Some years ago, when we were a young family with children, we traveled to many different holiday destinations. The destinations were different but what remained the same was the type of holidays we chose, mostly all inclusive hotels or clubs.
So we fully understand why people book these type of holidays. All the infrastructure of a big hotel, large pools, often near the sea/ beach, and with ample opportunities for activities and sports. And the the food: nothing to do. All you can eat buffets every night. No restaurants to pay, no hassle with local food issues. Transfers are taken care of. It's all included in the price already paid. Most places will also have kiddie clubs or organised baby sitting.
For many people, specially young parents, this is perfect. There is an impression of 'value for money'
Now it occurs to us that we have rarely taken holidays in an 'apartment' style establishment such as our very own Monte-Bougainvillea. Come to think of it, it seems holiday apartments are the main offer in Portugal. There are hotels, clubs and all inclusive deals, but most of the offer is apartments or B&B's. "Breakfast included" seems to be a big attraction for many. And the listing platforms such as AirBnB, TripAdvisor, Booking.com etc are all too keen on having properties listed with 'Breakfast included`.
After a couple of years here and well into our second season we now have a much better appreciation for just how different our offer at Monte-Bougainvillea really is. Different people have different views on what value is, but in a nut shell, here is how we see things from the inside:
In hotels you get the quality beds (sure?) and infrastructure. But you will be in cookie cutter rooms with the possibility of a nice view on the parking lot or better yet the pool with all the brouhaha and noise that go with it. Even if you get a nice room with a nice view, you are just one of many many guests. You are identified by your room number. For food and drinks, prices are 'international' if you see what I mean.
In a B&B you will most often be in basic accommodations in a small and private setting. You will probably be with the owners and maybe only a few other guests. Infrastructure, if any, will be minimal and often shared. This will mostly be a place to sleep, not really a place where you spend your entire days. But breakfast is included. For whatever that can be worth.
In both cases, to get out and about you will need to rent a car.
Renting a car, based on our own experience, is a hassle. First there are the long queues at the rental offices when hundreds of people just off the plane are now all in a hurry to get a car to get to their destination. Then there is the paper work and contracts, in the local language, and the insurance. This is usually the moment you realize that 19.99 per day advert has a lot of small untranslated print at the bottom. After an hour or two you finally have a car and so you rationalize the 39.99 per day real price at the end and you black out from your mind the fact that the car needs to be returned either kilometers away from the airport or sometimes even the day before. From arrival to departure you need to be ready to loose at least a half day at each end, just to get or return the car. Then the hassle of figuring out how to get to the airport the next day. When coming for a week, the prospect of loosing an entire day queuing for your car severely impacts the value of your holidays. Those 5 days of relaxation evaporate into stress and you are not even on your return flight yet. By then you just can't wait to be back home.
In an all-included establishment, the transfers are normally included too. So renting a car is not necessary. Unless you want to go out and visit. And that is the catch. When you paid for an all-included holiday you usually are not keen on paying more for things that are not included. So often people just spend their holiday within the confines of the club/ hotel. You might rent a car for just a day or two to get out and see something else than the club's pool (and all the other people in it). Then there is the food. You already paid for it. Why go out? Some places have incredible buffets with an incredible choice of foods on offer at pretty much any hour of the day. But by day 3 or 4 you realize it's all the same, everyday. The kids go for the pasta or fries and the adults just start eating less, often too late to minimize the dreaded weight gain. Drinks and alcohol are often included too but after a few days you start to wonder if the alcohol in your drink came from the same pharmacy as the aspirin you need in the morning. By the end of your stay you will be dreaming of your home cooked meal in the comfort and silence of your own, un-shared, dinning room.
Then there are the apartments. As mentioned, this is a big part of the offer here in Portugal. In most cases the apartments will be in apartment blocks in an area of the city where there are many many apartment blocks. They may be equipped and furnished but they more often than not include nothing other than the hundreds of other guests and the brouhaha that come with the mass tourism settings. You'll be close to the beach, shops and restaurants but also close to other tourists enjoying holidays from 8 in the morning to 3-4-5-6 in the morning. This is not for those wanting to relax or who need a minimal number of hours of sleep. This is more for those who can afford a vacation to get over their holidays or just do not need much sleep.
So what about us? What's the difference at Monte-Bougainvillea?
The difference is the value for money. We've taken the best of all the options above and added a car at no extra cost.
First, we are just far away enough so that you can count on peace and quiet. Here you can hear the birds. This is not a place to party. This is a place to relax and enjoy. A home base from which you can easily reach the party places. Best of both worlds.
Then in your Monte-Bougainvillea apartment you will have everything you would expect to have like if you where in your own apartment. The furniture and bedding is 4 star hotel grade but you will be in a small private setting. Each apartment is different and has it's own special charm. There are only 5 guest apartments so you will not be sharing with hundreds of people. Nevertheless the gardens and the huge salt pool are big enough to accommodate twice our capacity. Breakfast is not included but we will stock the fridge so you do have something to eat and drink to survive until you get your groceries sorted out. That may sound dreadful but you will have a car and the shops are only 10 minutes away. Open markets and good fresh produce are easy to find and very cheap compared to northern European standards. Our kitchens are well equipped and very functional. Cooking a real healthy meal is relatively simple but if you don't want to you can go the restaurant. This is not to be taken lightly because indeed you should find within 10 -20 minutes from here a wide selection of restaurants for any budget. And whatever your budget may be, restaurants here are very cheap. So the choice is yours, when you want, what you want, where you want for literally a fraction of what it costs back home.
If you want some action you are again very close to the bigger beaches and tourist attractions. Only by the time you are ready to relax again. you can be sure to find your peace at Monte-Bougainvillea. We also handle your transfers. No worries about taxis or rental cars.
So basically the difference is that we offer hotel grade infrastructure in a B&B type private setting with everything included, except instead of food we include the car. Heck, we even provide towels and parasols you can take to the beach and if you take the highway to get there, we include to tolls too!
Some offer breakfast. We offer a car. We sincerely think our offer has better value. All the more considering the tremendously positive feedback we get from our guests.
Finally, the biggest difference, to our humble opinion, is us. Sylvie and I live here. It is our home. We share Monte-Bougainvillea with our guests. So quality and comfort is ensured on site. We do the gardening, we do the cleaning, we do the beds. We make sure everything is according to our high standards by doing it ourselves. For example, even the linen is washed by ourselves in our own laundry room. Sheets are sun dried to ensure clean, crisp, white comfort while towels and bathrobes are tumble dried to ensure they are soft and cuddly. Rooms are cleaned and vacuumed by ourselves, then when the beds are made we re-vacuum a second time before washing the floors. For us everything is hands-on and personal.
We are on-site, available, ready, willing and able to serve your every need as best we can. And we believe this also makes a difference.
So now, if you really want to know what the difference is, the best way to find out is to try!
Hope to see you soon,
Sylvie & jc
Monte-Bougainvillea
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