Casa do Moleiro

My stay at casa do moleiro was a really bad experience. The listing called it an “upstairs apartment,” but I found out that “upstairs” is only the name of one of the units, which was misleading. Cleanliness and hygiene were poor too. There were no cleaning liquids or cloths, the blankets didn’t look washed, and some dishes and utensils had mold on them while still being kept in the cupboards. The booking platform also listed an oven, but what was there was a microwave. I’d brought ingredients to make a roast, and with that unpleasant surprise I couldn’t cook what I’d planned. The whole stay felt misleading, and the place wasn’t clean.

The accommodation is near the center, so you can explore the whole beautiful town on foot. There are good places to eat, though restaurant staff can be a bit rude. The bed is comfortable and the sofa bed is spacious, but the bathroom is tiny and there’s nowhere to hang towels. There was only one kitchen cloth. For a longer stay with some meals at home, the kitchen doesn’t work very well: the counter space is inadequate and the dish rack is much too small. There’s room for a washing machine, but there isn’t one, and there’s no dishwasher either. Parking is a distance from the accommodation, which makes carrying lots of luggage difficult. The cobbled street up to it is also quite steep.

A very welcoming, well-kept, and clean place, and the host was attentive and helpful. I stayed on the ground floor, though, and could hear the other apartment guests clearly. The sound insulation from the street is pretty good except at the front door. When people were in the small entrance, it sounded as if there were no door at all. I think that issue might go away if you stay upstairs.

A good base for seeing Amarante, with free parking nearby. The apartment has a roomy living room and kitchen, a shower, and a bedroom with a large bed. There is a musty smell, though, and it’s hard to get rid of because the river runs beneath the building.