---
title: "3HB Faro vs AP Eva Senses"
description: "Two old-town hotels a few streets apart — one five-star with spa, one four-star with a rooftop pool — answering whether the extra star class erases the cleanliness gap."
url: "https://travelshifu.com/hotels/faro/compare/3hb-faro-vs-ap-eva-senses/"
type: "hotel comparison"
reviewed_on: "2026-08-06"
source: "TravelShifu"
---

# 3HB Faro vs AP Eva Senses

Two old-town hotels a few streets apart — one five-star with spa, one four-star with a rooftop pool — answering whether the extra star class erases the cleanliness gap.

## Why this pair

Same neighbourhood, same Cidade Velha walks, both with POI distances in our seed. When two hotels are this substitutable on the map the comparison is useful; pairing old town with Praça D. Francisco Gomes would not be.

## Verdict

Take 3HB for the supplier score, spa and uniform category praise; take AP Eva for the slightly closer old-town pin and four-star rates — accepting room quality at 7.15 and mold in the bathroom as live risks.

Position is close on paper. 3HB puts Faro Old Town at 0.4 km; AP Eva at 0.3 km. AP Eva puts Praia de Faro at 4.5 km against 6 km at 3HB; both put the airport at 4.2–4.5 km. Location scores 9.68 against 9.15 — both strong.

Guest scores favour 3HB on almost every category: supplier rating 9.8 from 4,003 reviews against 8.4 from 7,973, captured January and December 2025 respectively. Room quality is 9.68 against 7.15; cleanliness 9.68 against 7.65 with mold named at AP Eva. AP Eva’s larger sample does not close that gap.

Facilities split cleanly. 3HB lists spa/wellness, sauna, children’s playground and babysitting; AP Eva lists pool and fitness but no spa. Both list restaurant, bar, family rooms and airport shuttle. Parking costs are a named con at 3HB; AP Eva names cleanliness and noise instead.

Star class is the spend fork: five-star against four-star. If you are paying for room quality and a coherent guest story, the five-star wins on the numbers. If you are paying for the closest old-town pin at four-star money, AP Eva is the bet — with eyes open on the bathroom complaints.

**Best for:**
- Choosing an old-town base and deciding whether five-star facilities justify the premium
- Travellers comparing the strongest and weakest room-quality scores in this Faro sample

**Not for:**
- Anyone who needs a beach on the doorstep — both put Praia de Faro at 4.5 km or further
- Readers looking for a budget two-star or Praça-side stay — that is the other matchup

## Head to head

| Criterion | 3HB Faro | AP Eva Senses | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Official classification | 5-star | 4-star | 3HB Faro |
| Position | Rua Vasco da Gama. Old town 0.4 km, Ria Formosa 0.9 km, airport 4.5 km. | Avenida da República. Old town 0.3 km, beach 4.5 km, airport 4.2 km. | AP Eva Senses |
| Supplier rating (our hotel data provider, /10 — display only) | 9.8 from 4,003 reviews, as of 10 January 2026 | 8.4 from 7,973 reviews, as of 6 December 2025 | 3HB Faro |
| Room quality (third-party guest score, /10 — display only) | 9.68 | 7.15 — dusty rooms and hard beds named | 3HB Faro |
| Cleanliness (third-party guest score, /10 — display only) | 9.68 | 7.65 — mold in bathroom mentioned | 3HB Faro |
| Food and beverage (third-party guest score, /10 — display only) | 9.68 | 9.15 — breakfast praised | 3HB Faro |
| What guests complain about | Parking costs; minor service issues | Cleanliness; room noise; facilities could improve | 3HB Faro |
| Spa / wellness | Spa/wellness centre and sauna listed | Not in cited facility facts | 3HB Faro |
| Pool | Swimming pool listed | Swimming pool listed | tie |
| Airport shuttle | Airport shuttle listed | Airport shuttle listed | tie |
| Airport code on seed row | Not published in seed | FAO | AP Eva Senses |

## Which old-town hotel has better rooms?

3HB Faro on our hotel data provider’s guest scores — room quality 9.68 out of 10 against 7.15 at AP Eva Senses, with mold in the bathroom named at the four-star. AP Eva is 0.1 km closer to the old town on the POI table.

## Is the five-star worth the extra spend?

On this sample, usually yes if room quality and spa matter. The supplier gap is 9.8 against 8.4, and AP Eva’s cleanliness story is the clearer red flag. Pay AP Eva rates only if four-star is the ceiling and you accept the bathroom complaints.

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