We like a quiet hotel but this place is dead. It's an interesting building and well preserved, but...... We had a good balcony with a stunning view but don't assume - most rooms have no outside space whatsoever. The flashy electric blinds were fine but the electric curtains on the other windows/doors were jammed shut. Reported, but no change in the week we were here. The little tables are a joke - tiny drawers with too little storage. We are in Portugal for 2 weeks so we have a lot of luggage. The restaurant is expensive and our first dinner was very good. The menu is not huge and it was the same every single day. I ordered cheese in filo pastry with salad and the cheese was wrapped in greaseproof paper inside the pastry. Not a small amount but a big sheet of paper. 2 courses and a single glass of wine = €82. There were no refreshments near the outdoor poolside, despite a stand marked ”Bar”. My husband went to reception (c150m) and was told the bar would be opened. Back he came (150m). 40minutes later he returned to reception (150m) to be told that the bar would not be opened and he should carry 2 coffees 150m back, down steps and across the undulating gardens. He is 74 years old. The weather wasn't great and there is NOTHING to do. A few books on the shelves, 3 in English, no board games, no evening entertainment at all. Nowhere to walk to in safety, not even the tatty-looking cafe a few hundred yards up the road. Almost all the personnel were friendly and polite but it was obvious that the hotel is woefully understaffed. There is seldom anyone present behind the bar during the evening. I even saw one frustrated guest help himself! And diabetics like me beware, the only sugar-free mixer is Coca-Cola, so good luck getting to sleep full of caffeine. There are several families here so be prepared for children running around the dining room shouting and screaming, even at 9pm. I found an emergency exit door locked and pointed this out to the duty manager. He argued that this was not an emergency exit - until I pointed the signs out to him 🙄. Assumption: English tourist = stupid. We have stayed at 2 Pestana hotels before and are members of their Vacation Club. We are supposed to expect 5* VIP trea**ent - certainly not here. We are trying to arrange an early departure but even that is fraught with Pestana red tape. If you come here, expect to do a lot of waiting around, walking indoors, and thumb twiddling!
0 Ulasan