Chalé das Flores

We had almost no water for practically our entire stay, not even enough to brush our teeth, and the hot water stopped working right at the beginning. The owners weren’t there when it happened and didn’t come by after we reported it. They left their employee, who was excellent and attentive, to handle it, even though a structural problem was beyond her responsibility. Given how stressful it was, I asked for a 50% discount, but they refused. The 100 reais they gave me barely made up for being without water the whole stay, and wasn’t even 10% of what we paid. The pousada’s operations are poorly managed. I can’t recommend it, since the city has much better value options with proper management.

The breakfast was really good, with the best pão de queijo I’ve had at a pousada by far. Aside from one issue, we had a very good stay. The place is somewhat outside Tiradentes, which makes it secluded, peaceful, relaxing, and close to nature. The road isn’t great, but driving slowly is enough and it doesn’t get in the way of the trip. The upper room looked wonderful, with a King Size bed, a hammock on the balcony, a heater, a Jacuzzi, and a beautiful view. We couldn’t stay in it because there was no hot water, so we were moved to another available room. That was a bit upsetting, since we were celebrating our 8 years of dating and my girlfriend wanted something more special. We got a discount on the other room, and that settled things. The service felt warm and relaxed. Isabel, the owner, is lively and upbeat, always sharing tips for the area and trying to make the experience as good as possible. A great place for a family or couple. I recommend it.

The pousada itself is beautiful and full of charm. The Equilibrio room was large, with a private garden, a comfortable bed, and a wonderful shower. The facilities are great, but the organization and management felt amateurish. On arrival there was a reservation mix-up, and I had to complain before they moved me from a much worse room to the one I’d booked. Since another guest had already been put in our room, it wasn’t fully tidied: there was a bottle cap on the floor and an empty bottle in the bathroom. They did change the sheets and towels, which were clean and smelled fresh. Housekeeping also didn’t offer to replace the towels, and the bed wasn’t made especially well. Breakfast normally started at 9, which felt a bit late, and not everything was ready then, though that didn’t bother me much. On our last day, 01/01/19, breakfast was supposed to start at 10 instead. My husband and I weren’t told; I only found out after arriving to an empty breakfast area, where another guest mentioned it. She knew because she’d spoken with the cleaning woman the day before. We were willing to wait, but as 10 approached and no staff showed up, I didn’t trust that breakfast would be served, so I left. I tried to find the owner to check out but couldn’t. Luckily I’d already settled the bill, or who knows how long I might have been waiting to leave.

The breakfast felt luxurious, and everything was spotlessly clean. The rooms were airy and had spectacular views, and the hospitality was outstanding. A fantastic pousada.