Royal Sunrise T2 by YHA

The service we received from Ana and Milton was simply fantastic. We were easily able to communicate directly with them without a phone number (email, booking.com or WhatsApp) . They met us at the condo with the keys. We appreciated their time and explanations. After we discovered that the toaster and corkscrew needed replacing, they did so immediately. And Milton showed up on time to return our deposit before we left. It was very quiet at the condo. This wasn't surprising in early March. We appreciated having a washer and drying rack. The heat pumps easily kept the place warm, even on cool dreary days. It was nice having a large table to sit at and there is a selection of chairs. The kitchen was fully equipped. There were lots of towels and blankets for us. The bedrooms had ample storage space. There were many parking spaces available right by the door. We never had an issue finding a spot. There are many nice restaurants a short drive away. The boardwalk located in Cabanas a mere 5-minute drive away is lovely. We suggest parking at the Estacionamento Cabanas de Tavira as it is easy to get in and out of, and easy to get back to the condo.

The main issue we had was the lack of hot water/pressure. We only used the shower in the ensuite bathroom. The hose would get burning hot. However, the water pressure was low. Adjusting the water temperature was tricky. Also, the sides of the tub are very high so we needed to be careful getting in and out. The nespresso machine accommodates solid plastic pods only. It crushes the cheaper aluminium ones. One has to remove both covers on each pod or the machine won't work. The waste produced using these machines is distressing. Also, never leave the kettle on it's base. It will start heating up randomly without pushing down the button. Perhaps this needs replacing too. The floors could have been cleaner. From what was under the beds and in the corners, it seems the whole place needed a good vacuuming. The beds were quite firm. Not a problem for us but not all that comfortable either. Also not an issue since we needed to go up only 1 flight of stairs and we pack light, the lift isn't working. Since it's been out of order for a while, this detail should be removed from the amenities included in the description. To use the stove, we made use of matches that we brought with us. We did not use the oven or the dishwasher. We brought our own laundry soap and dish soap. We didn't use the tiny charcoal bbq. Workers appeared on the balcony to blast off paint and tape around edges in preparation to paint the exterior walls. Silly, we know, but we hope the place is painted another colour. The orangey, pinkish, salmon colour is rather hideous. Still, it makes it easy to find the place.😉

The host (rental manager) was very kind and amiable. They aimed at making our stay the best possible. The price/quality is excellent, perhaps the best in that region. There is everything you need available on the spot.

So the horrible part was the noise. The acoustics in the building are extremely bad. This has to do with the structural build quality. We could hear the neighbors upstairs, next to us, and even those from the building next to us on the same level. Every time anybody took a shower, went to the toilet, talked or moved a chair, it was all being heard. The only solution at night is to put ear plugs in and pray yourself to sleep. The local owners/tenants are very well aware of this issue, and it gets even worse in summer.... where the constant partying and abuse is part of life. Aside from this, the bread toaster was dented and broken. I will never rent in an apartment block again and rather go for a remote (isolated) location