I hate killing stars, but since there isn't a place to rate their restaurant, Bicicleta, I have to…read moreinclude them here.
GET AN UPGRADED ROOM - the extra space is WORTH it. AC doesn't work well, so you are warned for the summer months. Room was spacious, super clean and very comfortable. Not as many ammenities as other hotels, but you do get the robe and slippers and toiletries (attached to the wall). Not too shabby. The staff for the most part are GREAT. On our first day some really couldn't answer questions/seemed confused and had issues with both English and Spanish, but we got through it. They try hard, and that is worth something. The lobby is small and can get crowded quickly.
And now Bicicleta - the most unfriendly, obnoxious and unhelpful group of people I have met in Portugal or in most places. ABSOLUTELY THE PITS. Starting with Mr. Grumpy bouncer with an idiot attitude that is like a drill Sargeant when it came to checking on people not walking in from the streets on their way to the CROWDED breakfast room. (with bfast included in your price I can understand their concerns, but this guy was a bully). Most of the staff have a godforsaken look on their unfriendly faces, so if you are just wandering in to look around, expect to be inspected from head to toe and treated like you are a threat to society. NOT FRIENDLY.
Breakfast: Where the coffee machine is located creates a mess of a line in front of the hot breakfast buffet area. Food is not bad, but navigating it gets very confusing. And when you add on the most of the staff are simply the worst you will encounter in hospitality, it makes for a mess.
KUDOS however to how management handled the power outage. With back up generator, aging adults were able to use the elevator and toilets flushed. COLD shower, but they had power. What didn't manage the situation well was of course Bicicleta, who could only offer salad and didn't think about bread and cheese and cold cuts. Hotel management of the situation was SUPERB. Bicicleta? They should just keep peddaling into another country and leave for good. Have I said they are a dissappointing crew for the most part?
All in all, I would still stay here, now that I know my way around town, because the location is great and management works hard to please!