Pousada Monte das Colinas

The noise was the downside. There was a town party next door, and even on a Tuesday it went on until three in the morning. It felt like the party was inside our room. If you need quiet, check that there isn't a party going on. The owner was really nice to us and kindly adapted one of the rooms for our group of five. The naturally heated pool was lovely and warm. It’s small, but we liked it more than the balneário itself. There’s also a sauna, a pool table, and a barbecue area. Breakfast was simple but really good. I recommend the place, with that noise caveat.

The place was pleasant and clean, and the breakfast was very good. The staff looked after us well, especially Ariane and Donizete.

We were two families and didn't feel comfortable after what happened with the barbecue area. The grills are on the first floor, away from the pool, so we asked if we could use one near the pool and were told no. The next day, though, we saw people barbecuing there. When I asked the staff about it, they said those people were relatives of the owners. That felt awkward for guests who aren't family. In my view, a business open to the public should apply its rules to everyone, owners' relatives included, to avoid conflict. The place itself was clean and pleasant, with a small thermal-water pool, very good breakfast, and very good service.

A short trip can still be something you plan and look forward to, and you only know by the end whether it felt like an investment or a waste. The staff were polite, but only after we'd paid the 50% deposit did they tell us the hotel would close earlier. The pool is supposed to be open until 22:00, but it wasn't available either. We got back from the club at 20:00 thinking we'd use it, only to find the manager had ordered it cleaned. That showed no respect for guests who had paid to use it. I'll return to Montezuma, but I'll look at other hotel options.