Malai Pousada

The reception and housekeeping team were wonderful. They treated me so well that I'd come back a thousand times for them. But the room was bad: there wasn't even a place to put soap in the shower, and the toilet seat wouldn't stay up. Breakfast was very controlled, and when something ran out it wasn't replenished, so you had to fill your plate before someone took it all. Saturday's spread seemed more generous, but it was just the same things spread across more plates. We arrived Friday and there was no milk. A very strange breakfast, to say the least. Really bad.

The location is excellent, with the beach, restaurants, and cafes all within walking distance. The place is simple but very clean and organized, and breakfast was plentiful with very friendly staff. There's no parking, though we could leave the car in the little square opposite, which seemed safe. Great value for money.

The bed and sheets were good quality, but they couldn't make up for an extremely negative stay. This is a very simple, new pousada in a good location, but basic comfort and security were lacking. There was nowhere in the room to hang clothes, so we had to leave everything on the bed. The bathroom had no shower stall or even a simple towel hook, and there's no garage, so the car has to stay on the street. We left our things in the room and went to dinner. When we returned, someone had been through the room. The door was locked as we'd left it, with no sign of a break-in, but our suitcases had been rummaged through with the zippers open, along with a work folder holding a computer, tablet, and other accessories. It was clear someone had gone through everything, probably looking for money or jewelry. Nothing was taken, but the invasion and lack of security felt awful. When we asked to see the security camera footage, we were told the pousada has no cameras at all, not in reception or the corridors. The next day I tried to contact the manager or owner. I was told they couldn't give me the contact, so I left mine. To my surprise, I heard nothing back after two days. Very strange. This was one of the worst stays we've ever had. I absolutely don't recommend this pousada and won't return. Security and respect for guests should be the bare minimum.

The price was very accessible and the place met expectations. The reception staff were especially attentive even in the middle of the night, and all the employees were friendly and helpful.