Casa das Penhas Douradas - Burel Mountain Hotels

An amazing hotel made from the sanatorium. Very fancy and new, design is well thought! We really enjoyed our stay! If you don't want to plan anything, you can fully rely on the hotel staff - they have tours, kayak rentals, and star-gazing activities for you. The breakfast is rich and delicious, also they have 4 o'clock tea and coffee - exactly what you need after the hike. August is the season of falling stars, we enjoyed Star Gazing activity in the mountains and we got to see tens of falling stars! the fires in the night were cosy, sauna is good, the pool was almost empty and the sunbed area on the grass is convenient for relaxing.

The only downside is that we didn't expect the hotel and the rooms will be rather small, everything is built like you are surrounded by wooden boxes, a bit of a sanatorium - Soviet or midcentury style. But still very new, designed well, and It has its charm! The balconies are cute to relax, but they are designed as open, so not ideally isolated from each other. These are elements of design, of course, just to be aware of. We will definitely come back, as we enjoyed our stay and we hope to see this region in winter.

We had no prior knowledge of the Serra da Estrela national park or region - it was very unique in its natural environment and rather like a moonscape with breathtaking stone formations. The hotel reflected this natural theme in its use of Scandinavian influenced design and materials and it was a peaceful and pleasant experience with enthusiastic helpful staff. The dinner was very special and the service and attention provided to us was excellent. We would recommend that you visit the Burel Factory in Manteigas which is associated with the hotel’s owners who have been instrumental in reviving the local traditional wool industry. The factory tour was fascinating.

The location is unbelievably beautiful with sweeping views over the Serra Estrela. Picnic lunches were available and we sat out on our little deck and enjoyed that. The spa treatments are wonderful and as we visited in Spring, there are lovely walks among the otherworldly environment to do.

The rooms are extremely small, beds small and hard, and the bathroom wall is smoky glass so if you leave the light on it shines through and is too bright - the alternative is tripping over in the dark if you need the bathroom during the night. There is no elevator and the stairs between reception and the restaurant and rooms are steep and poorly lit.

- Staff were very nice and always made sure we were enjoying ourselves - The food quality at the restaurant was amazing, very creative and refined dishes, but always with a nod to the local delicacies - The SPA therapists were very nice to us, and we loved the massage we ordered. We will go again for sure!

- The picnic basket could have been better for the price. Item replacements should be an option instead of simply removing items that are not to the taste of the guest.

The service is beyond our expectations. Before arrival, I've contacted the hotel that both my husband and I are vegan, and we would need vegan options for breakfast and afternoon snacks which were included in the price, as well as two meals that we intended to have at the hotel. Out of all the hotels we've been to, Casa das Penhas Douradas was the only one that really cared about our diet request, and made food specially for us. You can also tell that they also put a lot of passion and love into preparing the meals and snacks for us. At dinner, my husband wanted to have some wine and asked if they had any vegan wine. The waiter didn't know which ones are vegan, so we looked them up online ourselves. Afterwards, the waiter asked if we could let him know how to look them up, so that next time when they have vegan guests coming they know which ones to recommend. At night time, they also have fire outside with chairs and blankets around it, which makes it very cozy. There are also many cozy and beautiful rooms to rest in or socialise outside of your own bedroom. The hotel itself is also very architectural and comfortable, but the service and how accommodating they are is definitely the highlight of our stay. Plus it's located in such a beautiful and quiet place that makes it perfect for a relaxing break.

The only thing I would say is that because the shower in our room has a half door, water can get onto the bathroom floor very easily. But it's only a small problem for us.

Everything with this hotel is well done - and presented in a relaxed sophisticated manner that truly compliments the ruggedness and beauty of being near the top of the Serra Da Estrella mountains. Plan time to enjoy the sauna and the pool. You absolutely must see a sunrise! (While the sunrise views from the rooms are great - a very short walk brings one to an open position that provides an absolutely stunning view.)

I cannot think of anything.

Staff and Service. Top notch where nothing is too much trouble. Everyone has a smile and the overall vibe is delightful. There was an issue with WiFi in my room and it was responded to quickly and effectively. Food. Absolutely wonderful. The dinner menu at 40 Euros is a bargain... apertif, amuse boche, breads, starter, soup, main, dessert, and coffee. The food is well prepared and the portions are ample. I note the size of portions is much better than a previous stay seven years ago. Room. I stayed in the suite and love its ambience. Snacks. From 4 PM to 6 PM there is a selection of snacks... sweet and savory. They are diverse and change every day.

Nothing.

Modern, clean, quiet, excellent views and friendly attentive staff. The offerings at the on-site restaurant were fresh, imaginative and delicious. The indoor and outdoor common spaces were relaxing and well maintained. The heated indoor/outdoor pool was just the thing after a day of driving and navigating the twisting, winding roads that lead up to the property. I had two massages at the on-site spa that were second to none. Don’t miss the complimentary Burel Woolens Mill tour in nearby Manteigas.

There was a mixup with our reservation and we weren’t able to have the suite we upgraded our reservation to in March. The property manager admitted that the upgrade was missed by their staff. He was extremely apologetic and even offered us a suite at their companion property about 5 KM away, but we decided to stay. Our bill was credited accordingly and he also thanked us for our understanding with a bottle of sparkling wine and fresh fruit delivered to our room.

The excellent location, the beautiful grounds, the warm and attentive staff, the spacious room, the varied and tastey breakfast, the cozy drawing room .

The bathroom was poorly lit. The minibar was not stocked and served only as a refrigerator. We had some maintenance issues which the staff had difficulty solving (they did solve them eventually, but it took a long time).

Fantastic buffet breakfast and good set dinners with good service from excellent staff. Decent size room and very clean. Pool area and spa treatments very good. Very good guided walk a must and really enjoyed free tour of Burrel Factory in near-bye Manteigas. Super modern/contemporary 'Designer' hotel fit out and finishes took a little while to get used to ( having just come from a 400 year old hotel in Porto ! ) in that we felt initially that the hotel was a cross between a bond villains lair and a university halls of residence ( !!) but everything really grew on us after a day or so and the hotel was super cool and cosy at night with subdued ( designer !!) lighting, log fires etc

Views from the ( superior ) room and indeed most common parts disappointing in that they failed to maximise the properties outlook/position. Dinner was a little 'formal' and completely lacking in any sort of atmosphere; a little background music ( or music above volume 1 ) would perhaps help.....