Parreirais dos Moquinhos

The owner gave a warm welcome to a tired pilgrim arriving late at night. I stayed one night in the last available double room. It had everything, including air conditioning that also worked as a heater, Wi-Fi and some kitchen utensils. It was a bit cold overnight, but there were plenty of thick blankets.

We chose this place for its location near the mountains, caves and the Fátima sanctuary, and because of the reviews across different platforms. Sadly, I can’t give it a positive rating. Maybe I was unlucky, or perhaps I got rooms in a lower category, judging by the photos, equipment and lack of breakfast, though I had been told beforehand that breakfast wasn’t provided. It was extremely hot, and neither of the two rooms I booked had climate control, not even a fan. The aluminum window shutters had broken supports, so unless you wanted them banging against the wall all night, you had to keep everything shut. It was like a sauna inside. One room was full of ants, including on the beds. After I complained and asked to change rooms, they responded quickly. But the new room had ants coming through the gaps between the wooden floorboards. This was a real infestation, not just garden ants. Needless to say, we couldn’t sleep, and it’s an experience I wouldn’t want to repeat. The one good point was the quality of the double bed.

I just didn’t like the place. I was supposed to get a double room, but the bed I got was like a single sofa bed, with the second bed at a different height. The TV was broken or wouldn’t work. It wasn’t good value for money. Situations like this are why I’ll only stay in local accommodations as a last resort.

If you’re visiting the Serra D'aire caves, stay at Parreirais dos Moquinhos. The hostess is extremely polite, friendly and elegant, and the accommodations are great. You can also have breakfast in a lovely garden with complete privacy.