Casas Vale Martinho

The building’s architecture is beautiful and the area has so much potential, which makes this a shame. The beds were rock hard. I booked two nights but left after one, even though I’d paid for both. Breakfast was among the worst I’ve had in Portugal, and the coffee was undrinkable. How can coffee be that bad in Portugal? They haven’t invested in a coffee machine. All the room keys are the same, as the picture shows, and there’s no lock on the inside. The bed end sticks out, and both my wife and I tripped over it at night. The grass is unkempt, which lets dog fleas flourish, especially with so many guests bringing dogs. Paint is peeling, and the main sitting area smells musty. They’re wasting a beautiful place.

There’s no TV, and while Wi-Fi is provided, you can still use phone data. The rooms were clean, and the constant birdsong and surrounding nature made it easy to disconnect from everyday life. Mussa was a great host. If you order ahead, he’ll cook lunch or dinner; we had two dinners, both good quality and reasonably priced. Breakfast was simple. It’s near bike rental if you want to ride the ecopista do dão, and there are plenty of lovely riverbanks for swimming, stand-up paddling and sunbathing. I’d definitely recommend it, especially for couples.

After the eco pista bike ride, this place was a real gem. I’ve traveled to 92 countries, and the location here is wonderful. We hired three rooms for friends visiting from the USA, Hong Kong and the UK, and they all loved it. Kids and adults can switch off here, with the kids running wild in the garden. The owner serves fresh curry and is Portuguese Indian, originally from Mozambique and Goa. Amazing value for money.

Really lovely place, with great food and a genuinely friendly team. They’ll bend over backwards to help, and have a good sense of humour. Highly recommended.