À da Avó - The Guesthouse

The homey atmosphere and fair price made this a good option for a night or two, though I’d think twice about staying longer. Beds seemed clean and were reasonably comfortable, the air conditioning worked well, and the place has its own character and interesting interior details. It’s about a 20-minute walk to the city centre and 15 minutes to Forum Algarve. Check-in instructions arrived on time and were clear, and we appreciated being able to arrive as early as 11:30 AM. The kitchen has an impressive range of equipment, from dishes and coffee makers to toasters, kettles, an oven, stove, spices and some basic food. It was quiet there, with hardly any other guests using it. Fresh bread and fruit were put out each morning, and we could make sandwiches to take with us. Breakfast wasn’t listed in the Booking description, so we’d brought food, but it was a nice extra despite some concerns. The host discourages cooking because of food smells, which felt at odds with providing such a well-equipped kitchen. Cleanliness needs work. Some dishes hadn’t been washed properly, our room had hairs on a shelf, and there was mold on the wall. The bathrooms felt stuffy and had no ventilation. Breakfast offered a lot of choice, but the jams and spreads seemed very cheap, Fanta was served, and butter and processed cheese were left out overnight in a warm kitchen. Since fresh bread and fruit arrived each morning, we were surprised dairy wasn’t refrigerated. The walls are thin, so privacy is limited. Our room faced a courtyard where a dog barked for a while at night and woke us up. We only found out about the dogs after booking. Some room and bathroom locks were difficult to use, and communication through Booking was mixed, with some questions left unanswered despite the host saying they were available for anything.