shimons554
Google
Summary:|+ Beautiful rooms (clean, modern, spacious)|+ Friendly and helpful staff|+ Great bike selection and tour recommendation|+ Awesome location for gravelling|+ High-quality breakfast buffet and dinner (half-board)|+ Quiet location|- Located a bit away from the city center, in an industrial and residential zone.|||The hotel’s location is somewhat ambiguous. On one hand, it is very close to the beach, accessible via a two-minute walk along a wooden path. On the other hand, it is situated between an industrial zone and a residential area. Aside from the beach, there isn’t much else to do nearby. Viana do Castelo can be reached by foot, bike, or car via the nearby road bridge. I did not use public transport, but Uber is available for getting around. ||The hotel features a warm and welcoming style, with friendly staff eager to assist. The rooms are spacious and inviting, each with its own balcony and air conditioning. The hotel also has a restaurant open to both guests and the public, serving high-quality food and breakfast. I highly recommend booking half-board, which includes dinner and breakfast. The spa area is modest but includes a small heated indoor pool, a sauna, and a steam bath. Overall, the spa and gym are conveniently located for relaxation, though they are nothing special.||I booked the Scott gravel adventure package, which includes bike rental and half-board, and I can strongly recommend it. The options can be customised, for example, if you wish to have a local tour guide (minimum 2 people). The staff at the bike center are very helpful with technical questions and can suggest excellent bike tours in the area. If you’re interested in gravel cycling, please note that the terrain here is a wild mix of fast sandy tracks along the coast and MTB-like trails in the nearby mountains. The mountain trails are more technically challenging, but the tours are truly fantastic. I cannot comment on the water sports offered by the hotel. When arriving by car, there is a large parking area in front of the hotel with many charging stations for electric vehicles. Overall, the hotel is a lovely place to spend your holiday and is suitable for solo travellers and families.||Tip: If you plan to arrive via Porto airport, the hotel offers a transfer for 140€ one way. However, using an Uber from the airport is much cheaper and widely advertised throughout, with a central pick-up station. Look out for Uber adverts on the floor of the luggage hall, as they often offer extra discounts. This way, your transfer to and from the hotel will cost around 30-80€ each way.