Apartamentos Vilarchao

This little stone house is warm, really cozy, and full of period details. It’s very well equipped, and the fireplace makes it especially nice for autumn or winter. There are plenty of activities around too.

We spent three weeks here, sometimes with friends and later on our own, and had a really good experience. It’s a wonderful choice if you’re after nature and quiet, in a very comfortable house made of stone and wood. The Camino Primitivo passes very close by, and we walked a few stages. I’d recommend it 100%.

The setting is peaceful and pleasant, right in nature, with lots of villages offering activities for children and adults. There are excellent walking trails and local food too. But there were serious problems in the house. Whenever someone showered, water dripped through the wooden beams onto the kitchen outlet. That’s dangerous. I attached a video and told the owner. She said she knew about it, had put on silicone sealant, and that it must have failed. I don’t believe her. Old details and wooden ceilings are fine in a village house, but cleanliness matters. There were cobwebs all over the walls and ceilings, and spiders everywhere. The ground floor smelled awful near what looked like a vase or pot, and with no windows downstairs there was no way to air it out. The barbecues were greasy too. I’m sure there are cleaner, better options nearby. I’ll return to the area, but not to these apartments.

The main reason for my one-star rating is the soundproofing. You can hear everything from neighbors above and beside you, even quiet conversations. The ceiling creaks when they get up. The units are separate rooms but connected, and it feels like being in a tent. It’s really unpleasant. We also had to clear cobwebs from the ceilings in every room when we arrived. The floors and other cleaning were fine, but the bedroom, bathroom, and dining room ceilings and light fixtures were covered in cobwebs and spiders. There’s no hairdryer. A neighbor asked if we had one, and the washing machine takes coins, 2 euros. The people are nice, which is a shame given those issues. Across the road there are horseback riding trails. Mario is very friendly, the horses are calm, and it costs 25 euros per person for an hour.