Solar do Requeijo

We only had one night, which is my one regret, because the hotel was so nice we barely left. The staff were extremely kind and helpful, including when they handled my last-minute request to add a card to our room. We were welcomed with a glass of fizzy drink, and breakfast was tasty and adequate. The toiletries were nice, and the “bed opening” tradition was interesting. The chapel has a nice story too, though quite a sad one. Not a single complaint.

The hotel’s staff seemed untrained, though they were trying to be friendly. They went table to table asking if everything was okay, like robots following a script, and interrupted conversations to ask about clearing plates instead of quietly getting on with the job. Despite one or two people genuinely trying, the hotel doesn’t seem to understand five-star service. I wouldn’t recommend it. We arrived around 12:10, before check-in, and were allowed to use the pool while we waited for our room. The water jet didn’t work, outdoor loungers were scarce, and indoor ones had no cushions. The pool’s fabric edging was dirty, greenish-brown, loose in places and mossy. The stairs were slippery with only basic anti-slip tape as a patch. I saw a mother fall while holding her child and made sure to be extra careful myself. There was no outdoor seating for lunch, so although we were in swimsuits and shorts, we were directed indoors to velvet chairs in the breakfast and dining room, with no view. I ordered the only salad, a Caesar, but it was nothing like one: soft frisée instead of iceberg or romaine, no parmesan, just a few chicken strips and lots of fried chorizo. The oily chunks of toasted bread were drenched in dark balsamic dressing. When I asked about the Caesar dressing and the black sauce, they looked at me as if I were speaking another language. After I said “white dressing?”, they brought packaged garlic mayo in a bowl. It became clear that there was no other salad option. At 2:00 PM we got our room, which cost over €250 per night. It was in the attic with just one ceiling window, cracks and humidity on the ceiling, peeling wallpaper, creaky wooden floors, and a bathtub with a moldy glass panel. The toilet lid hit the paper roll, so I had to take it off to open the toilet. The hairdryer socket cover was falling off, and there was dust on the headboard. The fake flower in a vase seemed to sum up the stay. In the mini-fridge there were just two waters, one Coke, and one 7Up, no snacks. No resident masseuse was available, though we managed to book a massage for the next day. We considered room service, advertised as 24h, but the menu said orders had to be made 24 hours ahead and charged €12.50 per person. That would be €25 just for delivery, even for two coffees costing €6, making €31 in all. Ridiculous, so we went out for dinner. When we came back, the bed had been turned down, but the bathroom was as we’d left it, with wet towels still there. We showered again and had no dry towels. Breakfast the next day was also disappointing. A large round table held pastries that looked store-bought, perhaps from the day before, with a plastic flower arrangement in the middle. The croissants weren’t fresh. A mini pancake was raw and tasted like cake batter, inedible. There was no sliced bread or toaster, only rolls. No hot food was displayed and there was no chef in sight. I was given a list of options and asked for a fried egg and toasted bread. There were no salads, fresh yoghurts, smoked salmon, or anything freshly made. Solar do Requeijo looks like a noble manor and sells the dream of a five-star stay, but barely delivers four stars, and even that takes effort. This was nowhere near a five-star experience.

A relaxing place right in the town center, just across the river. The staff were super friendly, helpful, and spoke English. Our room was great and had its own terrace. There’s a nice pool, whirlpool, sauna, and even a chapel. We also enjoyed lovely hikes by the river along the Ecovia path.

Swimming outside in the heated pool under winter rain was a special part of our lovely stay. The spa was great too, with a sauna, jacuzzi, Turkish bath, and heated pools indoors and outdoors. We arrived in heavy rain and the lovely staff quickly got us dry on a nice sofa, welcomed us with a drink, and checked us in. The room was very good, with an amazing bed and sheets. Breakfast was well worth it and up to a very good standard. We wanted to try the restaurant because the menu sounded amazing, but we didn’t get there in time. The experience at Solar do Requeijo was amazing from the start. Absolutely recommend it, it’ll be a special stay.