Atlantic Views Sintra Guest House

The host kindly pointed us to our room remotely, and did it quickly. We arrived at night when very few street lights were on, but Sintra is quieter than Lisbon, so I wouldn't blame the guesthouse for the lighting. I saw other reviews mentioning stairs and no elevator, but the booking information was clear about that and the shared bathroom, so read the details carefully and stay elsewhere if those things don't suit you. Our stay was beyond words. The view of Praia das Macas was stunning, and access to the beautiful city of Sintra was easy. The place itself is breathtaking, like paradise and perfect for a getaway and a bit of therapy. The rooms feel bright, soothing, and positive. The complimentary breakfast was a treat, though breakfast was satisfactory. That kind of included breakfast is uncommon these days at many Airbnbs, apartments, guesthouses, and even hotels. I totally recommend it for a beautiful getaway.

Osvaldo, who keeps the house clean and makes breakfast, was very kind and even helped with our bags when we arrived early. Communication online had also been quick and easy. I was nervous after reading reviews on here and booking, but our experience was really nice. Sharing the house and bathrooms worried me at first, but it turned out not to be a problem. We stayed in the “beach room.” It was very clean, spacious, had a view worth every penny, and had no mold problem. The breakfast was delicious and the location was perfect. One thing to improve: the room doors only stayed shut with the key inside. A new locking mechanism might fix that.

The apartment is beautiful, and the view and common areas were magnificent. The room was clean, breakfast included, and there were no garbage bins in the rooms, plus lots of stairs to climb. We had booked the nicest room with a private bathroom in January for a May trip. On arrival, we were put in the cheapest room and told Expedia had mixed things up. But Expedia and our travel agent confirmed we'd paid for and booked the fancier room. The host, Mohamed, refused to honor that booking. At check-in, the room we'd paid for showed as available, but he then marked it unavailable on all platforms. It was never occupied during our stay in the cheaper room, so we were lied to about it. It seemed clear he wanted to keep the option of renting it for more money instead of honoring our booking and screwing us over. Mohamed is dishonest and blames booking platforms for his tricks. Please be careful! If he'd been an honest host, the small issues wouldn't have mattered, and he could have had lifelong advocates for the place. It's a shame people do business this way.

Even with the rather cold weather, I had a great stay in this beautiful place. The view was amazing, the room very comfortable, and the host friendly and helpful.