Parque Das Laranjeiras

Breakfast was good, and we had it included. Parking was good too, with a canopy over only one side. But at €400 for three nights, it felt expensive for a room in this condition. There were a few ants in the bathroom, and the toilet ceiling had spots of mould with no extraction fan. The main ceiling was damp and the paint was peeling. The old AC unit was dusty, had no remote, and used an old-fashioned control box. The TV volume was capped at 30, which felt very low even when the room was quiet. Around 6 a.m. we could smell baking coming into the room, like butter or pastries. Trains pass behind the hotel, about 30 metres from a room overlooking the pool. I think the last one is around 10 p.m. and the first around 7 a.m.

The railway behind the hotel didn’t bother us, and it was still peaceful enough to properly switch off. We spent most of our time by the lovely pool, though we did visit the beach, and breakfast was great for getting the day started. We stayed four nights with a friend at this quirky, characterful little retreat, a real hidden gem. It’s close enough to the marina for an €8 Uber, while still feeling nicely removed. We’d definitely return.

The breakfast had loads of choice and plenty of seating, and the outside pool area was clean, lovely, and relaxing. The pool itself was perfect. The hotel is easy to find with excellent parking, and its quirky decor includes old bikes, a gramophone, piano, tills, scales, and plenty more. The rooms are a little dated but suit the style. Ours was very clean, the bed was comfy, and the air conditioning worked well. We had a problem with the shower drain, which wasn’t clearing water fast enough. It overflowed under the bathroom door and into the corridor before we realized. Another guest alerted us, so we turned off the shower and went straight to reception. The receptionist handed me a mop, bucket, and towels. I started cleaning, then about ten minutes later she arrived with a maintenance man and a plunger. The water eventually cleared from the shower, but the drain still didn’t work properly when the filter was put back. The receptionist was reluctant to help with the water, said it wasn’t her job, blamed us, and came across as quite aggressive. We cleaned most of it ourselves. The maintenance man tried the shower to test it and got drenched because it was overhead, then did the same thing again, which was pretty funny. We had to remove the plug filter to shower after that. It was unpleasant because the toilet sewage smell came through and stank up the whole room. We weren’t impressed, never got an apology, and the receptionist was abrupt and miserable with us for the rest of our stay. Still, I’d return. It was one incident, and I’ll assume she’d had a bad week. It’s a very nice, peaceful place, fairly close to the surrounding resorts, and I’d recommend it.

Fernando deserves a big thank you for all his hard work. We were especially surprised when the hotel offered to prepare breakfast for us at 4 a.m. before our flight. Breakfast had a wide choice of pastries and breads, with delicious coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice every morning. The hotel’s beautiful decor caught our eye right away, the rooms were cleaned very well, and the pool was amazing. It stayed warm in the direct sun.