Orbitur Valado

In my opinion, this was one of the worst sites I've stayed at in Portugal, even allowing for the major winter storm that had wreaked havoc and the fact they were still clearing up. That's why I gave it two stars instead of one. We'd booked a pitch months ahead for our small motorhome, but on arrival the receptionist told us we could only set up in the small area right in front of reception. The actual pitches were full or too small for anything bigger than a small car, so we had to use the car park. At €32 a night, we weren't impressed. When I raised it, the receptionist only shrugged. We eventually ignored the instruction and moved farther into the park to a pitch with an electric hookup. It was still poor, overgrown with weeds and clearly neglected for a long time, but a little better than the car park. The facilities block was clean and the water hot, though the building badly needs renovation. The site is about a 20-minute walk from the lovely coastal village of Nazaré, so it could be a little gem. Sadly, in my view it's badly managed and neglected, and best avoided.

The staff were very friendly, and it's a perfect base for visiting Nazaré. The restaurant serves very basic food. Building work is still going on at the campsite after the January storm.

The reception staff were lovely, but this is another really unacceptable Orbitur campsite. The showers were the worst I've seen, spraying water from the connecting joints in every direction. There was no toilet paper, some toilet seats were missing, and I don't think there's a level pitch anywhere. Most pitches are just sand, and you sink so badly they offer to tow you out for free. At €30 a night, it's not cheap. The whole place is old and scruffy. I believe Orbitur just takes the money as profit and has no interest in investing in the facilities. Clearly, nothing has been spent here for many years.

It's adequate if you're just passing through, but I wouldn't recommend staying otherwise. The pitch itself was shady, and the staff were friendly, worth a point each. The sanitary areas were old and dirty, with some showers out of order and some toilet seats broken. Open bin bags and toilet paper were left lying around in the bathrooms. Other pitches were next to the highway.