Gloria Hotel

Pretty nice.

I ended up staying two nights at Glória Hotel after booking just one. I was having trouble finding somewhere in Lavras on a very busy weekend, with the Rodeio and the UFLA entrance exam both happening, and the hotel came to my rescue. The couple’s rate was very affordable. It’s lovely, with the feel of a pousada, and all the cupboards, little souvenirs, and knickknacks reminded me of my grandma’s house. I felt right at home. The breakfast had lots of variety, and everything was tasty and good quality. One small thing: there weren’t any scrambled eggs out, and nobody offered them. It would be helpful to let guests know they can ask for a portion if they want some. Our room didn’t have air conditioning, but we didn’t need it in the first half of May. The fan worked well. The sheets and towels were clean and didn’t smell bad, though one towel was very old. I asked for a replacement and got towels that looked new. I’d heard a lot about noise inside the hotel, but it seemed calm and quiet to me, with only the usual hotel sounds. The girls in the next room played loud music while getting ready to go out on Saturday night, but it didn’t disturb my rest. The Wi-Fi was a little slow, though fine for basic use. We were in the front room, with a window facing the main street, and nothing bothered me. The neighborhood is very peaceful. If I come back to Lavras, I’d like to stay in that room again. The hotel is “far” from downtown, but that’s only in quotes. By car, bus, or Uber, and sometimes even on foot, you can get where you want quickly. There’s a supermarket, bakery, snack bar, café, liquor stores, gas station, and more nearby. I was so charmed by the place that I can’t think of anything bad to say about it. Cristina at reception deserves a special mention. She made us feel welcome from our first WhatsApp contact, when there was a problem with my reservation. She was very attentive and found us another room on such a busy weekend. When I left for the UFLA exam, she wished me luck and recommended an EXCELLENT restaurant for lunch beforehand. You can’t imagine how warm and welcoming she is. Whatever we asked for, she sorted out, nothing elaborate, just things she could easily help with. When I left, she even said goodbye with a hug. The other hotel staff and the owners were just as welcoming and attentive.

The breakfast was awful, and the hotel felt dirty, noisy, and unsafe. I rarely leave negative reviews, but I booked because the reviews were positive. I don’t know what changed, but the stay was really bad. The room was dirty, the pillows were old and poor quality, the walls were grimy, the bathroom leaked, and the bedding smelled terrible. I complained and they replaced it, but the smell was the same. At 6:30 in the morning, staff started dragging furniture around, making it impossible to sleep. There was also a repeated banging noise on the roof, which I assume was a loose gutter hitting in the wind. The keys were left on the counter without anyone watching them. When I got back, my key was in the room door, which was open, with all my belongings inside. I got up early for breakfast at serving time, and what I found was miserable: ants on the ham and cheese, stale bread, and that was all.

The owner was attentive and the service was wonderful. The rooms were clean, and breakfast was wonderful too. I’ll definitely be back, highly recommend it.