just got back from pinhal da marina today the apartments are 15 mins walk from marina and beach and an easy walk into quartaria we had a studio apartment it was a bit tired looking but very well equiped very peacefull and very quiet if you are looking for a holiday thats just of the beaten track this is for you. the welcome meeting was just about right mix of tours and info although we got talked into a visit to the new hilton hotel i dont care what they say its still time share although done on a points system we stuck to our guns and said no but got free drinks lunch and taxies out of it and a fifty euro voucher to spend on trips (we spent ours on a day trip to largos and sarges and visited cape st. vincent to see the end of the world ) went to a pub in villamoura called the shakespears it was well worth visiting with lager only 1.5euros a pint and a wonderful sausage sarnie. good weather and lots of good company overall a very good holiday.

Stayed 7 nights in Hotel ending 5th Sep. Stayed with my wife and our three year old son.
Would have expected to have spent more time at the restaurant/bar but it seemed too small and quiet at this complex compared to what I have been used to, so we went down to the very impressive marina area each night for food and entertainment.
The mini market is indeed mini (not to mention expensive) so ensure to find directions to the ‘Jaffers’ supermarket which is en route to Marina area.

Note: There is a wrong way and a right way to get from complex to marina area. It would have been nice for hotel to have made available simple directions to arriving guests. We went wrong on first day and had to advise other guests during our visit.
Walk with buggy is ~15mins. Some of the path is very bumpy (cobblestones) so buggy will get tested (as will buggy driver!). I don't wear high heals but my wife advises me they were not comfortable. If dressed up take €4 taxi from hotel to Martina.
Marina is very impressive with some very good restaurants (incl Alfonso's, Mayflower and Vilamoura Argentinean Steakhouse).
Two beaches are both very nice.

Pools were nice and there was nice kiddies pool that my son enjoyed walking around in.

Rooms were ok. We stayed in studio, It was well sized and kitchen was well equipped with fridge, dishwasher and microwave. Didn't need to get the €3/dat air con in room since night temp was not too high.
TV was 14" and had some British & French channels incl BBC, ITV and Cbeebies which our son enjoyed.
Had heard that apartments were very clean. I'm not disagreeing with this but we felt that cleaning of (sandy) floors should have been daily. Were disappointed that bed linen was not changed throughout weeks stay. Got a surprise on Sun evening in that our towels were not changed. Subsequently discovered that there is no Sunday maid service. If I return I will be better prepared for this 'gap'.
Another complaint I would have is with reception. They closed in afternoon for Siesta and then finish for the night at 6pm so no access to the one interned (FREE) PC in the small lobby area.

we are just back from a two week stay at the pinhal. we had a great time. we stayed in one of the three bed apartments. the apartment was spacious and spotless. the gardens in the complex were maintained to a high standard. it was a ten minute walk to the marina which was another world. i had used trip advisor before i booked this holiday, and i have to say every review was great. the complex did live up to our expectations.

the only fault we had was the restaurant. the bar and the restaurant are both together. our first time in the restaurant we ordered fish fingers for our 3 year old. when he tasted them he nearly choked. they were actually raw inside. we gave them back and were asked if wanted more.. thankfully he didnt get sick which was the main thing. we got talking to the man who runs the restaurant and the bar, alongside one other person. he told us he works from 6 in the morning until 1am.he works 3 days a week. this is totally illegal and wrong. it is a health and safety issue.
it was on our second last night when we got the brunt of his tiredness, when we went for a meal, menus were thrown at us and we were told to sit down in the bar and choose what we wanted, after 10 mins my friend asked was our table ready and he just shrugged his shoulders and muttered something. we then got up and left the restauraunt and went to vilamoura. we felt so humiliated, as everyone in the restaurant was listening to the way he spoke to us, after all we were the customers and should have been shown some respect. thankfully we were near the end of our holiday and we wouldnt have to deal with him again.

overall we enjoyed the pinhal except for the restaurant.i wrote this review to share our experience with people going there and to make them aware of what they can expect in the restaurant.

The Pinhal Da Marina is set in some of the most beautiful surroundings I have seen in a long time. The staff were helpful and very polite. Maid service is 6 times a week, so the apartment and the grounds were kept beautifully clean.

There is a 3 minute walk to the Casa Del Forna (just off the main road), which is an Italian restaurant and is superb, so you too could say hello to Paddy and enjoy some of his hospitality, which I would strongly, strongly recommend.

The apartments are in an ideal location, the Marina is breath taking by night and so is Quateria and both are in strolling distance, and it is worth taking a visit to ZooMarine.

Our family of four never stuggled for sun beds or parasols, and the mini market was well stocked, so shopping essentials like bottles of water didn't have to be carried very far.

The choice of pools was lovely and the snack bar, inexpensive and very efficient.

The only criticism I have was I felt let down by our apartment as it looked nothing like in the brochure, the brochure pictures are of the new blocks. The apartment was past its best to say the least, although it was very spacious and spotlessly clean and as there was so much to do we were hardly in the apartment anyway !!