Bliss Hotéis João Fernandes

The accommodation was nice, but when the hot water pressure dropped to a trickle the day after we arrived, I complained and nothing was done about it.

Little things like these put me off coming back. The pousada felt disorganized, and I think it needs an electric gate, a working water heater, and friendlier staff. I booked to pay at check-in, although the site required me to enter my card details. They charged the card hours before we were due to check in. When my husband and I got there around 4 p.m. after my work trip, the gate was shut. The receptionist, who didn't introduce herself, told me over the intercom to open it myself. It wasn't electric, and it was stiff and heavy. Later, there was no hot water in the shower. By the time we returned, the night receptionist was on duty. He was very polite and explained that the boiler wasn't working. At breakfast the next morning, some things hadn't been replenished until another guest pointed it out. The French bread was stale, and the cake was dry. When we checked out in the rain, I had to open the gate again. I couldn't close it because it was caught on a latch. I didn't know how it worked, so I called the receptionist, who kept telling me to pull the cord even after I said I'd tried. I eventually got in the car and headed home.

We left on Sunday and the pool was still filthy. The manager had said someone would clean it and take care of the hotel, but it never happened. The barbecue area was dirty too, and the whole place felt neglected, with no one around to clean it. There were problems from the moment we arrived for our Thursday-to-Sunday stay. The room smelled strongly of mold and had no ventilation. The air conditioner was stuck running without a remote or any way to turn it off, and the internet didn't work. There was no hot water that night, and the towels were wet. When we spoke to the manager the next day, she kept putting us off without fixing anything. Breakfast was awful: stale bread, processed ham instead of ham, burnt cake, only peach yogurt, and powdered juice. My wife and I were very disappointed. I'd made the trip to celebrate another year of marriage, and it was a huge letdown. The photos online are beautiful, but don't be fooled. I regret staying here and would tell people to avoid it. It felt abandoned, with no management or commitment to looking after guests. In my view, it seemed close to going bankrupt. This place is a scam.

The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the hotel is only 500 meters from the entrance to Joao Fernandez Beach. There are also three rooms with ocean views. The property has a pool, though breakfast was very limited, and there isn't a gym or game room. It needs maintenance, and as of April 2025, the photos didn't accurately show what the hotel looked like.