Quinta Das Mineirinhas

It was OK.

The duplex units have plenty of space, but there’s no air conditioning. The pools are always open, and the staff are friendly. It’s a great retreat, though this is a large resort that clearly needs a lot of maintenance.

Several desserts were unavailable, and it took until our third choice of wine to get the one we wanted. We were served by a Brazilian employee whose performance seemed like something out of a Hollywood comedy. She was completely unsuited to the job.

The grounds are beautifully cared for, with fruit trees lining the paths and bearing lemons, plums, pears, and apples. The landscaping is impressive, and the pool is magnificent. The play area is nice too, though some boards are loose and need paint or rivets. The houses are beautiful and high quality, and ours had impeccable interior design with original artwork. The location is unbeatable. A few things could be better: the bed linens didn’t match, there were no spare sheets, and although the kitchen was well equipped, there was no cooking oil or salt. The amenities could use some improvement too.