A Casa Da Avó Leonor

We went to see Monsanto and found the ideal place to stay. Casa da avó leonor is right in the center of Idanha-a-nova, with everything needed for a quiet weekend away from the crowds. The owners were wonderfully hospitable and made us feel completely at ease. My wife and I spent a lovely late afternoon at the table on the porch/patio. The bedrooms were nicely arranged, and the bathroom was clean enough to rival a hotel. Superb!

The owners were lovely guides to Idanha-a-Nova and the surrounding region, pointing us toward good restaurants and things to see. They also welcomed us warmly at check-in. The house itself is roomy and inviting, great for bringing children, and it’s centrally located with easy parking. We especially recommend Aldeia de Monsanto, about a 30-minute drive away, it’s worth visiting. If you’re holidaying in Beira Baixa, Idanha-a-Nova makes a handy base, and Casa da Avó Leonor is a great place to stay. We were very happy with our visit.

I booked Casa da avó Leonor for two adults and a child. The owner contacted me and asked whether we’d switch to another property of his, quinta da nave redonda. He said it would be an upgrade at the same price because it had a pool and was an entire house rather than a room. We checked in and found a small house with two bedrooms, one double bed and another bed for one and a half people, plus a single small bathroom and a kitchen. We had paid in advance. Some friends came to meet us, and we invited them to stay. At checkout, the owner said he had stopped renting the other bedroom to someone else to accommodate us and the child, and that since we’d brought another couple, we now owed double. It was unpleasant, and left me feeling he was taking advantage of the situation to charge an excessive amount. It would be ridiculous to rent a room with a single bed to other couples as he claimed, and even more so to share that house with strangers. If that were the arrangement, the price would need to be lower. The property wasn’t particularly affordable for what it offered anyway. There were cobwebs in several places, even in the wardrobes. The owner’s response was, “It’s in the countryside, that’s part of it.” This was the end of a stay in Idanha-a-Nova where restaurants had also served us badly and charged a lot, or even refused to serve us because it was too much work. That was the owners’ actual response. A terrible first impression of the region.

We had a wonderful New Year’s stay at this house, right in the center of Idanha. The owners took such good care of us and did everything they could to make guests feel at home. It’s a New Year’s Eve I won’t forget.