Complaint regarding stay at Carvoeiro Mar

Dagmar · Post by **Dagmar** » Tue May 06, 2003 4:02 pm

I stayed in the Carvoeiro Mar complex (Bubbles Bar) last August with my husband and my little son. We are now suing the travel company Travelalgarve for compensation, mainly because there was a new Mexican restaurant directly underneath our accommodation, preventing the baby from sleeping.
Can anybody help me with the following:
when did the Mexican restaurant open?
is the pool at Carvoeiro Mar open to the general public?
has anybody else complaint about Carvoeiro Mar at all, and in particular about the pool, the restaurant or Bubbles Bar? If yes, when?
could anybody send me pictures of the Mexican Restaurant (preferably from the pool or the road) and of the Bellevue Appartments on Estrada do F

arol (from the road)?
Many thanks.

allocj · Post by **allocj** » Tue May 06, 2003 4:35 pm

Hi Dagmar,

I stayed above the Mexican restaurant at the beginning of last May. It wasn't open at that time but it was not far from being complete, so I guess it opened between mid May and the time you were there. We did have a bit of noise from builders down below, but nothing too much. Must admit we thought the little complex was very nice, obviously not so busy when we were there. The owner of Bubbles Bar was very pleasant but I believe she was selling up as her husband was back in the U.K. due to illness. You may have experienced the new owners. Not sure about the pool being open to public.

Hope this helps

Jason

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 06, 2003 7:33 pm

your sueing because a resturant was under your accommodation...well i would have thought staying more or less anywhere in a holiday resort would have resulted in a resturant if not under well certainly close to where you were staying..perhaps im wrong??

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 06, 2003 7:56 pm

Dear Guest, I don't know where the hell you live or normally holiday but believe me the standard in this resort is 99% not above restaurants. The complex in question is and has been for some time in my personal opinion over aged and needs re development. The restaurant opened last June whist I was out there and would appear to be pretty much ok. The bar had been on the market for at least 18 months due to the illness as stated. The new owners seem to be charging the same extortionate price for a pint as the previous owners which is why it did little business and no doubt the new owners will do the same. The Carvoeiro Mar has never turned away in my opinion anybody from using it's pool as I have used it in the past whist having a "pint". I can't remember ever seeing anyone around that would turn you away anyway! Hope this helps.

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Tue May 06, 2003 8:00 pm

Isn't staying in town and complaining about restaurant noise is the same as staying in a Finca and whinging about the cockerel?

I assume you are suing because the brochure described your accommodation as being "out of resort in a very quiet and peaceful location" otherwise . . .

Maddi

p.s. I'm in a good mood today - not

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 06, 2003 9:16 pm

Maddi, you normally make sense on this site, try reading the problem again. the location could and still has a peaceful and quite location except above the "new" restaurant, which has opened recently if you read carefuly.

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Tue May 06, 2003 11:29 pm

Dear everyone, I am clearly confused, I have read and read this complaint over and over again and still do not understand. Surely the space under the apartment was designated for business use, or did someone suddenly convert what should be a peaceful ground floor apartment to a mexican restaurant. It would also be useful to know how it was advertised in TravelAlgarve.

Did Dagmar research Carvoeiro before she came? I cannot recall any comments or queries about the Carvoeiro Mar from anybody called Dagmar on this bulletin board or on the old one for that matter.

I am sorry if I am appearing thick - but however much I read it I still only see what I saw earlier - so please explain Guest 8.16pm.

I have convinced myself that I am going mad and clearly I have misplaced Carvoeiro Mar

Ranger · Post by **Ranger** » Wed May 07, 2003 1:28 am

I have been reading this posting with interest. Dagmar has asked for some help in the claim against the holiday company, and I am sorry, but I cannot help with the information which has been requested. I do notice that some sparks are starting to fly around, and felt I would like to contribute a few. Surely there has got to be more to this claim than the noise from the restaurant, or everyone who booked a holiday in an apartment, in and around the town would have solicitors knocking on their doors when they got home, in an attempt to sign them up for a claim. There are hundreds of apartments in Carvoeiro, and many of them are above restaurants, with noise, and sometimes music, and I would suggest that this is a fairly normal thing at all holiday resorts. If the baby is a light sleeper, Maddi is quite correct in suggesting that some research should have been done before the booking was made.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 07, 2003 8:32 am

ranger sums it up well...sorry if you come on your holiday and a resturant is under you or below you or near you well i too thought as i stated was par for the course....or does the complainent want all resturants in a specific zone away from apartments. the person does not say what time the rst closed..was it 3am or later...maybe there is a case there...but im afraid that his sounds like someone has been watching too many consumer programmes...

Gerry Cullen · Post by **Gerry Cullen** » Wed May 07, 2003 3:39 pm

Hi,
before dagmar drags this into court,could ye not sort it out in some other way as these things have a nasty habit of getting dirty and what ever pleasure ye got from your break fades fast in the fighting .here in ireland we have become a bit of a"sue nation",so far every childrens playground in ireland is gone due to compo claims.

I kid you not.
While we are on the subject and i have you all here ,did i see right,is that spot above the ice cream parlour up for sale?Looks like the perfect spot for a holiday apt,maybe between three or four of the webmates.Mind you it might be hard to explain that you only came to CARVOEIRO for the beach photos when your family and friends have just watched you staggering across the square with half the local rugby team on that bloody webcam

.No really,if anybody has any details of this property,price,etc.maybe you could post them here.
We were in Armacao de pera for easter and just had to have a look at this caraoeiro that we had heard so much about .It,s some spot,

between the showers the place was buzzin everything seemed to be open and at three in the afternoon the place was just alive .
And lastly,before we went i was extolling the virtues of carrental.com but without having tried them,now all i can say is,i was right.It was 90 euros plus 6 euro per day for excess ins.for a grand big honda something or other.There was no hassle,no messing,no fuss(no petrol either by the way),just big smile,warm handshake and of you go,dropping it back was just the same.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 07, 2003 3:50 pm

i stopped at this resturant today...firstlly i see that the rest. does not open until 5 pm but doesnt say what time it shuts...very few few resturants in portugal stay open longer than 11 pm.

the road outside is not the main road so theres not much traffic, and bubbles bard was shut with n one around the pool although it was sunny.

so perhaps it would be interestly to hear more from our unhappy holiday maker as to what happened!!

Blondelle · Post by **Blondelle** » Wed May 07, 2003 4:21 pm

While I do have real sympathy for Dagmar,Husband &little one,having their holiday spoilt, I do fear,that from what Ive read,seen and heard about , folk seldom get any proper compensation from travel companies, even when the complaints may be of a more serious nature.
Im on side with Ranger and Maddi on this--booking any holiday is a risk especially anywhere as popular as Carvoeiro.
I also agree with Gerry--couldnt this be settled in a more amicable way ?
As its all beginning to sound quite drastic.
Anyway,Dagmar hope youre not put off Carvoeiro for good,that would be sad as its so nice for young families and I do sincerely wish you better luck next time.
Im booked in at the Casa Arcadia for a month from beg.Sept -not been to this one before-its past the Galerea rest. in Estrada do Farol ,then first turning up to clifftops (not Rua Amoreiras I dont think so ) Does anyone know what its like please? It certainly looks very nice with large sunterrace and sea views-but of course,this can be deceiving-------Hope not ! Ellie.

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Wed May 07, 2003 5:46 pm

Having read Gerry's email I am all excited now about the idea of having a Carvoeiro.com visitors shared apartment (can we exclude those who are fortunate enough/rich enough/clever enough to already own a piece of Carvoeiro?).

Our own Carvoiero.com timeshare - I, for one, am in

Maddi

p.s. just the matter of whether it is for sale, what state it is in and how much it would cost - oh well

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Wed May 07, 2003 7:45 pm

Hi Folks,

Sanity has returned and I have taken the trouble to visit the "maligned" TravelAlgarve website and look at the advertising for the property complained about.

I am well aware that the advertising may have changed since Dagmar booked her holiday. However nowhere in the current advert does it say for example "in a quiet and peaceful location" PLUS the photos clearly show it with bar/restaurant seating and the huge potential for it to be hive of activity.

I think I should probably put an end to my comments on this subject now and there are possibly question marks on the quality and calibre of a number of my comments over the last 24 hours on a wide range of topics.

So I shall return when they get the medication right

Maddi

p.s. just a thought TravelAlgarve . . . if you are watching . . .

biffa · Post by **biffa** » Wed May 07, 2003 8:57 pm

I lived in Carvoeiro Mar when it first opened. I don't recall there being an apartment above the restaurant but I had the one on the first floor NEXT to where the restaurant was destined to be. Wonder if this is the apartment concerned I think it was number 4C. Sold it in 1989 just before property slump - thank goodness!

The builder couldn't sell the restaurant space for love or money then but obviously managed it eventually. I have had one meal in the mexican - er - haven't been back yet! It was so quiet then they would have complained if the baby cried!!

The pool (which query nobody answered) is a strange legal conundrum. I don't think the bar owns it but are obliged to maintainn it. It was supposed to be for residents only, 2 persons per bedroom but that has never been respected.

Doesn't help much this does it but it's nice to reminisce!!