Pousada Fonte Grande

The pousada's best features are its location near the island's port and the breakfast, which has plenty of options, including eggs cooked to order. If you don't have heavy bags, you can walk there without hiring the porters. The room, though, is startlingly small when you first walk in. The 23-inch TV is really a computer monitor, mounted high on the wall, so you have to stand on the bed to watch it. Its height doesn't work if you're lying down. The air conditioning is good, but the remote was missing its battery compartment cover and wasn't replaced until after I complained a lot. The fridge is old, but it does the job.

The breakfast was awful, with fruit covered in flies, sausage they seemed to be trying to pass off as three days old, and tasteless cake. Nothing was any good. The place is filthy and neglected, with moldy walls and a dirty floor. The mattress was horrible, the tiny room barely fit the bed, and the towels and sheets were torn and stained. This is a bottom-tier dump, not an inn.

The breakfast was a pleasant surprise. There was cake, empanadas, sequilhos, fruit, root vegetables, bread, cheese, ham, coffee, juice, and eggs made to order. The team were relaxed and helpful, and gave us lots of tips for excursions. The room was excellent, with air conditioning, a TV, a minibar, a comfortable bed, and a hot shower. It's close to the center and the liveliest parties too. A great pousada!

The owners were so friendly and looked after us really well, with helpful tips and directions. The pousada is right in the center of Morro de São Paulo, close to FONTE GRANDE, one of the town's tourist spots. Everything felt new and well organized, and breakfast was good. I'd definitely come back.