Pousada Mar Azul

The facilities were poor and the service was awful. The owner was cold and inflexible. I arrived a little before check-in and only asked to use the kitchen area to eat my lunch, but she made me eat outside on the veranda holding my packed meal. Then she left me on the sidewalk under the 36-degree sun because the house “rule” only allows access to the facilities at 2 p.m. I was treated like a beggar, even though I'd paid in advance. I canceled the booking and left for another place, despite not getting a refund. They treated me with respect and dignity there.

The place is simple, but the owners' hospitality makes up for that if you want to keep costs down and have a good bed to come back to after exploring the island. The staff do their best to welcome guests.

It was really noisy at night, with a dog barking right by the bedroom window. I stayed four days, and they never changed the sheets. The towels were only changed after two days, and only because I asked. The sheets didn't smell good. Breakfast was very weak for variety, with no fruit each day, and the portions felt skimpy. If you ask for a fried egg, you only get one and have to ask again for another. The food was cold, and the cuscuz was hard. The older women looking after everything weren't friendly either. I didn't like any of it and wouldn't recommend the place.

It's a simple place, without luxury, but clean, tidy and in a good location. Vila dos Remédios is about a 10-minute walk away. Good value for money.