Alva Valley Hotel

The staff were the highlight of our stay. The hotel is simple, but it was clean, and breakfast was well organized and good. It’s about an hour from the very top of Serra da Estrela.

The team made my solo stay at Alva Valley Hotel feel like home. It’s a peaceful location, and Paula and Latece handle everything themselves with real care. Paula looked after me in all sorts of ways, from arranging food at odd hours to being flexible with my room and taking care of the little details. When I couldn’t find a taxi, she kindly offered me a lift on her way home after her shift. That small gesture showed how warm and helpful the hotel is.

We arrived with our dog and were welcomed like family as soon as we stepped inside Alva Valley Hotel. She had her own comfy bed and special treats in the room, and clearly enjoyed the stay as much as we did. Our terrace was spacious and had a lovely view, and the room itself was very nice. There are several excellent hikes you can start on foot, without getting in the car. Walk uphill for spectacular views, or follow the river for a cool, peaceful route with running water, birds and fresh air. After all that walking, we loved dinner, and breakfast was lovely too: fresh fruit, organic local yogurt, salami and chorizo, local cheeses, bread and pastries, plus local jellies and honey straight from the honeycomb. It’s a wonderful hotel in a beautiful part of Portugal.

Really clean hotel, friendly staff, a great bed and a spotless shower. It deserves five stars.