Rio Divino

The pool area is a comfortable size, so it never felt too crowded, and the landscape is beautiful. Rooms are lovely and modern, and the waiters were dedicated and very nice. A few things could be better: quicker service, more shower pressure, and waiters who understand English.

We had the apartment and a double room booked for two nights. There’s potential here, but the place needs a lot of work, and I’m somewhere between “it was ok” and “I dislike it.” The quiet setting was nice, the pool was pleasant, and the outdoor area was generally kept up. Drinks and refreshments were available from the restaurant. Their COVID 19 policies were very good, and most were followed, which reassured us. The apartment was warm. There was one mobile AC unit in the bedroom, but it wasn’t really movable and didn’t cool the room well. The living room had no AC at all. Keeping the mosquitoe nets shut constantly is a good idea. The rooms were large but sparsely furnished. In the living room there was just a sofa bed, a small table and a few chairs. The huge balcony had a nice view, but no chairs, table, drying rack or anything else to use out there. The website for Rio Divino says the apartment has a jacuzzi. What we found was a small, old, badly maintained bathtub, with rusty faucets that looked like they’d never been changed. The whole bathroom felt poor quality, and the water took several minutes to drain. Breakfast came with the room, which was nice, but the first serving was tiny: a quarter tomato, a few cucumber slices and an extremely thin, neatly cut slice of cheese. We politely asked for more and got it, so it was fine in the end. There are designated fishing spots, though they seemed a bit dodgy. The water wasn’t very clean, but we still had some fun. A few umbrellas would have been...divino. Catalin was very patient and helped us set up our fishing gear. It’s a good place for a few nights if you arrive after lowering your expectations.

The room felt quite worn and could use renovation, though the bathroom was good. Breakfast had limited options. The location is beautiful, the staff friendly, and the pool nice.

The hosts are very nice, the food is good, and the pool is great. It’s a very good location.