Perched above the Atlantic on Albufeira's coastline, Sao Rafael Suites is a handy base for an Algarve golf break, with three popular courses close by and a proper 5-star setup when you're off the fairways. If you like the simplicity of an All Inclusive stay, it works well for groups, especially when you want to keep the sums straightforward over a long weekend.
You're also well placed for mixing golf with a bit of downtime. Sao Rafael Beach is around five minutes on foot, while Albufeira's restaurants and bars are a short cab ride away when you fancy heading out after your round.
Getting here is straightforward too. Fly into Faro and you're looking at around 45 minutes by road. Once you've checked in, you've got Salgados, Morgado and Alamos within easy reach, plus four pools, a spa and a choice of bars for the evenings.
Who is this for?
Golfers and groups chasing guaranteed sun, easy course access and the simplicity of all-inclusive pricing in a proper resort setting. Couples and societies will both find what they need here, whether that's beach time between rounds or a base close enough to Albufeira's nightlife without being in the thick of it.
Who is it best for?
Groups who want their golf trip sorted from start to finish, with no hidden costs and a hotel that understands what golfers need: space to store clubs, decent food on tap, a bar showing live sport and rooms comfortable enough to recover in after 36 holes in the heat.
Accommodation at Sao Rafael Suites – All Inclusive
All 105 suites come with large private balconies facing either the gardens or the ocean, so you're waking up to a view whichever room you land. Air conditioning is standard, essential in summer, along with flat-screen satellite TV, in-room safe, telephone, hairdryer and mini-bar. The suites themselves are spacious and styled with a clean, modern finish, nothing fussy, just well-appointed rooms that work for golfers who need somewhere comfortable to collapse after a long day on the course.
The hotel sits within landscaped Mediterranean gardens that give the whole place a relaxed, resort feel without the chaos of larger complexes. Four swimming pools are spread across the property, three outdoor and one heated indoor option for cooler months or early starts. If you're anything like me, you'll want a quick post-round dip before dinner, and the pool setup here makes that easy.
The spa offers hot stone massage therapy, jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish bath, ideal if your back's protesting after hauling a bag around Salgados in 30-degree heat. There's also a tennis court, football pitch and a well-equipped fitness centre with cardio machines and free weights for anyone who actually wants to train on holiday.
For food, the main buffet restaurant covers breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks throughout the day, all included. It's the kind of setup that works brilliantly for groups, everyone eats when they want, no waiting for reservations or splitting bills. If you fancy something more refined, Tascaria serves Portuguese a la carte in the evening, proper regional cooking done well. The Suites Lounge handles drinks and live sport, while the Lobby Bar has a pool table and stays open through the day.
Off-site, Restaurante Ramires in Albufeira has been serving Portugal's signature chicken piri piri since 1964, it's the real deal and worth the short trip. Down at Sao Rafael beach, the beach bar does drinks and snacks with your toes in the sand, and if you want to try Caldeirada, a traditional fish stew that sums up Portuguese coastal cooking, this is the place.
The hotel is located in Sesmarias, 45 minutes west of Faro Airport and a stone's throw from Albufeira.
Sao Rafael Suites – All Inclusive Reviews
Overall rating:9 / 10
Hotel reviews
9.09 / 10
Bar / Restaurant
8.2 / 10
Facilities
8.8 / 10
Location
8.2 / 10
Room comfort
9 / 10
Staff
9.2 / 10
Value for money
9.2 / 10
8 / 10
It's our forth time to the hotel, a very good hotel with good staff, Al a carte has changed to Italian this year prefer the old meau but still enjoyable meal.
10 / 10
Room was excellent, bar was okay, staff were very helpful and friendly. The only let down was the food although very good and plentiful it was warm and not hot.
8 / 10
The food was poor (2 out of 5) and was generally cold. This spoiled the hotel experience as the hotel was generally good.
10 / 10
Great time!
10 / 10
Excellent
10 / 10
8 / 10
8 / 10
Fantastic hotel, I booked it for my 50th along with 11 others, transfers to & from the hotel to the golf courses we played were superb always on time never late. If you wanted anything just ask a member of staff at the front desk and they would sort it no problem. I would highly recommend this hotel.
8 / 10
Very nice hotel.
Accommodation was spacious and comfortable but coffee and tea making facilities would have been appreciated.
2 pools which were very picturesque.
Breakfast was very good and lunch was excellent but evening meal could have been better.
10 / 10
Nice, clean and well run hotel, activities team were very friendly and good fun, a good variety of evening entertainment too. Staff very helpful and food was up to standard especially the two nights in the a la carte restaurant.
6 / 10
Room ok.shower pipe hanging off wall.plaster off a wallin sitting room.cleaners not up to it.sometimes left only one towel sometimes more.found towels on my bedside table one day.cleaning had been done.foodin restaurant never hot.first in for breakfast one morning bacon cold sausage cold eggs cold.at dinner time main items were only warm no more.balcony chairs were the most uncomfortable chairs I have ever sat on.entrtainment quite good.outside pool area very good .overall not a five star.and I would not go back.
10 / 10
2nd time at the hotel and all very good.
8 / 10
Very good hotel. Only one negative which was lack of variety in the
buffet restaurant.
8 / 10
Rooms are lovely, comfrtable and all you need. Showers are amazing. Staff a really friendly and helpful especially on the check in desk. Food was so so, wasn't amazing and neither were the cocktails but the stay overall was lovely
8 / 10
10 / 10
A clean and comfortable hotel
10 / 10
We only have positive things to say about the hotel, food and most importantly, the staff
8 / 10
Everything about the hotel was great. The only reason I have marked it down is the following. The food while plentiful is never hot enough. This is a shame because although we all enjoyed the holiday we ate out a few times.
10 / 10
Been here four times now for a golf weekend - it's ideal. Close to Salgados golf course, walking distance from a lovely beach, pools are blue rather than brown (as in some of the other hotels) and the rooms are lovely. Will keep coming back!
10 / 10
All in all the Hotel was perfect in every way, accomodation, food etc, all very good.
8 / 10
6 / 10
The hotel was in a nice location and the staff were pleasant, The main thing is to let the hotel down where the food was not up to standard pretty much the same every day and only ever lukewarm. The Wi-Fi was not good at all and as for the showers in the room these were ridiculously small you could hardly move in them. As for the bar only a few budget drinks available,if the hotel sort out these things would be a nice place to go.
10 / 10
Very clean, staff friendly, food was enjoyable, nice location and rooms were spacious.
8 / 10
I found the food very bland and lacking in flavour but the quality was good
10 / 10
We last stayed here 3 years ago and the hotel is still just as good.
Staff were very helpful, the transfers were well organised.
Food was good quality and plenty of options.
Rooms were good size and clean.
Only thing missing was the tea making facilities.
10 / 10
Did not get one complaint from any member of our party
6 / 10
Poor quality food
8 / 10
The pool bar was not open in the afternoon, so quite a trek to go to upstairs bar, and obviously swimwear not allowed.
Food in general was good but not very hot. However, the one visit to the Al la Carte was good.
10 / 10
10 / 10
Good hotel ,we’ll treated by staff,nice rooms ,ideal golfers trip
10 / 10
6 / 10
Rooms were fine, food was average (not as good as Turkey), drinks were fine. Staff were fine but we got into a bit of an argument about shuttles (don't think this was a staff issue but higher up but swiftly sorted out by Your Golf Travel for which we were very grateful. They would not change the time of our shuffle when we managed to book a second round. This second round could only be booked at the course so no way to give more than about 8 hours notice but didn't really know what their problem was. Got one of our tee times wrong and a bit slow to back down as we had a voucher from them with the correct time on it! Could be a bit noisy with inconsiderate golfing parties. Is there really a need to shout at the top of your voice to someone 3ft away?
8 / 10
Service was excellent - rooms a little small for four adults
10 / 10
10 / 10
10 / 10
Fantastic Hotel
6 / 10
Warm welcome on arrival and room ready well before the agreed availability. However we were on the groundd floor in room015 which was next to the Kiddies day care centre so very noisy throughout the day. We were also disappointed with hour long it took us to transfer to the golf each day, espacecially Morgado and Alamos. The coach came to us first and dropped us off last so we often were out of the hotel for 9 hours to complete one round of golf. We got so frustrated we organized private transfers for the last few days. Local beaches were nice
8 / 10
Could do with another bar as it gets very busy and loud golf transfer could be better ala cart restaurant poor would be better turning it into another bar, food very good great choice
10 / 10
Lovely, spacious room. Good pool areas with plenty of loungers. Food and drinks were not 5 star quality.
8 / 10
My friend and I had a 3 night stay and 2 rounds of golf. The trip was brilliantly organised by Yourgolftravel from start to finish. The transfers to the hotel and the golf transfers went like clockwork.
I will definitely use your golf travel again in the future.
8 / 10
I had visited this complex when just built as I was staying in the area and it hasn't went downhill since opening
The adjoining rooms are a bit tedious as anyone who goes to bed last needs to go through the Bedroom of the ones who went before and seeing as its a free bar until 12 it can be a bit late until everyone in bed
I would have preferred individual suites as the hotel wasn't very busy on arrival but certainly was on leaving
Pools were too cold to try and you had to buy a hair cap to use the indoor pool ( opens after 10.00 am )
Food was excellent but the cocktails on offer came from a drinks machine and were a pale imitation of the real deal
8 / 10
Hotel was very clean the rooms very spacious and the food and drink was average but definitely worth the money
10 / 10
Great hotel, very clean, friendly staff and the food was great. Nice big apartments too
8 / 10
Good hotel, very clean, friendly and efficient staff. Only down side is its stuck in the middle of nowhere, a £10 cab ride to town.
10 / 10
8 / 10
10 / 10
Rating based on the free upgrade to the Atlantico we got.
Only downside was the distance from the first 2 courses - definitely stay there again. only downside was the lack of time we got to use the facilities but not YGT fault
8 / 10
10 / 10
Really good hotel, the only downside was that for a mixed group of golfers the suites have two double beds and separate bath/shower rooms but you have to walk through the first bedroom to get to the second so privacy is an issue.
8 / 10
Very nice room, Eatalian restaurant was a little disappointing. Slight problem with some lost property which was eventually resolved after we contacted Yourgolftravel.com.
10 / 10
This is a great hotel with all anyone would need at your disposal
The food is totally fantastic, for breakfast you would find it hard to think of anything they have not got all displayed in a perfect condition - all the foods were just perfect and met with everyones tastes first class. The drink selection was also good and as a all inclusive money is something you really did not need at the hotel.
Very good certainly worth another visit.
10 / 10
The hotel was very good, rooms plenty big enough with sensational soft beds and pillows. food good if not repetitive and bar area not very big but drinks selection very very good.
10 / 10
Our stay this year was excellent. The weather was perfect, hotel brilliant, selection of food was as always first class. Golf at Salgados and Morgado courses was most enjoyable.
The only small complaint was the long wait at Faro airport for the transfer to the hotel on the 18th September. At least half an hour before the driver turned up, and that was after I phoned the office to find out what had happened to our driver.
10 / 10
Very clean and with staff that could not be more attentive. Nice pool area and entertainment in the bar each evening.
10 / 10
Hi Ian
Our stay at Sao Rafael suites was a most enjoyable experience.From our arrival to our departure the staff were very helpful and friendly. The food was fantastic and available throughout the day and evening.The rooms were roomy and comfortable.
10 / 10
hotel and staff very accomodating
10 / 10
Alamos
My caddy tip: "Know how far you hit your clubs"
Stableford score: 32
Salgados
My caddy tip: "Be straighter rather than long"
Stableford score: 29
Handicap: 18
10 / 10
Alamos
My caddy tip: "Keep on the fairway, play safe. "
Stableford score: 28 or less.
Morgado
My caddy tip: "Be patient, chances to score will come."
Stableford score: 30
Salgados
My caddy tip: "Keep away from the water."
Stableford score: 31
Handicap: 14
8 / 10
Alamos
My caddy tip: "Be straight"
Stableford score: 28 or less
Morgado
My caddy tip: "Be straighter"
Stableford score: 32
Salgados
My caddy tip: "Keep straight & out of the water"
Stableford score: 30
Handicap: 7
10 / 10
Alamos
My caddy tip: "Keep on the fairway "
Stableford score: 32
Morgado
My caddy tip: "Enjoy, it is a fantastic course."
Stableford score: 30
Salgados
My caddy tip: "Keep straight & out of the water. Enjoy the course"
Stableford score: 36
Handicap: 15
10 / 10
Alamos
My caddy tip: "Can't remember specific holes but they were all good, very hilly so get a buggy "
Stableford score: 32
Salgados
My caddy tip: "All very nice, but take lots of balls."
Stableford score: 30
Handicap: 16
8 / 10
Morgado
My caddy tip: "Use the hills wisely"
Stableford score: 36
Salgados
My caddy tip: "Dont be afraid of using driver"
Stableford score: 38
Handicap: 23
8 / 10
Alamos
My caddy tip: "Get a buggy"
Stableford score: 35
Salgados
My caddy tip: "I would imagine if it's windy it's very tough"
Stableford score: 39 or more
Handicap: 12
8 / 10
3rd hole (par 5 tornado) was superb!
Stableford Score - 33
Handicap - 8
8 / 10
No particularly sparkling holes. Hotel was only OK, even though it was all inclusive. The Hotel did not know what bain-maries were for. The hot food was always left on bain-maries which were not switched on. I complained numerous times but no one listened.
Stableford Score - 37
Handicap - 12
10 / 10
Excellent.
My Caddy Tip - Play the course.
Stableford Score - 28 or less
Handicap - 20
6 / 10
Hotel was good but had no swimming pools open.
Handicap - 22
10 / 10
First class.
My Caddy Tip - Watch the driver as you can run out of fairway occasionally, especially at Salgados.
Stableford Score - 34
Handicap - 14
10 / 10
Very friendly staff at the hotel and the suites are excellent.
My Caddy Tip - Just enjoy the sunshine and the course.
Stableford Score - 37
Handicap - 14
8 / 10
Salgados is the best of the 3 courses and near the hotel. Lots of water so need lots of golf balls!
My Caddy Tip - Just enjoy the sunshine and the course.
Stableford Score - 34
Handicap - 10
10 / 10
They are all interesting.
My Caddy Tip - Keep it left on the first
Stableford Score - 28 or less
Handicap - 18
10 / 10
Can't pick a favourite hole and I enjoyed them all. Hotel was fantastic.
My Caddy Tip - Play to your handicap.
Stableford Score - 33
Handicap - 18
10 / 10
Hotel and staff were first class.
My Caddy Tip - Steer clear of the water hazards.
Stableford Score - 28 or less
Handicap - 24
10 / 10
The first 2 holes on Los Alamos were excellent with plenty bunkers to play out of. The last 2 on the Morgados were excellent and had a very difficult par three followed by a long par 5 with lots of bunkers to contend with.
My Caddy Tip - Play short on Los Alamos 17th.
Stableford Score - 34
Handicap - 15
8 / 10
All three courses were excellent. Salgados was by far the best but very hard for a high handicapper! If you cannot hit straight, you may find it frustrating. Hotel is lovely (if a bit soulless) and too remote, but well organised for golf.
My Caddy Tip - Leave your driver in your bag on Salgados.
