- Algarve Holidays
- Tavira
- AP Cabanas Beach and Nature
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AP Cabanas Beach and Nature
Portugal, Europe
Tavira
Built in 2004, this complex comprises a total of 96 apartments as well as 2,000 m² of pleasant gardens. Located close to the beach, guests are welcomed in the foyer with a reception area, a safe and a currency exchange desk. Further facilities include an air-conditioned à la carte restaurant, a bar, a café, Internet access (for an added fee), WLAN access point and a TV room. Room service and laundry service, as well as bicycle rental, are also included in the facilities. Younger guests are offered a kids club and a playground to let off steam. Those arriving by car may take advantage of the car park or garage facilities.
Facilities
- Volleyball
- Spa treatments
- Massage*
- Sauna
- Entertainment programme for adults
- Sun loungers
- Outdoor freshwater pool
- Poolside snack bar
- Private beach area
- Luggage room
- Please note some facilities may incur an additional fee
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.0 Very Good660 reviews
Excellent
50%
Very Good
23%
Average
17%
Poor
7%
Terrible
4%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
3 star hotel perfect if you want peace and quiet all day and night
I’m gutted to be writing this, but where to start. The rooftop bar pool is empty and about the size of a kids paddling pool, the range of food is very limited at the main restaurant, there is 2 other places which have set menus that you have to book however don’t get choice as it is a set menu. Drinks are good however have to talk your room card as well as show your all inclusive wristband which led to panic as thinking you were being charged for drinks. I would say this is more a 3 star hotel, it is perfect if you want a quiet get away with no distraction as it is very quite with very little entertainment throughout the day and especially in the evening. Was so excited to be going here but was hugely disappointed with the trip and especially food on offer.
Relaxing break
Myself & my partner stayed for a week all inclusive at the start of August. We had a pleasant stay and would recommend the hotel for those wanting a relaxing time in an adults only (14+) environment.
The setting of a nature reserve is a real selling point. The hotel has a beautiful view/surroundings.
Rooms are minimalist, clean and calming.
Reception staff are always friendly and nothing is too much trouble.
Bar staff work incredibly hard (there can sometimes be a substantial queue for drinks due to popularity). There is a good range of drinks available with all inclusive (including cocktails from a machine—go all inclusive premium if you want cocktails mixed by bartender).
There is no fight for a sunlounger near the pool and the pool has a peaceful atmosphere throughout the day, until early evening when a slightly more upbeat DJ set readies people for the evening most days. There is also the option of a rooftop bar (opens at 5) and pool, which we didn’t use much but which looked beautiful.
The hotel also provide a free boat across the water (1 min journey) to the beach. It is a 5-10 min walk to the boat and a 5-10 min walk to the beach at the other side. Unlike the boats belonging to other hotels, there was never any wait for the AP Cabanas boat, meaning a lovely morning could be spent at the beach before returning at lunch time for an afternoon by the pool. It was a beautiful beach, well worth the journey.
Entertainment staff also work very hard & somehow have endless energy! They are always friendly and smiling. There are a large range of fitness activities taking part around the hotel in the day, with the most popular being aquazumba at 4:30 (great fun and sometimes felt like all guests were in the pool joining in!). The same staff delivering fitness activities also circulate sunbeds with snacks during the day, which is a nice touch, but entertainment is not ‘in your face.’ You are not hassled to join in like at some hotels.
Evening entertainment is equally unobtrusive. Most evenings, there is a DJ or live musician playing in one of the bar areas, whilst people relax and enjoy drinks/games amongst themselves. Avoid the hotel if you like a very lively atmosphere/grand entertainment. A few people had a short dance some nights, but generally people keep to themselves and enjoy the company of those they are visiting with.
Lastly, the food. This one is more complicated for us as we are vegan. There was a buffet with a wide choice for other guests at every meal (and other guests were also catered for at two other restaurants on site which could be booked the day before and which looked lovely for adding some variety to their experience). There also seemed to be plenty of vegetarian food available. For us vegans there was usually one/two main course options and plenty of sides we could have at each meal, which we were happy with (we understand the limitations of our dietary choice). However, there were one or two occasions where we arrived and there was no vegan option at all. We feel that the hotel should consistently have at least one vegan option at each meal (the lentil stew and vegetable chilli for example were delicious!). Similarly, we were pleased to find vegan yoghurt at breakfast and vegan milk behind the bar, but no vegan butter/spread anywhere in the hotel (which could have been a challenge for lactose intolerant guests too). Overall we were able to eat surprisingly well despite our limitations, but feel that consciously taking vegetarian/vegan guests into consideration with a few tweaks (including clearer labelling) could improve the hotel even further.
Finally, some tips for prospective guests:
- Bring some euros in cash even if you are all inclusive. You will need these as a refundable deposit on pool towels (10 euros each) and to rent sunloungers at the beach (two beds and an umberella is 15 euro for a half day, 19 euro for a full day).
- Bring insect repellent and bite cream. The hotel do what they can with citronella candles, but of course outdoor spaces on a nature reserve are going to have mosquitoes etc.
Great hotel
One of the best ,most welcoming hotels I think I've ever stayed in. A lovely welcome drink on arrival and you could just feel the friendlyness right away. A ten minute walk to Cabanas and there's a great choice of cafes and restaurants. But if you want just eat in at the hotel there's a terrific buffet restaurant which has something for everyone, then there's the Rios which has more specialty dishes. Most days at the pool there was water aerobics which looked fun, during the course of the day some of the staff would walk among the sun loungers offering all sorts of refreshing melon, on other days it would be donuts or cakes., all as part of the service. The rooms are excellent all the staff were so friendly. I honestly can't praise them or the hotel enough.
Review by pubspyer Scotland, United Kingdom
Lovely family holiday
Had a wonderful holiday at AP Cabanas in July 2026. Have so much to say so will try and categorise. Rooms: was in 444 with my late teen kids in adjoining room 445. Close to reception/bar/pool and main restaurant. Cannot fault maid service. Rooms have plenty of storage which is lacking on so many other hotels. Lots of space for all clothes/bags/suitcase. Balcony is close to a sprinkler so don't get caught out with towels over the railings overnight like we did. Lovely comfortable beds and air con was excellent. Pool area: no problem getting loungers - big plus!! Food: excellent throughout. We were AI and there was lots of choose from every day. Best food I've had in AI to date. The osso buco was a particular highlight as was the chilli. Fresh pizza every lunch time- great of you are not wanting anything too fussy and gorgeous salads/fresh fruit. Drinks: would like bigger cups for soft drinks - particularly during the day as drink gallons of fizzy water. Small cups not adequate for me but that is personal choice. Location: at the end of a very busy street but very quiet. Overlooking the nature reserve and it is very true what people have said about the mosquitoes - do not underestimate how much repellent you will have to take - we went through 3 bottles plus were wearing the bands and still got some bites. The hotel do what they can with citronella candles etc. The town itself is charming with lovely shops and places to eat. Loved it at the weekend with all local families walking along the road. Not commercialised in any way. Very nice. Walk to town takes about 10 mins. Beach: we never took the hotel boat to the beach instead got one from town for €1.50 return each. This takes you right to the boardwalk to access the beach which is absolutely stunning! Golden sand as far as you can see. Waves were mega so be careful if not a strong swimmer. Entertainment: aqua Zumba at 4:40 every day was great fun. The team are excellent at what they do. Very approachable and friendly. Loved the extras - melon and strawberries served on a platter at 12 each day - entertainment team come round all the loungers to offer. Saxophone player one afternoon really got the place going but all in all unobtrusive approach to entertainment - no one with a microphone shouting at you. All very understated - just perfect. We also went a day trip to Monte Gordo which the reception staff arranged by taxi. €40 each way. Another cracking beach and nice town. Evening entertainment was varied - singer/dj each night. Enjoyed it all. Would recommend this hotel, had a lovely time and would not hesitate one of the other AP hotels.
Review by gerreilly5 Glasgow, United Kingdom
Fantastic hotel, lovely holiday
We stayed here for a week in July on aJet 2 holiday, going all inclusive ‘premium’.
Hotel info
The hotel is lovely. Very clean. Modern.
High standards of customer service. Staff were unfailingly efficient, professional and friendly.
Some nights there was live music or a DJ on, but otherwise not loads of entertainment. It’s mostly a chill out sort of hotel. Never had a problem getting a sun lounger. There were some fitness things on during the day (Pilates, acquazumba, etc) - we didn’t try any of them but the acquazumba people looked like they were having fun.
There is a gym and spa which was free to use (€5 for a swim hat, card only) and treatments available which you had to pay for.
You leave a 10€ deposit (in cash) for a pool towel, and clean towels are 1€.
There were quite a few mosquitos around in the evening. It seemed particularly bad the night we went to the Grill restaurant. Even with repellent on.
Rooms
Rooms were nice, but not large, with a small balcony. Very good air con, small fridge, kettle. No iron or board, though I got an iron from reception. Shower gel but no conditioner. Double beds were two singles pushed together.
There are two glass bottles of water in the room when you arrive. They are not replaced but you can fill them up at the bar.
Housekeeping come in every day to tidy up. Leave your towels on the floor if you would like them changed.
Food
There are three restaurants (the main buffet, called Flor de Sal, in a separate building to one the reception is in) and then two which you had to book (Grill which was by the pool and Ria which was inside the main hotel building). We tried each of the two bookable ones but mostly stuck to the buffet.
Then there is a day pool bar, day/evening terrace bar and an evening rooftop bar. the rooftop bar in particular is a lovely space.
Buffet breakfast was served in Flor de Sal, with a slightly smaller / quieter offering in the hotel lobby. There was an omelette station in the lobby breakfast area.
The food was good, and less repetitive than most AI buffets. One of our party was vegetarian and one vegan and there were food options for them (limited for the vegan).
There was a good choice of drinks, which were well made and generous pours. But draft mixers, which let them down a bit. It seemed a bit random whether you got a glass or plastic glass.
Out and about
There is not much around the hotel other than holiday apartments (and of course the very beautiful nature reserve).
About a 10 minute walk from the hotel there is a free shuttle boat which takes you to the beach. Well, it takes you across to the sandbar then it’s a 15 walk to the beach which is on the other side of the sandbar. Nice beach, Atlantic waves. You can hire two sun loungers and an umbrella for 20€ per day, 15€ for a half day. No loos that I could see.
Cabanas village is about a 15 minute walk, a few shops, cafes and restaurants and a nice for a stroll along the boardwalk. It looked like there were boat trips from there.
Tavira is about 10 minutes in an Uber and well worth a day there. Lovely historic town, nice restaurants.
We did a Jet2 trip to the ‘historic western Algarve’ which was great, really interesting (but quite a long time on a coach).
We also took an Uber to Praia do Barril and got the tourist train to the beach. Lovely beach, lots of facilities (loos, restaurants, umbrella hire). Quite busy.
Review by AwayFromLondon Edinburgh, United Kingdom
