Luna Arcos Hotel Nature & Spa

We spent three weeks here and loved every minute. It isn't fancy, but it's practical and the colours are calming. The staff were phenomenal, so warm and helpful, and breakfast had lots of choices. The bed was wonderful, and we were very glad to have an air-conditioned room while Portugal was experiencing a heat dome. I'd recommend this hotel most highly.

The room wasn't very clean, there was mold in the bathroom, and the towels hadn't been replaced after cleaning. Our balcony faced a noisy construction site with workers. The indoor pool was very small, and the towel policy was inconvenient: we got only one towel, had to carry it around wet, and at checkout were made to go back to the room to return it. This wasn't even mentioned in the guidebook. The reception staff were unfriendly and unprofessional. On the positive side, the half-board dinner and breakfast were at a 4-star level, and the waiters were very polite and attentive and explained the menu clearly. The indoor pool and jacuzzi had a nice view, and the location was great for nature lovers, surrounded by landscapes and a river.

We went as a family for the weekend to celebrate our anniversary, and the hotel had left us a bottle of champagne as a gift. The spa, jacuzzi, Turkish bath, and massage were all lovely. The pool is on the small side, but October was a good time to be there since it wasn't crowded. Breakfast had a good range of food; dinner was just okay on the half-board plan, though there are plenty of places to eat nearby if you book room only. The location is handy, just a few minutes' walk from the river, and parking is free with easy access. We'd go back and recommend it.

The fitness room let the place down: most of the equipment was broken, and the heaviest free weights were only 2 kilos. Apart from that, everything worked well. The staff were friendly, the pool area was nice, and the location was close to perfect.