Monte da Ameira

A lovely place to slow down and really feel the Alentejo. Definitely recommend it.

The heated pool was spectacular. Floating there and looking out across the valley was deeply relaxing, both physically and mentally. The accommodation was pleasant, and there was access to the local wildlife. The owner was very kind and always willing to help with whatever was needed. The main downside, especially for a first visit, was that the access road wasn't in the best condition at the time. I'd recommend it and would come back.

It's quiet, clean, and well looked after, with a relaxing view and a heated pool the kids really enjoyed. The staff were very friendly. Wi-Fi is weak, and there aren't any supermarkets nearby. Santiago do Cacém is a 20-minute drive away. There’s no air conditioning, but the houses stay cool, and there's a fireplace. All in all, an excellent stay. Recommended.

We ended up losing the full booking cost of 910€ for a stay of at least 7 nights, even though we decided not to stay at Monte da Ameira. The property is reached by 3 Km of dirt road with a terrible surface and several speed bumps. Every trip out and back meant 6 Km of misery for us and the car. Mr. Leo understood why we were leaving, but referred the refund decision to Booking, even though it was his decision. He declined the exceptional partial refund request we submitted, which Booking had proposed. We were left badly out of pocket, and our holiday was completely ruined. We've stayed at several estates in the Alentejo, including Herdade do Touril, which we liked a lot. They all have dirt roads, of course, but those were much shorter, wider, and in far better shape. Monte da Ameira seems suited only to people with a 4x4 who enjoy driving along rough tracks through the countryside. Check-in was only available from 17H00, and with all the unexpected back and forth, it was already late. The welcome fruit, 2 apples, 2 bananas, and 2 oranges, became the strangest and most expensive snack of our lives. It was the June 3rd public holiday, everything was closed, and being out in the middle of nowhere left us few options to eat before getting back on the road home. We'd paid for a full week, so eating that modest fruit doesn't seem like a reason to refuse any refund at all. The 7-day minimum stay and non-refundable booking seem designed to stop guests from cancelling when they arrive and discover the awful access.