Albergaria Quim Barreiros

On my pilgrimage to Santiago, I had a basic but nice room with a sea view. The hotel is close to dinner restaurants and a promenade. I was there in March, and the air conditioning was set for winter, so I had to open the windows because it wasn’t cooling the room enough. Breakfast isn’t provided, but they pointed me to a nearby restaurant on the Camino trail.

For what we paid, we expected better. The location is superb, but the hard bed left us with back pain, and the room smelled of chlorine when we arrived. We later figured the chlorine was masking a sewer smell. One staff member gave my husband attitude when he asked for hot water and for the lights in the bar area to be turned on. We wished we’d chosen a guest house instead. We were walking the Camino when we stayed here.

Albergaria Quim Barreiros is right across from the beach in Vila Praia de Âncora, Portugal, with lovely views and easy access to the sandy shore. My room was clean, comfortable and nicely appointed with what I needed to relax. It was a delightful stay, and I highly recommend it.

Walking out of the building and seeing the ocean right in front of you felt so good. The location is perfect, and although some reviews called it noisy, my stay was quiet. Maybe that was because I didn’t book an ocean-view room. I chose a view of the beautiful Portuguese tiles on the building next door to avoid paying extra. The room got full sunshine when I opened the curtains, and it looked better than the review pictures, which is rare. It was clean and simple, the bed was comfortable, and the window opened. The bathroom was very clean too, and the shower pressure was a little weak but didn’t bother me. The front desk staff were professional and friendly. It was a little pricey, but I had such a pleasant stay that I didn’t mind. It’s not really a five-star hotel, but for someone on a budget who just wants a nice, clean place without needing much, it worked well. The town is small, so I can’t imagine it getting loud enough to bother me. I’d stay here again if I return to this beautiful, friendly Portuguese town.