As Cascatas Resort & Spa Vilamoura

We are 2 adults and two kids, 10 and 14, recently staying at As Cascatas in a ‘2-bed luxury apartment’. Just under €2k for 6-nights half board in late October. While of course not as luxurious as a top end 5-star hotel the price is a lot lower too, and we found this complex good value, especially compared to other options in the Algarve for higher prices with less facilities. The apartment was a little scruffy looking and showing its age as other reviewers have noted (complex opened in 2007) but still decent quality and furnished fine. Furniture and fittings are not in new condition but apartment is spacious and has nice touches like master bedroom twin sinks and surround sound lg tv and audio system in main lounge. Colour schemes are dated but fine. Our room was cleaned every day. Restaurant staff, reception and everywhere around the complex are super-friendly, accommodating and professional. The Portuguese staff are warm and welcoming and have a calm and quiet demeanour. Cilantro restaurant is excellent and the half board menu really impressive. 3 course a la carte meal including several good vegan options. This really exceeded our expectations as we had assumed all meals would be buffet and it didn’t cost much extra. The lunch time bar / restaurant has standard pool food fare and is okay, but using the half board option for evening dinner is much better value. Games room is nice for the kids the odd day of poor weather - table tennis table, pool table, air hockey are nice, with some very old school games arcades. Sometimes the machines swallow your coins without letting you play! The spa is a gem, As Cascatas guests pay €25 for adults and €15 each for the kids to get in during family hours (945am - 1130am). It’s a very decent spa and well finished - and to allow kids in is something most places don’t even allow at all. Outdoor pools are not heated but there’s a small heated indoor pool - more for kids really as quite shallow. Rooms in As Cascatas not as opulent as in the Hilton but you get to use all the Hilton’s facilities so it’s a good value place to stay. The gardens and outdoor areas are well-kept despite their age and everything was clean and tidy. There’s a spar mini-market shop 10 mins away and the odd restaurant. Willies is a Michelin gourmand restaurant right beside the property but we didn’t bother with it with the kids. We also had a car hire for the week which we could park for free beside reception. Pinhal golf course just beside the resort also, just outside the Hilton lobby, you can rent clubs and shoes etc in the hotel lobby or at the clubhouse. You will find more sparkling resorts but you will pay a lot more for them. This is a good value, well-run place with an excellent staff to look after you.

Having had a lovely holiday in this hotel my experience has been completely spoiled by the fact that my credit card was charged twice on check out. I emailed the hotel on 3rd September, they replied on 4th September with no apology but they promised to refund my card. I didn't receive anything so I called the hotel on 8th October and was asked to forward my email correspondence which I did. I still have had no response to this email and no refund. Very poor customer service, be careful to check your payments to this hotel.

Stayed with family in a three bedroomed apartment and had a wonderful stay. Apartment was lovely with everything you could want and cleaned every day. Facilities amazing with a great breakfast and access to the Spa Circuit. We also took advantage of the Hilton Bus to the Marina on several occasions. All the staff were amazing snd girls on Reception couldn’t do enough for us.

We have just returned from our stay in the apartments. As annual visitors I’m sorry to say this will be our last time in the Hilton as it no longer warrants a 5 star rating. 1) the apartments have become very dated and tired looking. Room 217 was just tired everywhere.. the bathroom door frames all boast with water damage, generally tired furniture and lots of tiles which are loose that every time you walk on them there is almost a crack! We also had ants and cockroaches in the apartment which is the first time ever we had seen this! Also in the bedroom the tv was unwatchable as it was all lines and clearly no longer functional 2) the cleanliness has definitely dropped.. rubbish lying on our corridor floor which remained for the week. Also when clearing the apartment on the last day we found someone else’s dirty sock under the bed 3) the apartments pool the jets no longer work and there is unsightly scum round the tiles… also the sun beds padding is dirty 4) the main Hilton pool also looking really tired with the rocks paint all peeling off 5) the toilets at the apartment pool are awful.. the floor is so dirty and on the last day we went to shower here in the ladies room to discover the shower head was snapped off and the cold tap unable to turn so no ability to shower the children in scalding temperature 6) some of the pool towels are only fit for the bin! 7) we went to the hotel bar one evening as it was the option for food(Tuesday) .. on sitting down I was told there was no children’s menu available? How in a family hotel can there be no children’s options? I had to buy the children an 18 euro burger and ask for it totally plain.. totally overpriced and not acceptable to not cater for children here 8) we were tortured with mosquito bites at the pool.. again never had this in all my years of coming here.. perhaps it’s a bad year but not pleasant All in all I have just found the whole resort has went downhill.. it no longer warrants to be called a 5 star and I don’t feel good value for money was here sadly!

We found this little Gem back in 2017 having stayed at the Hilton end on many occasions, came back 2018 and 2019 and this holiday is the first time back since Covid due to travel restrictions. Like all hotels in general, prices have more or less doubled which is disappointing. Many of the staff from back in the day from both the Hilton end and the As Cascatas end are no longer there from before Covid time, which is a shame. If I am honest, the hotel (and Hilton side) has lost a little bit of the friendly feel it had. It did not feel the welcome upon arrival, or when speaking to the staff in general. It had a different feel this holiday. Still a great place close to the Marina, but far enough away you have the peace. Spacious, house keeping are excellent everywhere clean, tidy and lovely. Before Covid, they were cracking down on sun bed hoggers, placing towels down at 8, then going away for the morning. Despite the signs saying towels will be removed after an hour, those beds were lying empty for long periods, when you had couples and families looking for sun beds. It used to be a problem, then the cracked down on it, however the problem is back and very annoying. I just hope that they control the prices a little, as if it keeps going up, may have to look else where.

Our recent stay In the Hilton Vilamoura totaaly exceeded our expectations. From check-in to leaving we met the most professional,committed staff. Special thanks to Teresa who organised bubbly , port & cake for my husband's birthday dinner. Viktoria & Sara for being so good with the smallies. We would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for 5 star experience in Vilamoura. Thanks to all