Pousada Mandalla

The bathroom window in room 4 was very low and positioned so it looked straight into a neighboring house, which also has windows facing the inn. Showering with so little privacy made me really uncomfortable. I was also frustrated by the way the two complimentary breakfasts were handled. At booking, I was told they were included, and when I asked how to use them at the Eco Vip café downtown, reception didn’t know. After checking with the group, they told us to give our names at the café. Then the inn messaged me on WhatsApp saying we had to post a positive Google review to get the breakfasts. Since our stay was still underway, I found that inappropriate and gave up the offer. There were other problems during my stay at Pousada Mandala (Grupo Eco Vip) on 28/06/25. The minibar was switched off when I arrived, so we couldn’t properly use it for the drinks we’d brought. Later, the bathroom light had burned out. Reception said someone would come, but after we went out and returned, it still hadn’t been replaced. I was told the worker had come while we were away and wouldn’t be back until after 21h, when we’d be out again, so I asked for a new bulb and changed it myself. I felt the team was unprepared, there were problems with the facilities, and the process for the complimentary breakfasts was questionable. Afterward I tried to report it to the company responsible, but got no response and couldn’t find a customer service channel. That made it impossible to resolve things or give feedback, and the whole experience was frustrating. If I’d known what it would be like, I’d have avoided the hassle.

The location is convenient, and breakfast is good, but the management and facilities had several issues. In room 5, the bathroom window gave the neighboring house a direct view of the whole bathroom, so I used the hotel towel as a curtain. The bedroom window also faces the house, though at least it has a curtain. There were no screens on the windows, the TV wasn’t smart, and the room door had trouble locking. The worst part was finding a drop of blood on the bedding. They promptly brought us clean linen, but we had to remake the bed ourselves. For us, the stay wasn’t worth the price.

We had a very positive stay. The inn felt cozy, the breakfast was fresh, tasty, and had a good selection, and the receptionist was really friendly and helpful. My one suggestion is about the shower in room 10: barely any water came out, and the pressure was very weak.

The breakfast was excellent, even though the inn is simple, and the outdoor area was okay. The attentive staff member gave us useful information about the town and routes. It’s also near the entrance to Véu da Noiva waterfall. The only issue was the shower, which had a very weak flow.