GUESTHOUSE CASA POMBAL

This review is long overdue, as I visited quite a while ago. I was visiting Coimbra, and I stayed here for a few nights. My stay was great, and as the place is as described "cosy rooms with style". The hosts were quite accommodating and even prepared breakfast for me on my last day and kept outside the room door, as I would check out very early in the morning. The only "adventure" of the trip was Google maps guiding me there from the train station via what seemed to be an infinite number of stairs!!! So, if you have heavy luggage I would suggest taking a taxi or planning better than me. I would happily visit again.

I spent one night here on my travels and it was a very nice find. Be warned that Casa Pombal is up a serious incline! The house is comfortable and unpretentious and I had a room with a great view over Coimbra. The staff were very kind, welcoming and efficient - thank you! Breakfast was varied and delicious. I especially loved the library of books about Portugal in the breakfast room. I will definitely stay here again.

My husband and I stayed here from June 11 to the 15. We had the top floor with a gorgeous window view overlooking the city...at night the stars would shine and the city sights/smells would waft through lulling us to sleep. Bathroom clean and well appointed. Bed was very comfortable. Easy access to buses/train...and yes, it did require walking, but well needed for all the tasty breakfast treats we ate every morning! (Love the cheese and freshly squeezed juice!) The owners here will even pack you a picnic breakfast to take with you on day trips. (We took advantage of this and it was great) Cannot say enough: hosts were kind, knowledgeable, and gracious. Already planning on booking for next year!!!

We really enjoyed our stay here. The place is very quaint and although the room is small, there was space for everything. The bathrooms were very clean and well designed, and I really loved that we had a sink in our room! The breakfast was great, with hard-boiled eggs, deli meats and cheeses, good bread, as well as fruit, yogurt and cereal. The staff were all friendly and informative, and very helpful with any suggestions. Although it's a climb from the bus/train station (about a 12 minute walk), it's atmospheric and safe, and once you're up there, you're right next to the university and some museums. Anyway, we didn't mind going up and down the crooked streets, it was a nice way to experience the city. Would highly recommend!

A charming old house with a very helpful and friendly 'receptionist/owner'.||The breakfast room was very nice with good continental breakfast and has tea and coffee available all day.||Our room was en-suite, (not all the rooms are) and while 'charming' was too small for mature folk and the shower was also far too small. Parts of the room needed decorating.||As said elsewhere, Coimbra is a lovely town with lots of good stuff to see including the library, but it is very very hilly and with cobblestones, which are slippery when wet; so it is tricky to get around.

This house had a glowing report in the Rough Guide but was a sad disappointment. It’s modestly priced and is indeed an old and interesting building with character and the owner is friendly and helpful. The beds are comfortable and the breakfast is very modest by Portuguese standards. ||||However our small room at the top of the house was a most miserable place with a horrible smell that greeted you. Bare floorboards unpolished. A heater that fell off the wall. A sliding door to the bathroom that didn’t close. The most grim of curtains draped into the bath and constantly wet. Peeling wallpaper and chipped paint. One window wouldn’t open and the other had no glass. No soap provided. Just two small bottles of shampoo.||||I’ve stayed in many hotels in India, Africa and Asia and cannot honestly remember anywhere more dismal. ||As I said the house is modestly priced but not even worth the €34 in our view. It could be so lovely.

I feel awkward going against the generally positive reviews of Casa Pombal. ||||The pros: In a very hilly place, this accommodation is fairly close and level with the University of Coimbra, the the National Museum Machado de Castro, and the botanical gardens at the university, all excellent sites to visit. The property is in the old town centre with it myriad narrow, winding, and steep streets. We discovered on our second and last day that there is an elevator/funicular (combination), the high point being only about 50 metres away, which would eliminate the climb, Another good point is that the rooms and or guests were very quiet during our stay. The included breakfast is good.||||The cons: This property is at or near the high point of the hill. It is worth taking a taxi from train station A (@ 8 euros), or if walking, the elevator/funicular (@1.60 pp). Travelling anywhere within the old town will mean steep cobblestone streets, with poor lighting at night. Being in a maze will require a good map/memory, or gps. The rooms are quaint, but on the second floor two rooms were a bit of a jig-saw puzzle, with one ensuite bathroom squeezed by sloping roof lines, and the other having an ensuite accessed through a passage. ||||Our really serious complaint is that in room 10, we discovered a foul odour on the first night after a long day out and about. The odour came from the ensuite bathroom. The odour was likely sewer gas. The next day I asked for a new room but was told that we could not be accommodated. Most shocking was that this was a known issue. I was told that it was hoped to be resolved during a renovation planned to take place during the December closing. In the meantime, I was advised to flush the toilet several times. We worried about our health and there was no relief offered. The second night we made sure to keep the two windows open all day, to and keep the bathroom door closed. My wife and I are still upset, especially since we booked several months early, and got this room. If you choose Casa Pombal, I would strongly caution you not to take room 10.

As the headline says - this is a basic B&B but clean and very close to all the major interesting sights of Coimbra. The price was good and it was warm when we were there in late November. Many good places to eat nearby.