Quinta Dos Castanheiros

The pool is great. The Wi-Fi and mobile signal are both very weak, but that does make it easier to switch off from devices and reconnect with nature.

Such a lovely place, and the staff were really friendly.

The pool was really good, and so were the cleaning and breakfast. Susana, the only employee at the quinta, was very kind and helpful. There’s also a café in Celas whose owners are very friendly. Still, I wasn’t very happy with the stay at Quinta dos Castanheiros. The website mentioned horses to ride, walks, family activities and dinner in the evening, but none of that was available. The internet was very bad, the gym equipment was broken, the jacuzzi wasn’t working, and the place is a long way from everything.

The pool area is pleasant, and the pool itself is large. The staff seemed tired and very few in number, around two or three people looking after the whole quinta, though they were friendly. The room’s air conditioning didn’t work well, and I couldn’t get the room cool. The bed had a wide but very firm spring mattress, and there’s no room service. The spa was closed, and nobody mentioned that until I asked in person. This is definitely a place to relax. There’s little mobile signal, but the accommodation does have internet. There isn’t much nearby, and places to visit are about 30-40 minutes away by car, so it’s the sort of place where you go and stay put. Breakfast was very poor: the scrambled eggs were cold and the coffee was iced. To get them hot, you had to use a microwave in the dining room. Even the ham, which is usually served chilled, was at room temperature, making it seem as if the food had been put out well before guests arrived. Lunch options were sparse, just frozen pizzas or toasties. Dinner was nicely cooked, but there were few dishes and only grilled food. Nothing featured local ingredients such as chestnuts, apart from a chestnut pudding. You had to ask about drink prices because no list was provided. The information about the quinta wasn’t consistent across the different platforms. The signs around the pool could also be improved, since people coming in through the upper entrance have no directions to reception. I think the place has the potential to justify its nightly rate, but given these shortcomings, the price is very high.