Just got back from Praia da Rocha and thought it best to put right some of the comments made by past visitors to the Hotel Jupiter. On arrival, after delayed flight and 2 hour transfer, we were met at the door by a porter who took our luggage directly to our room (don't know where the surly staff were!) and the lady on reception gave us a warm welcome. The room itself was exceptionally clean and the view was stunning. Only minor downside was the lack of storage space. We had been warned prior to departure about building work going on next door but as the workmen were some 30 or 40 feet below street level we hardly noticed it, in fact we spent 6 out of 7 days by the pool and the local busker was more annoying! He should learn the words to "Sailing".
I would agree that this is definitely not a hotel for young families as there are no facilities for kids other than the pool itself.
The resort itself is what you would expect, just bars, restaurants and souvenir shops. The best part of it is the beach which is one of the cleanest we've ever visited but the ridiculous rates charged for sun loungers (10 euros) put us off. The worst part is the street vendors, mainly african, trying to flog you wooden elephants etc. , the gypsies hawking drugs and the kids touting business for the bars and clubs.
One recommendation that we took up was to eat at O Barao, which we did 4 nights out of 7, it was that good. Had a couple of excellent nights in Ireland's Eye (Paddy the punk is a riot) and Taffys Bar where Ian's quiz nights are a great laugh.
Despite what we read prior to our visit we really enjoyed our stay at the Jupiter and will definitely be going back later this year.

The Jupiter is a lovely clean hotel with modern facilities. It is centrally located, across the road from a stunning beach and at the beginning of the 'strip' The beach has little restaurant/bars dotted along the boardwalk, all quite reasonably priced. Great views from Jupiter if you pay for a front sea view with balcony. If you don't ask for this then you will probably be situated at the back of the hotel where you look on to the Irish bars which can I suppose be quite noisy. We were Bed and Breakfast which was OK, breakfast consists of fresh fruit, yoghurt, bread, rolls, scrambled/fried eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, beans, bacon rashers etc. For evening meals the Atlantis restaurant is a must, also very good restaurants are Squash, El Boreo, Titanic to mention just a few, oh and there is also a chippy called Fagans which done the trick on the way home one night!! If its a breakfast/light snack then Dina's is excellent value for money and lovely food. There is building work opposite Jupiter and to be honest it didn't bother us at all. We received a letter from Travel Agent prior to departure offering us a move but I am glad we went.

This hotel is definitely NOT 4 star.
The staff are friendly and the hotel clean but it is very lacking in facilitys. The rooms are basic with small 14 inch TV's. The beds are hard and uncomfortable. There is a outdoor pool that was small and the water luke warm.
The worst part is the breakfast, it was the same every single day. No fresh orange and the coffee is really bad. If it was'nt free you would not buy it.
I would NOT stay there again, there better hotels in the same area which look more 4 star (Hotel Oriental).

Read all the reviews about this hotel before we booked. Felt as though we'd arrived at the wrong place when we checked in! Young girl on reception was most unhelpful and became quite surly. We had requested a room with balconey and sea view but were given a room somewhere at the back of the hotel with no balconey and windows with sills so low that when we opened them for some much needed fresh air we were in danger of falling out. There is no way you would want this room if you had young children! With the help of the Thomas Cook rep we eventually got moved to a room with a balconey and a sea view - for an extra charge! - but not until all the Portugese and Spanish guests who had come for 1 or 2 nights had vacated them! Definitely felt as a Brit that we were second class citizens and at the bottom of the pecking order.