Casa da Raposeira by An Island Apart

The view over the ocean from the loggia s definitely a big bonus. It is mostly quiet area, rather rural for.those who seek tranquility, with a rooster waking you up and dogs barking whenever someone passes, not much traffic, a pretty, though neglected garden and a separate grilling cabana/shack/pavillion and dining area + a washing machine. The main place is quite spacious upstairs with a bathtub and really hot water (limited capacity as it needs approx 2hrs to refill and heat), poor bed, but really nice linen and duvet, and a lovely loggia with two bamboo deckchairs - a great feature in the afternoon. The lower deck with another dark and damp bedroom is rather dated and neglected, so is the kitchen. There is a tiny wood stove but not much wood available while we were there during Christmas, and it was the only way to warm the lower floor, not the upper one and it was chilly. The hosts are non-existent, although very eager to collect eco tax even if nothing about this place is eco. Definitely has potential but it was rather wasted so far and could use some skilled craftsman to mend all the flaws and tiny annoyances which affect the stay.

It lacks the hosts eye and heart. Seems abandoned and neglected and would serve so much better if someone really looked after it. And I do not even mean a bottle of Madeira wine or bolo de Mel for Christmas once you paid 800 euro for your Christmas stay, not even anything showing you are welcome. It is functional but nothing more. It lacks basic amenities in Portugal such as a proper coffee machine (Delta or Nespresso standard would be basic and affordable for sure) or mokka coffee maker (just a dated old fashioned one from the offices of your parents), proper knives (all.were blunt or worn), cutlery and a sink that would really work (we had to fix the tap that had already been fixed before as it still was leaking). The small bedroom has no window and is underground actually, but a small shower and a wc was a bonus for the kids. There was an extra set of linen available and a blanket. Plenty of dustcatchers around so if you have small kids you need to hide it to keep it safe. The lounge area is also dated and rather dark. The cabana/pavillion with a dining area has grill (but no sizeable wood again) and dirty racks unfortunately, a basic stove and a fridge, only cold water to do the dishes unfortunately, which means travelling back and forth across the garden to keep it clean. Would have been great if someone really cared about it and looked after it, because it is airy, spacious and nicely located, but many things do not work and noone checks if it does. Some welcome pack or even a sign and ventilated space would be a good start, especially during A six day stay in festive season.

Sehr freundlich und gemütlich eingerichtet. Ruhige Lage mit schönem Garten. Die Unterkunft war sehr sauber. Während unseres Aufenthalts war der Wasserhahn kaputt, dieser wurde sofort repariert.