Chalé da Serra

The neighborhood was quiet and seemed peaceful, though the property isn't in downtown São João del Rei. We knew we'd need to drive everywhere, so that wasn't an issue for us. The chalets are cozy and well looked after, and we felt at home. The staff treated us very well. Even with only two chalets occupied during our stay, breakfast was delicious and had a good variety. Everything was clean, tidy, and cared for. I'd gladly return and recommend it to friends.

We stayed as a family in early January and used three rooms. The physical setup is good and still expanding, but the experience was mixed. We had trouble with the shower heating and breakfast service, and both problems were fixed. The stressful part was getting simple issues resolved. The business seemed to be having trouble with staffing and training for service and cleaning, which was understandable in the pandemic context. The owner is very involved in guest service, but difficult to deal with, and made straightforward fixes more complicated. Since the inn is literally on his home's grounds, that also makes the relationship a bit awkward. We had chosen Chalé da Serra on Booking for its facilities, price, and location near the road to Tiradentes.

We had a lovely stay and I'd recommend the inn and come back. Our chalet was spacious, nicely decorated, and had a great bathroom and a very good hot tub. Everything was clean and smelled fresh. The TV had lots of channels, the internet worked well, and the staff were friendly. Breakfast was simple but tasty, served in a very tidy room. A couple of things could be better: the breakfast could have more options, and the air conditioning didn't work. It was cool out, though, so that wasn't a problem.

We spent an hour and twenty minutes checking out, and the owner's lack of courtesy was a big part of it. Since Booking showed a charge on my card, I thought it had gone through and we went to pay the other half. It hadn't, so we paid the full amount. My husband asked for an invoice in case we needed to reverse the card charge, and the owner said he had none, then made a receipt on his computer and gave it to us. The trouble started earlier, too. We arrived at noon and rang the intercom, but nobody answered. I called several times before someone finally picked up and told me check-in started at 2 p.m., so they couldn't receive us at noon. The daily stay is only 22 hours, from 2 p.m. to noon, and they won't even let you in to park your car. We were in the wrong about the time, but couldn't they at least answer the intercom? Adjusting the shower water took a lot of time and patience as well. Usually places want guests to come back. I don't think that's how this place works.