Quinta das Aveleiras

It’s simply an exceptional location and experience . The property grounds are fantastic and the accommodation charming. So if you want to enjoy an incredible view, nature and peace it is the place for you .

Beautiful and peaceful rustic property with extensive views of the area. Lovely food basket. Excellent well maintained swimming pool and tennis court facilities in a very tranquil setting. The large property is very neat and beautifully maintained

Could definitely use an electric kettle. Some of the bathroom areas are dated / rusted but clean

The property is ideal for anyone looking for a peaceful location. Quinta das Aveleiras is a working quinta, located on a steep hillside overlooking Torre de Moncorvo. The slopes are covered with grape vines, olive trees, and woodland. The elevation ensures nice views across the surrounding countryside. Those who enjoy wild birds will love the variety present on the Quinta. My Merlin app recognised the calls of 19 different bird species. There are four houses/cottages on the property that are used for tourism: Casa Branca, Casa da Serra, Pombal and Casa do Retiro. All are accessed via a steep rocky road that has sharp bends. My cottage for two nights was Casa do Retiro, which is at the highest elevation of the four. Check-in was a simple process, as it was conducted online and a code was provided for the key box that is attached to the wall of the cottage, next to the entrance door. The code enabled me to retrieve the key from the box and enter the cottage. Whilst there is a reception and shop building, I didn't see anyone there during my weekend stay and I had no physical contact with any staff member. I did find them responsive to messages via booking.com. The little cottage is reasonably well equipped for a two-person stay (I was alone). It has a selection of plates, cutlery, pots and pans. There's a two-burner hob and a microwave oven in the kitchenette area. There is a single air-conditioning unit in the entrance area. I didn't need it during my stay, but I imagine that it is sufficient to cool the entire cottage in the hotter summer months. There's a small TV mounted to the wall in the living room area. It had perhaps a dozen channels. There is a parking space directly outside the cottage. I walked into town for dinner on both nights that I was there. You need to be in good shape to do so. The town centre is an 8 minutes walk from the entrance of the quinta, but there's a 25 minutes uphill slog from the entrance to the cottage.

I found the bed to be very firm and uncomfortable on the first night. I slept better on the second night because I was so tired from a long day. The small couch is also not very comfortable, due to its design and softness. There are only three available electric sockets in the cottage: one in the bathroom, one in the living room and one in the kitchenette. This created a challenge when trying to charge several devices. The lack of a socket in the bedroom meant that I couldn't charge my Apple Watch next to the bed overnight. The small bathroom was a little cramped. Not much leg room when sitting on the toilet. The flow from the shower was not strong, but there was a good supply of hot water, so it was adequate. There is no wifi available - but there was a good phone signal so I was able to use my phone for online access.

The little house is very typical, made of stones and hidden high up on the property’s hill, overlooking Torre de Moncorvo. The fire place is a perfect addition and there’s also an A/C if the fireplace isn’t hot enough.

The only tiny issue we had was that there was just enough hot water in the tank each day of one shower. But I guess it’s very normal for this type of house.

My wife and I stayed in the one bedroom cottage high up in the winery with stunning views of the Douro valley by day and the sparkling town of Montcorvo just below with its historic church by night. We walked through the winery a short distance to the pool and tennis court and swam in the infinity pool. It was amazing. The people in town were nice but private. We were there on a Sunday and found bustling Pizzaria Panoramica which made us a delicious dinner. We usually stay in 4 star or higher hotels that tend to be forgettable comfort - but this place brought us back to what is memorable in a truly unique experience. We loved the fresh bread, honey, eggs and jams in the welcome basket- and we cooked breakfast and watched the sun shift across the valley in the morning. If you like a little mix from the standard, and are a bit outdoorsy, this is the place to stay!

The setting of this property is so beautiful, in the middle of a vine clad hillside with a big infinity pool at the top overlooking the valley. The setting of what is essentially a private pool for 4 cottages is spectacular. The accommodation was a little dark and kitchen poorly equipped but had lots of character and was very good value for money. The welcome basket was a nice touch.

This property was very keenly priced for the setting and the pool but with a little bit of updating it could command much bigger rents. The owners need to stay in it for a few days. If they did they would recognise that it needs better lighting and the kitchen isn’t really adequately equipped for self catering. Even the kettle that went on the hob was missing its lid so risked steam burns taking it on and off. Having said this I would definitely stay again.

Lovely views. Nice houses. (We changed during our stay)

No Wi-Fi in the accommodation. Mobile reception is good, so ok if you have a good data package. Very old small TV, without HDMI even. Smaller house (Pombal) living room is tiny and cute but very dark.

The scenery, the vineyards and the swimming pool set the mood. The pictures on Booking are great. But they do not match with the reality.

The owner has no passion. Rude and arrogant on the phone contacts. Same towels for 4 nights. No solution. Deal with it. No coffee machine. A “Italian” 1960 coffee pot is not valued by all. The price is over the roof. for the lack of space on the kitchen and on the facilities announced. The pool is quite far from the casa branca house. Feels they stopped in time. Nice photos. No human interaction. All by rude phone calls and emails. Won’t recommend.