great property; great services; very professional staff; stylish environment;

poor communication with reservations team (we were given wrong information; very misleading); did the enquiry before booking about the swimming pool facilities for the kids, where we were informed that “kids can use indoor pool”; however on arrival there was unpleasant surprise - kids are allowed to the indoor pool only 10am-12pm (2 hours only) and the rest of the day you are left without the possibility to use that indoor pool; if we were informed about it before booking that wouldn’t be a problem; but we asked specifically for the kids possibility to use the pool (as the outdoor pool is freezing) very disappointing as the rest of the hotel was fantastic

A meticulously designed small luxury hotel, nestled in a splendid retreat setting. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by Kim at reception, and Joao ensured our drinks experience was exceptional. The hotel, curated with design-led furniture and artworks, impressed us. We were pleasantly surprised with a welcome wine and delightful chocolates each evening. The intimate boutique spa added to the overall allure. Our experience was truly enjoyable, and we look forward to returning. Gratitude to the entire hotel team for their attentive care. P.s breakfast is incredible!

We had a lovely stay at Praia do Canal although the service levels aren’t quite at the level they should be for a 5 star hotel. The rooms, hotel, grounds and facilities are excellent. The design of the whole hotel is beautiful and it has so many fantastic touches in all the public areas. It’s also very peaceful and set in gorgeous and extensive grounds.

The staff are lovely and really keen to provide great service but I think there must be a training or management issue as we frequently found the service to be slow and a bit disorganised, especially at our last dinner when it was quite poor. The food was very nice when it arrived. Service at breakfast was a lot slicker. I would also say that there were some really good staff, particularly in the bar where Sasha is a delight. Our other comment would be the noise from the garden maintenance team during our stay. As I said, the grounds are beautiful and so will need maintaining but the beautiful peace and tranquility that is a feature of the hotel was frequently interrupted by petrol-powered strimmers and the sound of other power tools during the day.

It is placed in an amazing location- no other hotels and facilities. Architecture is beautiful and the vibe gives you a lot of peace There are yoga class in the morning with wonderful Sofia! Great breakfast and super nice staff.

This was our second stay, and we saw a little bit of things that didn’t work as well as the first stay, however the hotel manager listened to the feedback and responded to it with care, which is the most important. This made us feel appreciated and we will come back whenever time allows. Special thanks to Bruno, Selina and Bellboy who are truly amazing!

Very spacious setup of hotel and its facilities. Big pool are and bar, setting in nature and the views and tranquility. Staff were super helpful, friendly and authentic in their way of sevicing. Very nice rooms with spacious bathroom and bacony. Extensive breakfast with multitude of nice options.

We stayed on the 1st floor room of the cubicle we were in and could hear neighbours beneath us speak meaning the isolation is not great, but nothing really disturbing. We would advice to have some kind of blinding for the window in the bathroom that is not privacy proof when walking out of the shower.

The hotel is situated in the heart of the Costa Vicentina Natural Park, offering a peaceful and nature-surrounded retreat. Architecturally, the construction is well thought out, providing guests with a sense of privacy and space while respecting the natural surroundings. The rooms and bathrooms are of a high standard, although the mattresses could be improved. The bar and lobby are very cosy, and the cocktails do not disappoint. Breakfast is in keeping with the standard of the hotel, with good produce and well-prepared food (although the service could be quicker and more attentive). I would definitely recommend this hotel for people who are not scared to drive through dirt and gravel roads, oddly it seems to bother many people, i thought it was quite refreshing. Staff is extremely attentive and always keen to help and facilitate.

The quality of the mattress could be better and the service in the restaurant could be a bit more efficient. On both days during my stay i had to go through 3 salt and pepper shakers to get some salt or pepper. Once seated guests should be asked about bread and coffee seeing these need to be brought to you from the kitchen. these are minor points and I am only really raising them so provide feedback as i do think this hotel has the potential to impress and delight most guests

Absolutely beautiful hotel and surrounds. We loved the rural location and the local walking/ hiking trails. We were well fuelled by a generous & expansive breakfast offering, great lunch choices & dinners. After exercising, we thoroughly enjoyed the pool and spa areas. The lady front of house in the spa was an absolute delight. Everyone should aspire to deliver her level of personal service (remembering names, time preferences, etc.). She made our trip! Overall a wonderful stay, we’d definitely visit again.

Two minor points: 1. They need to offer fries with lunch/ dinner. Vegetable crisps from a packet are no good (even if made by the chef). 2. Better filling of pot holes at least at the hotel entrance. Bigger complaint- sound proofing. We were in a ground floor suite and we could hear the people above us. This needs to be sorted.

The breakfast is top quality and the staff were very friendly. A big thank you to Melanie (front desk) and Sasha (bartender) for their impeccable service. The room is clean and spacious, we had a nice view from our little terrace. Esteva Spa is definitely a must-do. Room service also very thoughtful and quick. It can get a little cold but they have heating system in the rooms that keeps it a very nice temperature. Very comfy beds and pillows. We wouldn't change anything about the rooms.

Unfortunately for us there had been a big group before our check in, perhaps wedding guests. This resulted in less attention of detail and care going into the rest of the hotel guests, such as ton of dirty towels around pool area not being cleaned up, same in the spa area, lunch area not prepared on time so we had to wait, but nothing was too major, we still enjoyed our time there. The next day was better as the big groups had left. After that everything seemed calmer and better organized.

Everything was amazing, the place the hotel is situated, the staff, the hotel itself was great!

The access is not great to the hotel since it’s situated inside the natural park, the public roads are made of dirt and there were some holes, something that is not responsibility of the hotel, but it is of the municipality, that should take care of these roads in order to value the companies that bring visitants there. Nevertheless we had an amazing week at the hotel and the road didn’t affect at all our week plans.

It’s clear that attention has been paid to details of the design and decor. It’s beautiful. Spacious room. Excellent service. Clean. Great breakfast spread. Love that you can access the sauna, steam room and areas in the spa at no additional cost. Well worth the cost.

The food is pricey - it’s good - but we went out 5 of 7 nights and bought groceries to keep in the room so we could bypass lunch to reduce our spend. Also wish the concierge was a little more open/informative about excursion choices. We spent 100 euro on a jeep trip that was mostly driving on a highway…slowly.