Ermidas Vacations from $1,337

Beautiful surroundings, but the rooms don’t match the price or the photos Monte de Alpadueras sits in a truly stunning natural setting — surrounded by fruit trees, wide-open skies, and the gentle sounds of sheep, cows, and birds in the distance. The outdoor scenery is peaceful and restorative, and the pools and landscape make it feel like a hidden countryside retreat. However, once you step inside, the charm begins to fade. The photos online make the rooms look bright and spacious, but in reality, they are dark, small, and filled with heavy, old mahogany furniture that gives off a musty, lingering smell. The walls are thin — you can hear everything from other guests, which makes rest difficult even in such a quiet location. The bed was by far one of the most uncomfortable I’ve had anywhere: the mattress was hard, uneven, and squeaked loudly with every movement. The bathroom was extremely cramped, with a shower so small it’s difficult to turn around in. When I arrived, the bathroom lights went out — staff kindly tried to replace the bulbs, but the issue wasn’t fixed, and I spent three days using a dark bathroom. Breakfast was included and served daily, but it was exactly the same every morning: cold ham, eggs, bread, coffee, and juice. The fresh juice was lovely, but a little variety would have gone a long way. The property itself is quite remote — you really need a car, as taxis are expensive even for short distances, and walking to Zambujeira do Mar takes around 30 minu