Hi there,
Where we live every year there is a church festival and they spend 4 days with loud music and pyrotechnics.
The first year we almost went crazy and in 2023 it coincided with the trip we made to Lisbon.
For 2024 we thought about going to Peneda Gerês hoping it wouldn’t be too hot and not too crowded. So, we made a reservation at this property from June 27 to June 30.
We contacted them through Airbnb, and they responded immediately and in great detail.
Since breakfast was included, we asked if it was possible for it to be vegan. We were told that they left a basket with various products for us to prepare breakfast and that there was no problem in offering vegan options.
We decided to close the reservation.
48h before our arrival, they wrote to us from the accommodation to ask what we wanted for breakfast. That is, there was no need to remind them that we were vegans.
In addition, Diego took the opportunity to ask if it would be possible to check-in earlier. When we were already in Peneda Gerês sightseeing, they told us that from 13h we could access the house.
The access was autonomous as they left the key in a key lock.
We had booked a room with a kitchen.
When we entered, we were pleasantly surprised.
Everything was clean, and the kitchen was perfectly equipped.
Think that normally in an Airbnb accommodation there is not even a pasta strainer, and it seems a luxury when you find the bare minimum.
For breakfast we had whole wheat bread and corn bread, jams, quince jelly, juice, 2 vegetable milks, strawberries, plums, granola, nuts and lettuce. In the kitchen there were also basics such as salt, pepper, pasta, condiments.
From the first day, we met a gray cat who accompanied us during the 4 days and made our stay even better.
In addition to her, a black and white cat and several dogs always came to eat. We always bring pet food, but just on this trip we didn’t bring any, so the diet was the same as what we were eating. We were impressed because cats and dogs ate oatmeal with vegetable drink with no problem.
We named the gray cat Maluquinha and from the second day we already put her a little bed in our room.
This cat was so good and obedient that we considered adopting her. In the end, we thought that after being free, the change of being locked up in a property would not be good for her.
Here is a summary of the good and the bad things about this accommodation
The good
- Excellent location in the middle of nature.
- Good cleanliness.
- Excellent communication and attention from our host Catarina.
- Quietness. We spent 4 days in incredible peace as there was no noise.
- Beautiful accommodation in harmony with nature.
- Inside the accommodation is renovated, preserving the details of the old house.
- Sufficient blankets and there were also towels to use at the pool.
- Very well-equipped kitchen.
- Good internet connection.
- Outside area for eating and barbecue.
- Good breakfast.
- Excellent water pressure in the shower.
- We were able to check in earlier and check out later.
- The property is made up of 2 houses, so you only share the facilities with a maximum of 2 other people, which is also a great advantage of this accommodation.
The downsides
- Humidity. The inside of the house has a musty smell, and the problem is that the wall around the window was moldy.
- The bathroom work was poorly finished, which is the fault of those who did the work, but it was a bit of a disfigurement in the newly renovated bathroom.
- The shower drain was clogged.
- No daily cleaning
Overall, the stay at Casas da Levada was excellent and we had what we wanted: 4 days of peace and disconnection in the middle of nature.
The service was excellent, and Catarina was always very attentive to us. The house was clean, and we had no problems at all.
Link to the accommodation:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/14012179?source_impression_id=p3_1720257681_P3GoohlC0y-cSMlE
Cost per 4 nights: 280,99 euros
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