Pousadela Village Among Nature

We found check-in slow, and the reception staff could have been warmer. After that, though, the stay was a real highlight of our two weeks in Portugal. The hotel near Gerês National Park had incredible views, and the indoor pool, sauna, steam bath, and reading room were all wonderful. Everything was clean and well kept.

The property is lovely, but the deposit issue ended up overshadowing the views and the rest of the trip. At check-in, I said I did not want to leave my card details, so the receptionist put a €200 security deposit on my card through the terminal. When I checked out, I suggested she tap the card on the terminal again. She refused and said the money would be released automatically. It wasn't. On day six, after the five days they had asked me to wait, the money still had not come back. When I contacted the hotel, they asked me to give card details over the phone to release it, which didn't seem secure. Reception also seemed unsure what they were doing. When I asked about trails that are supposed to start at the hotel, I was told to drive to a Geres tourist center and ask there. The setting is nice, but the reception experience, especially the missing deposit, ruined the good impression I might have taken away. Keep an eye on your deposit and don't trust reception with it.

The included breakfast was one of the best buffets we've had, and the staff were so friendly and ready to help. We stayed three days at Pousadela Village in the 'Europa' guesthouse, about 2.5 km from the main building. It had a magnificent view and a private pool shared with three other guesthouses, so we didn't need to drive to the main pool. In September, little sun reached that pool area and the water was really cold, so we drove to the village for a swim or the spa instead. The road there is a bit tricky, though we knew that when we booked.

Only a few hours in and I'm already writing a review. The apartments are great, the view is unbeatable, and the food, pool, and sauna are all amazing. This has been the peak of our trip. Really top notch!