Hotel Caldelas

Everything was very clean and smelled really nice, and breakfast was modest but clearly prepared with care. Still, nobody was at reception when we arrived, so we waited around 15-20 minutes. The rooms are small and old, with hardly any television, and there are no shampoo samples in the bathroom. The floating floor on the staircase is probably over 20 years old and gets very noisy at night, making it hard to sleep.

The elevator was awkward because the floors are arranged in a zigzag, so it doesn’t stop on every floor. With our stroller and suitcases, we had to use the stairs. The room was really hot when we got back from dinner, and although there was an air conditioning remote, the unit was noisy and barely blew air from one corner without cooling the room. We arrived late, which I admit, showered, then went back downstairs at about 8 p.m. Portuguese time, but we couldn’t have dinner at the hotel. Portugal may eat early, but not that early. Breakfast wasn’t very varied, though there was plenty of it: fresh bread, Portuguese butter, peach jam, homemade biscuits, cheese, ham, coffee, and milk. If you book early and get a good price, and you’re travelling without children, it’s a good option in a quiet town. Without those two conditions, I wouldn’t book it. I know, that’s what happens when I leave everything to the last minute.

It’s a two-star hotel, but the hygiene, care, and kindness we were shown are worth five. The price is appealing too, and being right across from the thermal baths is a real plus. It was great not having to use the car. I highly recommend it.

The bed was comfortable, but I left covered in bites. Breakfast was slow and had little variety, and service was slow too. The Wi-Fi doesn’t work.