Hotel O Catraio

The best thing was the parking, right beside the pension. I also slept very well in the bed, which is my one positive impression. My room was extremely basic. I know it’s a pension, but there was room for a small refrigerator. There was no option to get food at all, not even chocolate, and no breakfast or other meals. The old imitation wooden floor was cracked all over. It was only 13 degrees at night, and there were no extra blankets. Staff gave me one after I asked the next morning. The shower cabin was the smallest I’ve ever used, 60x60cm. There’s space for a larger one, so even a normal man could have a decent shower. If you’re overweight, you can’t get into this one. There was only one bedside lamp and one free power outlet. A little desk and chair would’ve been great. The entrance stairs are really dangerous, and it’s easy to slip and get hurt. There was a 2-3 mm gap under the door, so cigarette smoke got sucked in from the street, up through the entrance, along the corridor, and into my room at the far end. Terrible. Traffic just 2 meter from the building was sometimes extremely disturbing, with loud bikes and commuter buses. Most nearby stores don’t accept credit cards, so bring plenty of Euros. Note: it’s a pension, not a hotel.

The owner runs a bar on Montijo’s main Avenida dos Pescadores as well as this restaurant and a modest pensão upstairs. Both the bar and restaurant seem popular with visitors and locals. The restaurant itself serves familiar, traditional Portuguese dishes at very affordable prices, and old photos of the Town decorate the walls. Montijo has long been associated with countryside traditions, including bullfights and pig farms. These days the Mayor puts on several festivals through the year, from medieval exhibitions to the well-known Festas do Montijo. That’s a week of celebrations around June 29, St Pedro’s Day, with fairground rides and, as the main attraction for aficionados, bulls let loose in the streets each day.

Nice location and a great place, though a small fridge and a microwave would be useful since there’s no restaurant.

A good choice for couples or families. There’s a nice range of Portuguese food, and the service is quality.