Quinta de Santo Antonio

A nice spot to unwind.

I booked a few days here last June, and was extremely unhappy with how the stay ended. The pool didn’t look clean. Leaves and dirt from the surroundings weren’t the issue, but there was visible grime and foam all along the edge, which made it seem the water wasn’t being properly cared for. The dishes and bed and bath linens had been washed, and the accommodation looked presentable overall. Still, the cleaning seemed weak: we found lots of cobwebs and dead insects in numerous places. We also cut our stay short and left halfway through the penultimate night we had booked. While we were asleep, we heard noises like something gnawing. We searched the bedroom briefly and found a closed mousetrap behind a cupboard, which seemed to be where the sound came from. After that, we decided to leave right away, having paid for a night we didn’t use. We explained what had happened to the people responsible for the booking. They didn’t apologize for any of it, and instead suggested these were normal things that could happen. I wouldn’t recommend the accommodation. The facilities weren’t in the best condition for guests to use, and management seemed to lack the common sense needed to ensure quality service.

The pool and working air conditioning were the only real positives for us. We arrived to an empty Quinta, with everything closed and no signs or directions. A friendly Portuguese guest pointed us to the restroom and tried to find a staff member, but couldn’t; he said he had hardly seen anyone since arriving. It was so hot, and there was nowhere to sit in the shade, so we waited in the car after a long day of driving. At least we had drinks and air conditioning there. Just after 4 p.m., a woman gestured for us to follow her. She led us to a worn-out door and into a dark room, asked, “Is it okay?”, then disappeared before we could get our bearings. We were left without any information or a way to find her. Once our eyes adjusted, we saw there was just one set of towels for three people. The beds were unstable and only 1.80m long, with high headboards and footboards. A child or a gnome might fit, but an average-sized Northern European would get tangled up. Our seven-year-old said it felt like a haunted house. It was dark, and things squeaked, creaked, stuck, or smelled. The air conditioning worked perfectly, and the pool was right outside, so we tried not to let the discomfort get to us. That changed at bedtime. We slept separately in the gnome beds, with wiring for a light switch hanging out of the wall, though we were still trying to stay cheerful. The mattress was rock hard, and springs poked between my ribs. Turning over was noisy and risked falling out. I lay awake thinking I’d paid to sleep in a crib in a musty hut, less comfortable than a prison cell. The next morning, we had to hunt for breakfast. There was another disappointment hidden behind a jammed door, but you’ll have to experience that poverty for yourself. On the second night, we decided to book a hotel for the third night during our planned day trip to Porto, catch up on sleep, then endure the fourth and final night at the haunted house. That was the plan, anyway. The hotel was so welcoming and comfortable to sleep in that we never went back to the Quinta, leaving our gnome beds empty for two of the four nights. We lost the money, but this was the only bad stay on our long trip through Spain and Portugal. Everywhere else was wonderful. We had hoped for an authentic, quiet, charming Quinta. Instead, we found a poorly maintained, impersonal attic.

The staff were attentive and friendly, and we appreciated how carefully they looked after even the little details. The accommodation was spotless and had everything we needed, and breakfast was generous, with fresh bread in the morning. It’s a magical, beautiful place and wonderfully peaceful. Such a shame we couldn’t try the pool surrounded by nature. It was winter, and it would’ve been freezing, hahaha. We’ll be back :)