonishing choice of delicious food at mealtimes - everything from burgers and pizza to fresh oysters and sushi. The puds were to die for. Deffinitely not recommended if you're hoping to lose weight. The snacks between meals weren't great - you'd be forgiven for thinking the sandwiches were toasties as they 'd... more

We stayed here in late June just as they were gearing up for the summer season. This is our third Club Med and this resort is absolutely top notch. The location is great, the beach is a stroll away (down several sets of steps) and is stunning. There is a private sunlounger area for Club Med and a resident lifeguard/caretaker.... more

I read the other reviews before going and did not have high expectations. However I really was very pleasantly surprised. It might be something to do with the refurbishments - but the pool, restaurant and bar area were absolutely beautiful and it felt like we were in a very luxurious resort. Other parts of the hotel weren't quite as lovely... more

Just returned from a 5 night break at Club Med. The resort had recently been refurbished, and offered some great facilities. The public areas, such as the bar, restaurant, reception and pool area are very stylish. The new rooms are great, but slightly smaller than the Golf rooms. ! I stayed in one of the golf rooms and loved it.... more

I stayed in this hotel with my husband and 22 month old son. We booked a premier package including a suite. We were greeted at the airport by a friendly representative and had a good ride into the resort. Our room had fantastic views but inside was a bit run down and many things were slightly broken like the curtains... more

We had an absolute ball at the al balai portugal. When we arrived I did think the hotel looked dated and a bit seventies but as soon as we went out into the grounds they were so beautiful and we didnt stay in our room or the hotel much as there was so much to do. I understand others concerns... more