Vila Rudá

The breakfast was amazing, brought right to the house, and you can order omelets, tapioca, and couscous made fresh. They also supplied the baby crib and bathtub I requested, and even set up the crib with a little mattress. That care stood out, since hotel cribs are often bare and hard. We stayed in the last of about five houses on the property. It had two spacious bedrooms, both with air conditioning, plus a small pool. The house was roomy and comfortable, spotlessly clean, and nothing smelled musty despite the humid climate. The bed was comfortable, the Wi-Fi worked well, and they clean every day if you want. Praia dos Nativos is close enough to walk to. The house is lower down, though, so getting to the Quadrado means a steep uphill climb with no sidewalk. I only went by car.

The place is lovely, cozy, and convenient, and having breakfast served on the veranda is a nice touch. The house we stayed in needed some basic maintenance. It didn't ruin our stay, but a few things could have been avoided or fixed faster: the TV remote needed batteries, our gas was turned off during the stay, the shower water was cold, and one bedroom was missing its air conditioner remote.

Vila Rudá's service felt impersonal, as if they only cared about the money coming in. We had questions about our needs through the booking app, but the replies were always just “yes” or “all right,” and the host never even introduced themself. The WhatsApp contact also stopped responding without warning, leaving us stuck. The place was pretty, but it didn't suit us because we were traveling with our dogs and the yard wasn't private. The low fence was made of wooden posts, and service providers came into the house even while it was rented. That made us and our pets uncomfortable. Clear communication during booking and listening to what we needed could have prevented this. Instead, the service seemed focused on taking the money, and then on disparaging the guest in the app. They say they accept pets, but don't have the setup for them or any flexibility for a conversation. It's sad to see this kind of greed harming Trancoso.

We were clear from the start about what we needed, but the booking staff weren't even polite. They gave no name and just replied “yes” or “all right,” without any real conversation. The place says it accepts dogs, but it isn't equipped for them. We had no privacy: service workers needed to enter the chalet and would practically lean over the supposed wall. More than once I had to get dressed and stop enjoying the space so they could work, which also stressed our dogs. We travel around the world with our pets and have never had a lodging problem because we're always honest about our needs. When we saw the place wasn't a fit because of the lack of communication, we suggested an arrangement so neither side would be harmed. They said it wasn't necessary and everything was fine. Everyone said that until they posted dishonest comments about our stay in the app. We got poor service from people who seemed to care only about the money from our booking, not the guest's needs or everyone's comfort, and then they stabbed us in the back. False, dishonest, and greedy!