Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the best way to inquire about a reservation? The best way to make a reservation is to check availability and prices by entering your holiday dates in the book now section and proceed through the reservation steps. But, if you have questions, don´t like online booking or would like dates currently not shown as available, you can email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone us at (+351) 915857029. We are always happy to answer questions and to help!
What is the minimum stay? Minimum stay in high season and European school breaks is seven nights. In low season minimum stay is three nights. Last minute gaps in occupancy of 3 days or more will be offered as they arise.
What is your payment policy? A deposit of 30% secures the booking; the remainder is to be paid latest 61 days before the booking commences. In addition, €200 is paid as a breakage deposit in cash at arrival. This deposit will be returned to you at departure (less any damage).
How can I pay? We accept bank transfer and the cards from Visa and Mastercard, via telephone. If you pay from a non-euro account, we recommend checking out Transferwise.com as that is often the cheapest option.
What is the cancellation/refund policy? Because we are such a small operation, we have what might appear to be a strict cancellation policy. If we receive cancellation notice:
- until 61 days before the reservation date - there will be no cancellation charge;
- between 31 and 61 days before the reservation - 50% of the total reservation cost will be charged;
- less than 31 days before the reservation date - there will be no refund.
We are travellers ourselves and know that emergencies can and do occur. For this reason, we highly recommend you take travel insurance. We thank you in advance for understanding and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
When can we Check-in? Check-in is after 15:00. We will meet you in the property, take you to our reception to do the formalities of Check-in and then show you to your house. If you plan to arrive after 20:00, please inform us in advance.
Can we Check-in early? With prior agreement with us, you may Check-in early. However, if there are guests leaving the same morning, you cannot access the house until 15:00 to allow the previous guests to Checkout and for us to thoroughly clean the house. In this case, you are welcome to leave your luggage with us, and then come back after 15:00.
What time is checkout? Checkout is at 10:00. This might seem early, but please remember it is a house with patios and terrace and BBQ we are cleaning and we do pride ourselves on our cleaning standards.
Can I arrange for a late checkout? Late checkout is subject to confirmation. We will extend the Checkout time if possible, but if another guest arrives the day of your departure, this is not possible.
Where can I see photos of each individual house? You can do this either on the Enquire section. You need to scroll to the House you whish to see and press on the photo thumbnail.
What is your address/how do I reach you? Our address is: “Casa Flor de Sal, Bias do Sul, C.P. 307-Z, 8700-067”. However, this is a mailbox address as our road has no name and the property no number. The best way to find us is to print & bring with you the instructions we send out before your arrival. (Please do not just aim for Moncarapacho, as this is a fairly large municipality).
Is there free car parking? Yes, we have three private car parks with total capacity for 14 cars so there will always be a free space to park your car.
Is it possible to spend the holiday without a car? That depends on you... Over the years we have had many guests who were happy just using any combination of bikes, walking and public transport. It tends to be mainly couples who do this, but in medium season (March-May and October-November), there are also families who do it as at these times its quite pleasurable to cycle and we have the ECOVIA bike path just in front of the property. If you are considering this, please remember that in July, August & September it tends to be quite hot and you need to go a couple of km away for many things. If you decide for a holiday without a car, we are more than happy to help.
Can I request an airport transfer? Yes you can. Please send us your flight information, arrival time, the number of passengers and if you need baby or child seats, and we will arrange the transportation. The driver will meet you at arrivals with a sign saying your name. He will then bring you to our property.
Is there reception? Yes, we have a small reception but as we live in the property, you normally find us somewhere outdoors or in our house. If you arrive early or leave late, you can leave your suitcases with us.
Is there a concierge service? Our family lives at Casa Flor de Sal and we are happy to answer your questions and assist you with planning activities, reservations, boarding cards, or any other matter. Offering you a true home away from home with 24h customer service is our pledge.
Where are you located? Casa Flor de Sal is located in eastern Algarve, an area of countryside, saltpans, small towns and fishing ports with a wide range of beaches that form part of the UNESCO-protected Ria Formosa natural park. In this part of the Algarve the locals still keep their traditional slow pace of life and don´t just live from tourism. More specifically, we are 3.5 km to the west of Fuseta, 5km south of Moncarapacho and 6 km to the east of Olhão. It takes 20 minutes to drive to Faro International airport.
How far are you from the beach? There is a wild beach located 1km from Casa Flor de Sal. You can get out of the property gate, walk c. 200m, cross the rail road, and then take one of our small rowing boats (max 3 persons) to cross the lagoon, reach the sand dune and beach. Here you can really get the desert island beach feeling. However, due to the logistics to reach it we do not recommend it for families with small children. There are two ideal beaches for young children close to us. Fuseta Beach (3.5km) is located in the lagoon of Ria Formosa, it has no waves, the water is warmer, and there is a very friendly café with snacks and ice cream. Barril Beach (12.6km) is reached by a magical miniature "steam train" and has all the amenities babies and small children need: changing rooms, shaded play areas and several restaurants. You can read more about the local beaches here.
How far are the nearest shop, café, restaurant, supermarket and fresh food market? We have a small grocery shop on site where you can get most things you need for breakfast or a quick meal. We don´t however have fresh fish & meet. The nearest café – Tianica - is 1km away and the nearest restaurant - O Primo dos Caracois - is 1.5 km away; the nearest supermarkets, an Aldi and a Pingo Doce, are both 4km away. Finally, both Fuseta (3.5km) and Olhão (5km) have fresh food markets open every morning except Sundays.
Can I order breakfast? No, we're afraid not, but we have nearly everything you might want for breakfast in out little shop and the houses have fully equipped kitchens. If you wish to have fresh bread first thing in the morning, please tell us the day before until 6pm.
Can I order food shopping? Yes, we have a small shop in the property where you can buy most basics, lots of ice cream and good local products. We also have seasonal organic fresh fruit and vegetables grown here. However, if you would like us to do a large shopping, you can send us a list ahead of time and we will get it done for a small extra fee.
Will my house have wireless internet? All of our houses and parts of the gardens are equipped with wireless internet which is free for you to use.
Do you offer a laundry service? We have a small laundry room free for our guests to use, as well as a laundry service.
Are pets allowed? Sorry, no pets are allowed.
Can I smoke? Sorry but the houses are non-smoking. You can smoke in the terrace or patio of your house if you are careful to keep windows and doors closed so that the smell doesn´t go into the house. The swimming pool areas are also non-smoking as we have artificial grass that can burn just like a carpet.
What is the weather like in [fill in month]? The Algarve has an annual sunshine record of over 3000 hours meaning that it is sunnier than California, Costa Brava, Mallorca or the French Riviera. This means that even in the winter months it is rare to have a day without sunshine as the rain normally comes as showers. High summer can be hot, but this is normally offset by the sea breeze.
How do we get to the Algarve? Faro airport is located 20 minutes drive from Casa Flor de Sal. You can see a list of all the airlines who fly to Faro Airport at Wikipedia. You can also fly to Seville (2h away) or to Lisbon (2.5h away) airports.
