São Pedro Guesthouse

The pool was big, clean and quiet, the room was spacious with a comfortable bed and nice bathroom, and the staff were available in person and online. There’s also a bar inside, though I didn’t use it. The location is good, near everything, and walking back to the room at night felt fine. Restaurants are nearby. I couldn’t sleep well either night because of the noise. The first night, two people drank beer and talked until 5:30 am. The second, three or four customers chatted loudly in the garden until 4:30 am. Staff started talking and laughing at 5:30 am, and I could hear them from my room. It’s not a party hostel, so maybe put up a notice asking people to keep it down after midnight. The room light was also very bright. A warmer light would make it more comfortable. Those aren’t huge issues, but could be improved.

The room was relatively clean, but I don’t understand how this place has so many good reviews. It isn’t the cheapest accommodation on the island, so I expected a decent stay. For a similar budget, I’d avoid it completely. The paid airport transfer was late. I messaged the owner on airport WiFi and was told the car was there, but the driver arrived 10-15 minutes later. WiFi kept cutting in and out, so don’t count on it if you need to work. Customer service was practically nonexistent: the manager was never around, reception was always closed, and staff spoke only Portuguese. Even simple questions got an “I don’t know.” On my first day, there was a lot of algae-looking stuff at the bottom of the pool. Noise was unbelievable, with the guesthouse at the corner of two major roads, so there were horns, hard braking and accelerating. A nearby nightclub or bar also made noise until midnight. It’s a 15 minute walk from town, but the local neighborhood felt dodgy and there were random burning sessions that made it like a smokehouse.

We stayed from 22-24 Dec in Room 8 upstairs, in case the host replies and questions whether we were guests. The pool was a very good size and clean. The rooms were okay, and some had working AC, though for €110 a night, paid in euros, they weren’t great. Our first room had no working AC, so they had to find us another one during the night. They offer airport transport too, but charge in euros. There are only two parking spaces, often occupied by the hotel’s own cars, and no secured parking if you’re hiring a car to explore the island. The guesthouse sits by a crossroads, so it’s noisy all day and past midnight, with cars and motorbikes. Paid breakfast was limited and poor value: coffee, one fried egg, juice, fruit and crusty white bread. No allergies or other choices were considered, take it or leave it. The online pictures were deceptive, some were from years ago and didn’t represent the hotel’s current condition. There was no TV, and the WiFi kept dropping. We spent the first night without any connection, and nothing was done after we reported it. What really got on my nerves was checkout. They had no chip and pin card machine, so a guy asked us to transfer money online to a Portuguese account. I declined and offered the US dollars I had, but he said they only accepted $50 notes and above, which was a joke. Both our Visa debit cards worked, as we’d used them multiple times on the island. He then told us to go out, withdraw money and come back to pay, without offering transport, even though ATMs on the island are often out of cash, have long queues or are farther away. The receptionist was very rude. Customer service was nonexistent, and it felt like they were just there to rip guests off. There were plenty of other negatives, but these are the main ones that would have made us avoid the place. Read carefully before considering this guesthouse. It felt like a tourist money trap with no concern for guests.

We needed somewhere to land after arriving in São Tomé before heading south. The room was basic, but worked for our family of four and the three beds we needed. The price was great, and the grounds were tidy and well lit. Communication was great and service was perfect. We were told the street parking seemed safe, and there was plenty of space. It’s close to town, and we walked a block to a little local place on the water for dinner. Breakfast at the hotel was tasty and well rounded. For a hotel that isn’t too expensive, I was very happy with it.