Avó Rosa Guesthouse

We’ve stayed in so many places, and this one was super clean, which you can’t say about everywhere. We loved the whole place. It’s cute, beautiful, and really comfortable.

Rita runs this lovely, peaceful place.

We were unlucky with the timing: the tomato factory was running nonstop, day and night. The noise was deafening and the smell was something else. Nobody warned us about it, which didn’t feel very considerate. There were six of us. A mother and daughter couldn’t stay in the house with the rest of us for logistical reasons, and they were assigned the economy room without being given a choice. For what it offered, even the economy price felt too high. Things were also very disorganized. Some intentions seemed good, but the result was confusion and discomfort during what we thought would be a restful stay. Rest never really happened. Along with the factory, there were the workers, truck horns, and mattresses that weren’t great. After three nights, I was glad to finally go home, but I missed the sounds of the city and badly needed more rest. The factory soundtrack followed us even to the pool, so we couldn’t relax there either. The pool itself is nice and a decent size. The grounds could use much better care. The fig tree beside our house needed pruning, and the rotten figs on the ground and stones meant we were stepping on them the whole time. The other trees, plants, and shrubs could use trimming too. As it is, the place looks neglected rather than rustic or country-style. We’re not people who need luxury, but the space has plenty of room to improve. The room showers need attention. The shower in the house is rustic, but works fine and has great pressure. At dinner, the cat bothered us every night, so we kept shooing her away and telling the kids off when they got carried away. The dining area lighting needs to be improved, too. I love that there are roosters and hens, but something should be done so the rooster doesn’t wake guests in the morning. The Wi-Fi doesn’t work. The bread is wonderful when you order it from the baker. Rita is friendly and available, and I hope she takes this as a suggestion rather than criticism for its own sake. We appreciated the freedom on both sides, but when she had to go out, it would have been thoughtful to let us know and ask if we needed anything. We don’t feel like repeating this experience.

I spent two nights here with my family, and this local accommodation, turismo da avó Rosa, was unlike any other place I’d stayed. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone for a weekend away. The bed was the one good part: a wide double with a very comfortable mattress, and I slept really well. The rest of the house felt badly put together. The entrance had been adapted into something like a TV room, but the television was tiny for the distance to the sofa, and the huge fireplace didn’t fit with anything. The sofas should have been replaced ages ago. After sitting for less than half an hour to watch TV, I got up with back and leg pain, as if the cushions had no foam left. The bathroom door wouldn’t even close with me inside. The sink and shower had a quirky roof-tile spout, but turn the water up much and you’d end up washing in the sink. The interior paint job was awful, and the floor trim was in terrible shape. We were half an hour late leaving, even though checkout was at 11:00. D Rita spoke to us in a way that wasn’t appropriate for customers and showed little tact. She saw I was using crutches and still had me washing the breakfast dishes. She could have considered that I might have a health problem. Instead, she said, “I see I’m not going to be able to keep to the schedule,” after telling us earlier that guests would arrive at 4:00 in the afternoon. I won’t come back or recommend this place to anyone. It was awful. D Rita seems to care only about money and didn’t even ask whether we’d enjoyed our stay. I wish her well, though.