Hotel Quinta Da Branca

A big plus is how close it is to the beach, and CSM road is nearby too. The staff were friendly and helpful, and they’d clean the room daily if you wanted. The rooms were a decent size with air con and a fan, and the shower was hot and powerful, though it could be a bit cooler in the morning. There wasn’t much of a view, and none of the rooms will have one, as my pool video shows. We enjoyed our stay, but something kept it from being five stars. It isn’t expensive, and I’d recommend it if you’re paying no more than £40 a night. Above that, there are better places.

We spent four days here this week, and it was a great choice for the budget. It’s only 300m on foot to Baga beach. The manager and staff were friendly and helpful, and the rooms had all the essentials and were clean and tidy. We only ate breakfast here, but the buffet had good quality food and a decent choice. Room service, cleaning, and hospitality were all top-notch.

The location is quite far inside from the main road, and the beach isn’t very close. At least the room and washroom were clean, and breakfast was good, with almost everything available. Smoking isn’t allowed in the room, and there’s no hot water at the tap, so you have to request it separately. I asked reception for a mug because the room had a bucket but no mug. They said they’d get one, but nobody came, so after waiting 5 minutes I showered using the shower head. The hotel needs to improve its service. There are instructions for everything in the room, but none about speaking loudly. I was woken at 8:00 am by a group of boys talking very loudly inside the hotel. My room was at GF, so you can clearly hear everything when someone sits and talks at reception. The curtains don’t cover the full window and aren’t thick enough to block the light. There’s a smart tv, which is good, but the wifi was frustrating: it disconnected every minute, and there was little to no mobile network in the room. When I complained, reception said it was the same in every room and they couldn’t do anything.

The hotel is well maintained, with neat, clean rooms and a good complimentary breakfast. Staff were very polite, and there’s a nice swimming pool on the terrace floor to enjoy with family. Shopping areas are close by, and Baga beach is about a 10 minute walk away, with its shacks and beach sport activities. Check out is at 10.30 a.m., though they allow a half hour grace period. On our last day, we left our luggages at reception and came back to collect them when it was time for our flight. We enjoyed our stay and had a good time. We booked through booking.com and would definitely recommend it to travellers.