This is a glorious European estate that is ideal for a family holiday.
The location is a perfect spot to base for day adventures to Sintra, Lisboa, Cascais or exploring the many beaches in the area. There is a very cool playground and food truck area within a 10 min walk. The beaches could not be any closer. A surfers paradise.
The home is larger then pictured with huge expansive living spaces. There are many oversized fireplaces that are probably left from the homes original build before there was central heating. We visited in summer so it wasn’t used but there did seem to be a lot of firewood available.
The 4 bedrooms upstairs are smaller and better suited for teens or kids than adult couples. There are plenty of toys to entertain young travelers but many are broken and put back rather then removed and replaced. The 2 bedrooms downstairs include double beds and en suit bathrooms. I was surprised to note there are no king or queen beds in the house. The bathrooms did not include any soap or shampoo for guests so be sure to pack your own or be ready to buy it.
The bedding itself was standard ikea. Don’t expect Egyptian thread count here. There are thick luxurious velvet curtains that will ensure a total blacked out bedroom downstairs.
The kitchen is small but functional. It’s split level which makes no sense to me but is likely not by choice. The home was likely designed when there was a home staff member dominating the kitchen. There are 2 washing machines which is an added bonus and supports the large homes head count! Coffee drinkers will be relieved to find a French press, pour over drip machine, and espresso maker.
There is a loud ticking clock in the kitchen that you can hear through the home. It doesn’t serve to bring holiday energy but did bring spooky haunted house vibes.
This was clearly a family vacation home that is doing Airbnb as an after thought. The home is filled with decorations you may find in your grandmas house- including the noted clock. Locked cabinets of tea cups. Unusable music players, outdated video players, baskets of shells, half burned candles. Fake flowers covered in dust. Beware if you are sensitive to dust. This may not be the best place for you. Child art decorates many walls as well as family photos. Everyone room has locked cabinets full of owner possessions.
The pool is lovely on a hot day, it’s like diving into a cold pond. It’s not heated but has dark tiles that warm it slightly. It was too cold to use during the cooler days. There is some kind of neglected turtle pond on the side of the house that serves to breed mosquitos. Be sure to bring bug spray and close windows at night.
The patio is massive but covered in pine cone sap. If you go out barefoot your feet will be dirty and sticky within a few steps so be sure to pack your slippers.
There is no brick bbq like in many Portugal rentals. Instead, there is a simple metal contraption that seems long unused. It was filled with pine needles and cigarette butts. This was very disappointing.
The yard is huge and great for kids to run around in. There is even a mini house that serves as a play house.
There is a pool house with a full bathroom and extra pool towels. It also homes lots of broken toys, tents, and pool floater.
We had an issue with the boiler and hot water during our stay and the host was very responsive and walked us through resetting the boiler. Once the boiler was fixed there was no problem filling the oversized bathtubs
With steaming hot water!
There is no self check in, which seems to be normal in the area. This can make things awkward and I found it stressful to have to arrive at an exact time. We arrived late and flustered. With both kids desperate for naps and bathrooms.
Overall, I’d give this home mixed reviews. For the price paid, I expected to find toiletries to use at least. The host Teresa was totally lovely and very responsive.