Montebelo Viseu Congress Hotel & Spa

The rooms were really comfortable, and both dinner and the extensive breakfast were delicious. The pool, gym, and spa were very well equipped, too. Everyone on staff was polite and attentive, especially when the airline delayed my luggage. Thanks to the whole team.

The parking situation gets chaotic when outside events are booked. Hotel guests seem to take second place, even though they've paid to stay, while event visitors park haphazardly around the hotel without anyone managing it. There are several practical problems in the spa. In the adult area, there are almost no facilities beyond loungers, the water cascades have such weak pressure they're barely usable, and there's no jacuzzi. The jacuzzi in the main area is either occupied by children or out of order. There's no drinking water, staff to ask, or clock, so you have to keep a phone or tablet with you. The Turkish sauna has no water for cleaning the seats, and people sit in one another's sweat. Sauna rules aren't followed, perhaps because the instructions are posted in an illogical spot by the fire alarm. There are no hooks for towels or robes near the sauna, either. You have to wear a swimming cap, but that wasn't clearly explained before we paid for spa access. The caps sold there come in just one size and were painfully tight, especially for anyone with thicker or longer hair. After using the spa, we had to carry the wet, heavy towels back to our room because they couldn't be left there. There aren't enough hooks in the room for towels and robes, so some have to go on the floor. Swimsuits can't be dried because there's no heated dryer, meaning you'd need more than one if staying longer than a night. The room doors are hard to close quietly, so they make a loud bang that could disturb other guests. Breakfast was good, but there were no fresh vegetables or salad.

The rooms are lovely and spacious, and it's a good spot. The AC was running a bit low, though.

Our rooms were very nice, but the place felt like a building site and seemed understaffed. Renovation noise was horrendous in the lobby and spa, with drilling and hammering right beside the spa making it impossible to relax. We booked directly and weren't told about the work, either at booking or in the confirmation email. They said the email had mentioned it, but we checked carefully and couldn't find any notice. Breakfast service was awful as well. The food was cold, and we think the waitress may have forgotten to switch on the hot container. The pancakes were stone cold. When we asked about them, she was rude and dismissive, saying that's how they were. We asked to have some reheated, and she reluctantly brought tepid ones with a bad attitude. To be fair, she was there alone, and she couldn't be bothered. Eventually we were moved to another Montebelo hotel, Vista alegre, which was far superior.