Arrived at the Tivloi Arade after an easy early morning flight with transfers booked directly through the hotel for a very reasonable price. Check in was as smooth as anything the guy on reception couldn't have been nicer. Our room was ready and we were surprised by how large it was. A huge,comfy bed,lovely clean and well stocked bathroom and even a little kitchenette with 2 ring hob, microwave,
fridge, kettle and plenty of tea and coffee satchets which were replenished every day. The room was spotless and was cleaned every morning with fresh towels every day.

We went for a walk around the complex and it was beautiul, a lovely big pool, seperate childrens pool and lovely well maintained gardens. There were lots of sunbeds but it was very quiet so it may be a free for all in high season but no probs for us all week. The hotel have included other nice touches around the pool with beautiful covered seating areas and wooden day beds. It made the pool area look almost tropical, we loved it!

The Tivoli Arade is in a nice, quiet location right on the marina and a couple of minutes walk to a lovely big beach. Also it's just a short walk into the main drag of Pria da Rocha(its up some quite steep steps) and although it was out of season and very quiet when we were there I would imagine this resort would be very busy with Brits in high season. There were a few of the usual 'Egg and Chip' bars and Red Rover pubs but these were mostly closed while we were there(thank goodness!)

We were a bit worried about where we'd eat out at night as Dockside restaurant recommended in previous reviews was closed but we found an amazing restaurtant, Jupiter in the Jupiter Hotel on the main drag. The food was so lovely. lots of Portugese specialities, great service and a really reasonable price. We ended up eating there every night and didn't have a bad dish and I think we're quite fussy!

We woke up refreshed after a good nights sleep in the huge, comfy bed and went for breakfast. We were pleasantly surprised with the good selection of breakfast, there's something for everyone and everything we tried was really nice. The breakfast room was lovely and clean with great service from the friendly waiting staff. The view form the breakfast room was nice, overlooking the marina and looking over to Ferragudo and the castle.

We decided we'd like to go over to Ferragudo and explore this pretty town. Its just across the water from The Tivoli Arade and looks really near so we tried to get a boat across. The hotel tried to call the boat man who does the trips but he wasn't answering his phone so we decided to walk there. The guy on reception said it would take us about 40 minutes but it ended up taking us almost 2 hours and we're quite fast walkers. We were knackered but it was a lovely little town so worth it but we couldn't face the walk back so got a cab back which cost 20 euros. Take our advice and get the boat!

We also walked into Portimao which wasn't a very nice place, really built up and dirty. We got a bus to Lagos one day which was a lovely town to visit.

We really enjoyed our cheap little out of season break, the weather was wonderful, warm enough to sunbathe and not a cloud in the sky the whole time we were there.

I reccommend The Tivoli Arade to anyone and we would love to go back there.

I hope you enjoy your stay here as much as we did and have found this review helpful....happy holidays!

I felt the hotel was good value for money off-season. The outlook is lovely looking across the marina and a short walk to the beach with numerous restaurants within walking distance. I stayed in the main block by the pool which was good -there is one block a long walk round the other side of the marina, the main block plus another block heading up towards the beach. My room faced the marina which was nice but did not get the sun. Breakfast was a buffet breakfast with a good selection overlooking the marina again - very nice. Room was clean and tidy with a small kitchenette including a fridge and kettle. Unlike some other reviews I found the staff friendly and helpful. My only real complaint was the room was not cleaned until between 5-6pm which this time of year is when you want to be back there. I think some of the apartments are privately owned which seems a bit strange. Nice pool area but the seagulls do like to swim in it - too cold this time of year to use anyway. Overall I would recommend but nearer a 3 star than 4 star.

Hotel is around a 3*, not a 4*. Hotel trying to go for the boutique style image but doesnt come up to scratch.

Most of the hotel rooms are now privately owned and possibly used for holiday lets, all of which looked pretty empty at the end of October going into early November.

The remainder of the hotel is having touch up work done to it, looks mainly cosmetic. Builders were on site whilst we visited.

Best bits - Breakfast! Plenty to choose from, was the same each day but very nice, bacon, beans, eggs, fresh made bread and gorgeous chocolate cake! Most guests were on B&B basis, the evening meal was taken by around 10% of the guests, it wasnt great but you could generally find something passable, if you go B&B you can pay 20 euros for the evening meal.

The beach at Playe De Rocha is lovely, two sunbeds and umberella cost 5 euros per day and are well worth it.

Worst bits - Reception staff, talk about miserable!! They were often quite rude and quite dismissive, when I complaied about scaffolding being put up outside our room and builders on our roof terrace they said it will be only for a few days, we had only gone for a week! We werent even warned about this before hand or even apologised to for the inconvenience.

Pool - Too cold even for toe dipping, check out the seagulls that land in it every day from around 4pm, they drink it and swim in it! The hotel website says its salt water but it isnt!

They do provide towels if you ask for them at reception if you dare brave the waters, we were there for 1 week and saw two people swim in it, thats not very good, they should have heated it as most people did want to swim.

Drinks, bit of a rip off really, no bar, thats right it doesnt have a bar! Drinks with dinner were farirly pricey, 3 euros for a wine glass size bottle of water so you can guess other stronger stuff is very expensive.

The hotel does not provide any evening entertainment which was a bit of a shame as there is nothing going on in the area when it is out of season. The nearest life is 150 steps climb up to playa de rocha bar area and 85% are now closed, the remainder show football and its very very tacky!

There is a Casino which looks like it might be fun, the hotel attached is more of a 4-5* Hotel and perhaps the Tivoli ought to see what a 4* Hotel offers its guests.

Rooms - fairly basic, nothing special. Some have a poor smell about them, cleaner takes a massive 3 minutes in each room to do her job! Dont bother putting please clean my room now on the handle as she will come when she is good and ready, often its around 4pm onwards just about the time when you want to use it!

Some of the rooms look onto the Marina and some onto the Pool, 50% that look onto the Pool get the sun which is good at this time of the year as the other side doesnt get it and the rooms can be a bit cold, the air con does double up as a heater though.

Just in case anyone wants to know you can get BBC1, ITV1 and BBC4 on the TV so you can take it or leave it!

I would recommend this hotel for older couples who want peace and quiet. Families avoid as nothing to do for the kids, '''nothing''' they will be bored rigid. Young couples may not like this play either, as no where to go too other than sit by the pool and watch the tv!

I was pleased to leave after one week and would not have stayed for a week even if they paid me too!

This place is the perfect location for that relaxing break.
About a ten minute walk from the main strip in Pria da Rocha the hotel is set in the Marina, which is new built (about 2003).
We stayed here at the end of October for a week. The weather was perfect, about 25-26C every day - blue skies all week!
The hotel rooms are great, even a junior suite which we stayed in had a kitchenette (hob, fridge, sink, crockery). Family rooms/suites are even bigger. Room was clean, well decorated with good sized balcony. You either overlook the pool, which is nice, or the marina which was full of beautiful boats if thats your thing. Either way you can't lose!

The pool side loungers are always in the sun if your a worshipper, or you can sit in nice little gasibo type structures if you like a bit of shade. There is a pool side bar which wasn't open, presumbly as the 'holiday' season was over. There is also a ''reserved'' beach area with what we assumed was a bar, which was again unstaffed - dosen't stop you going there with a towel though. The staff onsite were extremely helpful and the maids leave your rooms spotless.

We stayed B&B, and there was plenty to eat at breakfast - cereals, hot food, fruit, pastries etc. If you can eat that much early, you certainly won't need lunch.

Evenings, you can go to one of a few restuarants on the marina or go into Pria de Rocha - we never ate at the hotel as got the impression it was quite expensive in comparison. The main drag isn't massive in all honesty, but has more than enough pizzerias, bars, resturants to choose from. The food is excellent and you must try the fish which is locally caught. We never went into Portimao itself just because of convienence (a long walk/cab ride) but presume that is larger scale.

There are hotels on this main drag if you want to be ''in the action'', but if you want to be close with the peace and quiet, then the Tivoli Arade is perfect.

We would definately stay here the next time we want to unwind.