Where to stay to play Balaia, Albufeira's nine-hole par-3 course: the resort apartments on the course plus eight well-rated hotels within 13 minutes, from about €50 a night, with drive times, breakfast hours and golf perks.
Balaia Golf Village is home to one of the most relaxed rounds in the Algarve: a nine-hole course near Albufeira where every hole is a par 3, from 67 to 160 metres off the yellow tees. You can get round in under two hours, or play it twice for 18, which makes it ideal for beginners, families and anyone who wants to work on their short game.
This guide covers where to stay to play Balaia. All nine hotels below are rated at least 8 out of 10 by guests and are within about 13 minutes of the course, from the resort apartments on the doorstep to five-star clifftop hotels at Falésia.
Map of hotels near Balaia Golf Village
The black pin is the golf club (tap it to see course details). The blue pins are the hotels in this guide; tap one to check prices and availability.
How we chose these hotels
Every hotel here is rated at least 8 out of 10 by guests on Booking.com and is no more than about 13 minutes from the golf club by road. Drive times are calculated by road to the clubhouse. Breakfast hours and golf services come from each hotel's own website wherever possible, and we only mention a golf perk if the hotel actually states it.
Prices are the lowest average nightly rates we found in October 2026, usually for the quietest months of the year. Spring and autumn, peak golf season, cost more, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote.
Staying on the course: Balaia Golf Village
1. Balaia Golf Village Resort
On-site- From the course
- 0.8 km · about 2 min drive
- Price
- from about €51 a night
- Guest rating
- 8.0/10 on Booking.com
- Breakfast
- 08:00–10:30 (paid extra)
The apartments that surround the course, and the obvious base if Balaia is your main round. Resort guests pay €40 for a day's golf instead of the €50 visitor rate, and the resort's "Algarve Golf Break" includes three nights in a Superior apartment, breakfast and dinner, two rounds at Balaia and a courtesy car. There are six outdoor pools, a free indoor pool, jacuzzi and gym, and three restaurants. Guest scores sit right on 8 out of 10, a little lower than the rest of this list, but nothing else puts you this close to the first tee.
- Green fee €40 for resort guests (€50 visitors)
- Golf break: 3 nights and 2 rounds
- Free indoor pool, jacuzzi and gym
- Six outdoor pools
- Kids' club in high season
Best value hotels near Balaia (under €100 a night)
2. Alfagar Village
Value- From the course
- 1.1 km · about 3 min drive
- Price
- from about €60 a night
- Guest rating
- 8.8/10 on Booking.com
- Breakfast
- 08:00–10:30 (€15)
Clifftop apartments above Santa Eulália beach, just three minutes from Balaia and rated 8.8 by guests. It has no golf services of its own, but it is one of the closest and best-value options, with a heated indoor pool and gym for the cooler months, massages on request and a paid airport transfer.
- Three minutes from the course
- Heated indoor pool and gym
- Massages on request
- Airport transfer from €58
3. The Pátio Suite Hotel
Value- From the course
- 4.6 km · about 11 min drive
- Price
- from about €60 a night
- Guest rating
- 8.8/10 on Booking.com
Self-catering apartments with pools and a kids' club, 11 minutes from Balaia. The hotel says it is just 200 metres from the Pine Cliffs golf course, which makes it a smart base for playing both of the area's short courses on the same trip.
- 200 m from Pine Cliffs golf (per the hotel)
- Self-catering apartments
- Free beach transfer
- Kids' club
4. Grande Real Santa Eulália Resort & Hotel Spa
Value- From the course
- 1.4 km · about 4 min drive
- Price
- from about €90 a night
- Guest rating
- 8.5/10 on Booking.com
- Breakfast
- 07:30–10:30
A large five-star resort on Santa Eulália beach, four minutes from Balaia, that can be surprisingly affordable out of season. The concierge sells green fees for local courses, breakfast starts at 7.30am and there is a 1,000 m² thalassotherapy spa.
- Green fees sold at the concierge
- Breakfast from 07:30
- Thalassotherapy spa
- Airport transfer (extra cost)
Mid-range hotels near Balaia (€100 to €150 a night)
5. Jupiter Albufeira Hotel – Family & Fun
Mid-range- From the course
- 3.7 km · about 8 min drive
- Price
- from about €100 a night
- Guest rating
- 8.7/10 on Booking.com
- Breakfast
- 07:30–10:00
A family hotel with a water park, kids' club, playground and spa, eight minutes from Balaia. Golfers will appreciate the early risers' continental breakfast from 6.30am, before the main breakfast opens at 7.30, which makes a first tee time easy. There is free transport to Praia dos Pescadores and Albufeira centre.
- Early-riser breakfast from 06:30
- Water park and kids' club
- Spa
- Free transport to the beach and Albufeira centre
6. PortoBay Blue Ocean
Mid-range- From the course
- 3.1 km · about 8 min drive
- Price
- from about €113 a night
- Guest rating
- 9.2/10 on Booking.com
- Breakfast
- 07:30–10:30
The highest-rated hotel on this list (9.2 on Booking.com), on the clifftop at Olhos de Água, eight minutes from Balaia. It is not adults-only, but has a lounge area reserved for adults and a calm, couple-friendly feel.
- Breakfast from 07:30
- Blu Spa
- Adults-only lounge area
- Airport transfer (extra cost)
7. Hotel Vila Galé Cerro Alagoa
Mid-range- From the course
- 4.5 km · about 10 min drive
- Price
- from about €110 a night
- Guest rating
- 8.3/10 on Booking.com
- Breakfast
- 07:00–10:30
A practical four-star in Albufeira itself, for golfers who want restaurants and nightlife within walking distance in the evening. Breakfast is served from 7am and Balaia is about 10 minutes away by car.
- Breakfast from 07:00
- Spa with indoor pool
- In Albufeira town
Luxury hotels near Balaia
8. EPIC SANA Algarve Hotel
Luxury- From the course
- 5.7 km · about 13 min drive
- Price
- from about €180 a night
- Guest rating
- 9.0/10 on Booking.com
- Breakfast
- 07:00–11:00
A five-star resort above Falésia beach that offers special green fees at various Algarve golf courses. Breakfast runs from 7am to 11am and there is a large 1,500 m² spa. Balaia is about 13 minutes away, and Pine Cliffs is even closer.
- Special green fees at Algarve courses
- Breakfast from 07:00
- 1,500 m² spa
- Five restaurants
9. Pine Cliffs Hotel, a Luxury Collection Resort
Luxury- From the course
- 4.4 km · about 10 min drive
- Price
- from about €206 a night
- Guest rating
- 8.5/10 on Booking.com
- Breakfast
- 07:30–10:30
The luxury choice for short-course golfers: the resort has its own nine-hole course, with the famous Devil's Parlour hole over the cliffs, and resort guests pay less to play it. Balaia is 10 minutes away, so you can play both in a day. See our guide to hotels near Pine Cliffs for the other properties on the resort.
- Own 9-hole clifftop course
- Lower green fees for resort guests
- Concierge can arrange tee times
- Kids' club (ages 1–8)
Balaia green fees and what to know before you play
On Balaia's 2025–26 price list, a day's golf costs €50 for visitors and €40 for resort guests and under-14s. Green fee plus a half set of hire clubs is €80, a pull trolley is €5 and a bucket of 24 range balls costs €2. There are also weekly and monthly passes if you plan to play every day.
The course is open every day of the year from 8am to 6pm, and you can book a tee time online, by phone or at the golf reception in The Lake House, which also serves food and drinks. Every player must carry their own set of clubs. The resort's information mentions a handicap requirement, so check with the club when you book.
Next door, Club Med Da Balaia includes group golf lessons at Balaia Golf Club in its all-inclusive stays. It is booked directly with Club Med rather than through Booking.com, which is why it is not in our list.
Tips for golfers staying near Balaia
Pair it with Pine Cliffs. The area's two short courses are only 11 minutes apart, so you can easily play both. Not sure which suits you better? Read Balaia vs Pine Cliffs.
Add a full 18 in Vilamoura. The Vilamoura Old Course is about 22 minutes away and Salgados about 24, so a base near Balaia also works for a longer round or two.
Getting there. Faro Airport is about 40 km away by road, and a hire car is the easiest way to reach the course and the rest of the Algarve.
Frequently asked questions
Which hotel is closest to Balaia Golf Village?
Balaia Golf Village Resort itself, whose apartments surround the course. The closest alternatives are Alfagar Village, about three minutes away, and Grande Real Santa Eulália, about four minutes away.
Can you play Balaia if you are not staying at the resort?
Yes. Balaia Golf Club is open to visitors every day, with a daily green fee of €50 on its 2025–26 price list. Resort guests pay €40.
What is the cheapest place to stay near Balaia?
Balaia Golf Village Resort has apartments from about €51 a night in November, and Alfagar Village and The Pátio Suite Hotel start at about €60.
Playing several courses? Find the best base for your trip
If Balaia is just one stop on your golf trip, try Find Your Base on the Algarve Golf Map. Pick the courses you want to play and it shows you the area that sits closest to all of them, along with well-rated hotels nearby, so you spend less time driving and more time on the course.
