Basic Hotel Braga by Axis

The train station is in the same building, but the hotel was still very quiet. Great value, amazing service, comfortable beds, and a smart TV in the room. Nothing to complain about.

Just beyond the old town, the location is great. The rooms are small, and it was very hot inside even though it was 11 deg C outdoors. Still, it wasn’t bad...

I was exhausted after a 2 day journey and got lost, so I called reception after making a mistake. I should have entered the underground train parking near Roundabout (rotunda), taken a ticket, and parked in the private back. The staff member wasn’t rude, and explained that I needed to give them the parking ticket before driving off. The place is simply very clean, and the service gets 10/10. Braga Parque is a shopping (MALL), with the smaller Nova Arcada also nearby. Google Map Pingo Doce or LiDL if you need shampoo. A few language tips: Portuguese “h” is silent, “lh” sounds like “y”, and “r” is the American “H” throat sound. Pão, bread, is pronounced through the nose like “n”. Don’t say POW, it means something different. Use bing translate (not google) and choose Portugal, not Brazilian Portuguese. Be polite, say good day as a greeting, and respect the local culture. The staff are very respectful. Be careful walking alone, and get a cheap rental.

The location is the only reason for the two stars. Most of the workers were rude, though there were one or two exceptions. It was especially unpleasant as a tourist who didn’t know the language. When we asked them to fix a problem with someone’s dish, the reaction was unexpectedly rude. They didn’t even try speaking to us in English, just said things in their own language, which seemed odd for hotel staff in a tourist area. The rooms are too narrow, with little beyond beds and a TV, no fridge, and not enough room for belongings. The service overall wasn’t satisfying, and the staff’s attitude really affected our experience.