Casa Do Pinhal Da Foz

We booked a studio for a week in January/February as Global Discovery Members, but left after three nights. Finding a dead cockroach in a glass was the last straw, and the tapas bar was closed until after we had gone. The apartment was cold: the upstairs bedroom heater didn't work, and the downstairs one barely warmed the room. The receptionist tested heaters in two other apartments, with little improvement, and staff gave us the only space heater they had. We also tried using the oven to keep warm. There wasn't enough hot water for two showers, and the bathroom is downstairs by the kitchen, so using it at night meant taking the steep stairs. Wi-Fi didn't reach the second floor. There was no hairdryer in the apartment; we had to borrow one from reception in the morning and return it straight away for others. When we asked, the front desk couldn't provide paper towels or Kleenex. The walls are very thin, and the only other guests were put next door, so we could hear them talking and laughing. It wasn't a good stay for us.

The receptionist went out of her way to find black tape to repair the cracked phone holder on my bike, and the owner even brought our bikes around to the apartment because he thought they'd be safer there. We were cycling the Camino and had booked ahead. Dinner was cooked and served to us: I had salmon and spinach in puff pastry, my husband had pork filet with mushroom sauce, and we both had soup, lentil for me and chicken broth for him. We finished with crème brûlée. In the morning there was a big pot of fresh coffee with hot milk, plus plenty of cereals, bread and cakes. The welcome and hospitality were lovely. We only wished the weather had been good enough for a swim.

We planned to stay a week but left after one night. The room felt stuffy and stale, smelled of mildew and disinfectant, and had dirty glasses. There was the same overpowering mildew and disinfectant smell as soon as we entered reception. With no air conditioning or fans, there was no air circulation, which seemed like a perfect setting for mold and mildew. If we hadn't driven for six hours and arrived so late, we would have left right away. The front desk staff seemed indifferent, unhelpful, and unable to do anything. My wife and I have been traveling internationally for over a year, and this is the worst place we've seen so far. Calling it 4.3 stars in Esplanende feels like a travesty to me, and I can only think the reviews are fake. Unsafe, mold and mildew.

Clean and adequate, though a little dated. Aldi and a lovely bakery are within walking distance one way, with the beach and promenade the other way.