Terreiro da Erva House

Perfect location, quiet although very close to city center. Hosts responsiveness when additional information needed. Clear instructions for the check-in/checkout, nothing let aside. Spacious place, enough to fit a family of 3 as we were.

Not the most comfortable beds, squicking at every movement. The gym/sport hall under the window - at 23:00 - 24:00 still hosting some very noisy indoor match we could hear loudly even with all windows closed.

Stayed for 10 nights. Photos look better than reality - it’s a bit worn down, but it was clean and reasonably priced. Secure building need key card access to get in. Did not need to meet anyone to check in; they gave me a code but there was no way to use the code on the keypad. Luckily someone was exiting and let me in. Once you get up to the 4th floor and the room, there is a lockbox which they sent a 4 digit code and I used to open the lock box and get the key out and the key fob to open the building main front door. Good safe location. 10 minute walk to main Square in Santa Cruz plus another 5 minute walk across the bridge to Santa Clara side. 10 minute walk to train station. Make sure you know where the apartment is because my Uber driver left me a block away. Train station is too far to walk with luggage and the bus station is even further. Elevator (with a few stairs in the outside entryway). Has heat/AC. Has microwave/oven combo. A Pingo Doce by the train station. 15 minute walk in the opposite direction to bus station. A Continente a couple of blocks away. Cafe on ground level. Buses to the University are few and basically one an hour or a 30 minute walk uphill; otherwise take Uber. I took Uber uphill and then walked down hill. Take train and bus to Aveiro for a good day trip. You can Uber from there over to Costa Nova (the striped houses on the beach).

Some kind of warehouse/sports club nearby with people screaming LOUD every evening. The handle/wand to close the blinds was broken on the bedroom blinds, so no way to make the bedroom dark. Bring an eyemask. Blinds in living room also broken. Clothes washer is only a washer not a washer/dryer combo. Drying rack broken. No instructions for the washer and no way to figure it out - no matter what setting I tried, a wash took over an hour and a half, which seems ridiculously long. You need to buy laundry detergent. TV does not have regular channels - it is Rakuten. No espresso maker but there are espresso cups. Kitchen hot water is scalding hot and very poor faucet/sink design (faucet too high and sink too shallow) so water splashes everywhere. There is dish soap, but it is watered down so it does not wash the dishes very well.

Good location for a short visit, spacious, had mostly everything we needed.

Was not cleaned properly, dirty floor, kitchen utensils with food and grease from previous visitors, was quite disgusting. If they clean properly its a good place. We had to clean kitchen stuff before use. Maybe hire a new cleaner. Lift didnt work on the weekend, so good if you want a workout, but not if your tired as its on the 4th floor.

the apartment has all items you need for a short stay, it was clean and ready for early check in

the location was not that good and in the apartment to turn on the lights you need to press several times the connector.