The Editory By The Sea Lagos Ponta da Piedade

We stayed at this hotel for seven nights. Unfortunately, our experience was far below what you would expect from a five-star property. On the third night, our bathroom flooded due to a leak. At around 3:00 p.m., we called reception and a maintenance employee arrived immediately. After repeatedly checking the area, he assured us that the problem had been completely fixed. However, at around 11:00 p.m. that same night, the bathroom flooded again. I went down to reception and explained the situation. I was told that the hotel was fully booked and that they would contact the front office manager to find a solution. I was asked to wait five minutes. Fifteen minutes later, instead of a solution, a night cleaning staff member was sent to dry the room. After waiting another 30 minutes, I returned to reception and was informed that they still had no solution and that I would need to wait longer. By then, it was almost midnight. A few minutes later, a room suddenly became available. We were moved one floor higher, but the room had two single beds instead of our original setup and worse views than the sea-view room we had booked. The following morning, I returned to reception and requested an immediate transfer to a room of the same category and sea-view standard that I had originally paid for. Once again, I was told that the hotel was fully booked and that I would have to wait. After several more visits to reception and hours of waiting, there was still no solution. What was particularly frustrating was the complete lack of urgency and communication. I repeatedly asked to speak with the manager. After nearly 24 hours of dealing with this issue, I explained that while leaks can happen in any hotel, what matters is how management responds. In a true five-star hotel, if a guest has to change rooms at 11:00 p.m., the first equivalent room available the next morning should be offered immediately. Instead, I spent most of the following day going back and forth to reception with no answers and no resolution. When I finally spoke with the actual manager, he seemed to respond to almost everything by repeating “com certeza” (“for sure” in Portuguese) and insisting that the situation had been handled correctly. He then asked me what I considered to be good service, which I found astonishing given the circumstances. I calmly explained that the problem was not the leak itself, but the hotel's inability to resolve the situation quickly and professionally. To make matters worse, the manager and receptionist often discussed the situation in Portuguese. Fortunately, I understand Portuguese, although I do not speak it fluently. The manager eventually promised that one night of our stay would be refunded as compensation for the inconvenience and distress caused. Two weeks later, no refund had been issued and nobody had contacted me regarding the matter. The most disappointing aspect of this stay was not the maintenance issue itself, but the poor management, lack of accountability, poor communication, and failure to honour the compensation that was promised. On a positive note, the pool area was nice and guests could easily obtain fresh towels throughout the day. However, drink prices were excessive. If I remember correctly, a glass of white wine and a martini cost a total of around €13–14, which felt expensive for what was offered. Overall, I cannot recommend this hotel. A five-star hotel should not be judged by whether problems occur, but by how they are resolved. Unfortunately, in our case, the response fell well below the standards expected from a five-star property.

The hotel itself is visually very appealing, the location is good, and the rooms give a high-quality impression. Unfortunately, our stay was overshadowed by several serious incidents. During our four-night stay, several serious incidents occurred: On multiple occasions, staff entered our room without knocking, once even in the middle of the night. Furthermore, our room door was left open after cleaning, leaving our personal belongings and valuables unsecured for hours. Overall, we felt neither safe nor was our privacy respected. We reported all incidents directly to reception, but they were mostly dismissed as "misunderstandings." It is particularly disappointing that I contacted the hotel several times after our stay to clarify the matter. Since I received no response, I also contacted Booking.com customer service. The hotel apparently did not respond to their inquiry either. For a hotel of this category, we would have expected significantly more professionalism, security, and a better handling of complaints.

Service is chaotic both at breakfast and at the pool bar. Not worth 5 stars at this moment. On a positive note, however, the waiter Hassan makes an effort to keep things running smoothly. A big thumbs up for this waiter.

Very modern, great design, spacious rooms, but on the 9th floor, air comes in even with everything closed; the curtains move and you can hear the wind whistling. I don't understand it; it's so new. The TV spot in the bar is terrible.

The front desk had a mix up with our reso at check in, I believe they gave our room away. They offered us a bigger upgraded room for the confusion and the extra time we waited to be checked in. Our room was okay, far from big and nothing special lol. I found the bed and the room temperature to be uncomfortable at night. The property is nice and the outdoor pool is great. Spa services 10/10, but spa facilities are 6.5. The breakfast buffet looked amazing at first glance but everything was cold. I took an omelette and was unable to cut through it with my fork, and the bacon had a weird film on it. Yuck!

Hassan was excellent at the pool service.

This hotel, less than a year old, is brand new and stylish. The rooms are excellent, very comfortable and bright, and the service is very attentive and friendly, helping us with everything we needed. The breakfast is very complete and highly recommended. The pool is large with plenty of sun loungers. There's a bar serving delicious food like pizzas, hamburgers, sandwiches, and burritos. The hotel also has a gym with machines and weights, and a small spa with jets and saunas.