Quinta de Ataide

We were five families, and although Booking.com listed eight rooms, they gave us only five even though the other three were empty. We ended up trying to fit three people in one bed and sleeping on the floor with sofa cushions because of the heat. It was impossible to sleep properly. There was no air conditioning, and it was extremely hot. The mattresses were old, with noisy springs and a sunken middle. The sheets didn't match and were old, the chairs were dirty, and the fridge was too small for five families and didn't cool well. The small dishwasher seemed to run constantly. Some bathroom and bedroom doors wouldn't close properly. The one good point was the pool, which was clean and in perfect condition. The house needs a lot of maintenance and improvement.

It was a negative stay. The place was not clean, and the towels and bed linen were torn and full of holes. Heating was only available in the bedrooms, even though the listing said the whole house was heated, and there was no hot water. We were also asked to pay a deposit to use the place. On arrival, the fridge was unstable because its feet hadn't been levelled, and the floor beneath it was rotten. There was no extractor over the stove either. Just an open pipe at the top let rainwater fall onto the electric hob, which was worrying.

It looked lovely on arrival, but once inside, everything was dirty. The listing said there was a TV, but it didn't work. The fridge was full of ice and didn't cool anything, and the kitchen was missing lots of basics, like cutlery, glasses, and plates. The door handles came off when we opened doors. We were told there was a barbecue, but it was actually a tiny, badly damaged brazier. The pool water was cloudy and greenish, and there were cigarette ends in the dresser drawers. With all that and the other things I've left out, it was a bad experience. I don't recommend it.

We stayed for five days as a group of families, and it was a poor experience. The houses are large and could be fine if they were maintained, but they aren't. The pool water was cloudy and wasn't cleaned daily. One fridge failed, our food spoiled and had to be thrown away, and it took two days for it to be replaced. We had no water for a whole afternoon, and the problem wasn't fixed until the early hours. The sheets and towels were pitifully old, sofas and chairs were stained and worn, and the dishwasher was missing a wheel from its rail. There were many other maintenance issues that made the stay uncomfortable. We spoke to the owner several times. At first he seemed friendly, but when we raised the problems, his manner changed and he lost his composure. We won't return or recommend it, as other houses provide much better service.