Vila Palmeira

Great restaurants are only five minutes away, and Maia Praia beach is super close. The apartments are spacious, with a saltwater pool and a roomy garage for the car. The only snag was that we couldn’t contact reception from the apartment. They really need a phone there.

It’s a lovely complex across from the beach and boardwalk, and the front desk people are very nice. They’ll help you get what you need for your suite and offer useful advice on where to go and how to get around. Town is walkable, though it takes about 30 minutes, while a taxi or rideshare takes only a few minutes. It’s around a seven-minute drive.

The ants were everywhere, in the bed, kitchen, bathrooms, and on the floor. They felt like roommates who hadn’t paid to stay. At night, an unknown bug buzzed near my ear, and I slept terribly. I woke up with itchy bites on my lip and nose, each about the size of my thumb. I even moved to a family member’s room and still woke up with an itchy lump on the side of my face. I also found the sleeping setup awkward. We booked two rooms, but got four single beds instead of the two queen beds I’d expect where I’m from. I don’t blame them too much, since it may be a cultural difference, but with only half the people using the beds and not wanting to fall into the gap, I was left with an unnecessarily small space to sleep. The couch was so hard that I hurt my back when I flopped onto it on the first day. And why does an expensive, highly rated hotel have no conditioner, just shower gel and shampoo combined? My dandruff went crazy, and my hair has never behaved so badly. Reception staff were nice and helpful, but the rooms made this the most uncomfortable stay of my short life. Terrible experience, 0/10, I wouldn’t come back.

It’s a quiet, peaceful hotel, but you’ll need a car because you never know when the bus will show up. The beach is only five minutes away, the pool is nearby, and there’s even a baby area. Our two-bedroom apartment had two double beds, a living room and kitchen, plus a toaster and kettle, which we didn’t have at the other hotel last time. The mattresses and pillows were really comfortable, and the TV had 138 channels. There are mosquito screens on the bedroom windows. Kailey, age 10.