Hotel Occidental Faro

When I booked this short break I asked if possible that, as we had booked a premier room, we have a top floor room with a nice view and a double bed. I understand that these requests are subject to availability. However I did question why our allocated bedroom was on the lowest floor when we had requested a high floor. The receptionist said that they did not receive this request. She did not try to give us an alternative bedroom on a higher floor. |Both the decor and furnishing of the premier room was minimally furnished We had twin beds and the view was of a busy street overlooking a row of ageing small buildings. Definitely not a remotely nice view. The socket for the coffee machine was placed in a very awkward place underneath the unit and we had to crawl underneath the unit to change the plug to use the kettle for a cup of tea. |The breakfast was awful. All the “hot food” was not even a little warm. It was cold and the eggs were hard and dripping in the oil they were cooked in. The selection of fruit was minimal. |We will not be returning to a Barcelo/ Occidental hotel again as this is the second bad experience we have had with the group.

Wonderful stay at this hotel. Perfect position right in the centre of Faro. Restaurants right outside the door. 5 min walk from bus and train station. Friendly staff very helpful. Room was very spacious and clean. Tea and coffee provided. Bathroom water pressure was great. Wifi worked well. Beautiful rooftop bar and restaurant with amazing views over Faro. Pool was not heated so did not use but would be great on a hot day. Breakfast choice was huge hot and cold. 5-10 min walk from old town. Highly recommend this hotel.

Great location lol We stayed on the 3rd floor which apparently is right underneath the rooftop bar. There were chairs scraping the ceiling of our room making noise all throughout the night. We had to put a towel underneath the door to prevent the super bright hall lights from coming in. The front desk person told me that they could offer me another room but "it would be even worse" because it's on the 1st floor on the corner near the street. So even the employees acknowledge how horrible the noise is. So anyways worst place to sleep ever. Pick literally any other place. I asked for some sort of refund or coupon because of our horrible experience. He said no and handed me a card with a corporate phone number to call. I called the number, it said about a paragraph in Portuguese then hung up. Terrible customer service! Oh yeah the plastic furniture was stained. But hey nice view of the marina 🤣

Perfect location for a stop over or longer break in Faro. On the marina a short walk from bus or train station, next to the central shops and the historic area. Our 3rd floor room was modern, comfortable and spacious. The 5th floor offers fantastic views and a balcony for enjoying a drink at sunset. Very good breakfast offering. Dinner also available. We didn’t use the wellness facilities. Professional courteous staff. The Occidental branding has added to the hotel quality.

The rooftop restaurant and breakfast area was excellent as were the room features. Central location was also very handy.||However there was widespread noise from both outside (noisy revellers until 4 am) and on the floor from the room above. Also water ran black from the bath, there were unpleasant odours which hotel attempted to cover up with strong air fresheners and the customer service could be much improved

Stayed 3 nights after the New Year. Hotel is very central, right at the Marina, close to public transport, restaurants, cafes, shops. The roof terrace great with a heated pool. Summertime must be buzzing. Very quiet now. Our “premium” room was good, facing the marina. Windows blocked noises of airplanes and the wind sufficiently, which was an issue in other places we stayed in the city. No bath, but a large shower. Had to be careful with it as water pored into the floor from the shower pedestal. Water was barely warm, not enough to wash hair. Ok in the summer but not in January, and not good enough for 4*. Breakfast choice sufficient and tasty, included hot and cold. Have seen more variety in hotels with less stars, especially, fruit and juices. The offer of a “breakfast box” did not materialise. We booked it personally at the reception the evening before together with a transfer to airport for a 7am departure without any issues. In the morning we were told that there’s no record of it. We were questioned if we booked it too late (9.30-10pm), as if we were to blame. Not impressed. Transfer to the airport relatively expensive at €21. It’s not the hotel charge to be fair, just some company they have an agreement. It was punctual.

Could have been a 5 star review but sadly only merited 3. Nice hotel in a great location near the marina and lots of bars and restaurants. Lovely common areas but the rooms, while clean and spacious, are in need of some care and attention. Also, the television stopped working, and while you don't go to a hotel to watch television it is nice to catch up with the news while you get ready in the morning and freshen up to go out for the evening. Furthermore the staff although generally pleasant were let down by the person on reception at the time of our departure who could not( or possibly could not be bothered to) arrange a taxi to the airport for us.

We had a great experience with Bruno Couto at the front desk. A very professional employee. Knowledgeable in all local sites to see, good local restaurants, & informed us of all the hotel immenities. Kept our bags for a few hours after check-out until we had to catch our bus to Armação de Pera. Bruno is top notch. Give this man a raise.

The views from the rooftop deck are the best in Faro. You can see the entire marina and watch planes land at the nearby airport. The service was great, the menu is extensive and the wine is exclusive. It's a tad bit expensive for the area but worth visiting for a drink.