Janela D’Ouro

The apartment is spacious, with two bedrooms, sleeping up to five people, actually on the large side for us as a couple. Because of another heat wave, we did not use the large balcony much but enjoyed the sunset views towards a part of the Douro and the river cruise ships from the kitchen. Having an elevator was a clear boon, also a necessity because of the location on the fourth floor. On arrival, pickup of the keys was easy (but had to be before 18h). In the kitchen there were a few goodies and we also appreciated having a few coffee capsules (Dolce Gusto) for the next morning before we had a chance to shop. There is a quite large TV set in the spacious living and dining room, which we ignored but we did enjoy the good sofa there, much better than in many other holiday apartments. Internet worked just fine. We had our breakfast with the morning sun at the large table in the dining area. The electrical appliances in the kitchen are good quality and at least for two there was no shortage of plates and cutlery, contrary to many other apartments. The double bed in one bedroom worked well, despite my ~2m size. We needed a washing option and having a well-working machine plus space for the hanger was very useful. The location in Régua is very good, with shops, restaurants or the Douro Museum in easy walking distance. We found street parking just outside the door easy and cheap since we typically used our car for some hours during the day and you only pay for certain time slots but can pay ahead. Just keep some Euro coins handy. And if you are worried about parking on slopes, you may need to leave your car at the river. One problem found shortly after arrival, was resolved within half an hour of messaging Janela D'Ouro, despite this being already in the evening, which we greatly appreciated.

While there is a very good basis, certain shortcomings would need to improved to make this a full 10/10 recommendation. First of all, while the apartment looked nice and clean when entering the door, there were multiple examples of a probably hurried, superficial cleaning making us clean certain areas ourselves again to feel fully comfortable – and we are not the pickiest people in the world. There is also indeed an issue with unwelcome doves on the balcony and their droppings, but here there is nothing the owners could do, you see the little effect neighbors have with their countermeasures. Secondly, there are curious shortcomings like a certain lack of really basic items used for cooking. There is a pan and two pots, but we kept missing things. We will send suggestions to Janela D'Ouro directly. The single bathroom, fine for two, maybe an issue with five people, has one of those shower stalls with a large opening which very quickly lead to a flooded floor. It also quite simply lacks hooks to let your towels hang and dry. Another point is the large living and dining room which is rather bare and not really inviting, except maybe for watching TV. The harsh lighting of all but one lamp does not help. All these could be improved by a moderate investment and turn the apartment into a place I would also recommend for a longer stay. Overall there is the impression of a higher ambition for this apartment falling short in practice. We enjoyed our stay enough to extend by one night so it wasn't bad, but the detailed issues keep it from being great.

Limpeza e localização

La ubicación, junto al paseo, puerto y zona de río Duero. Una habitación y el salón tenían aire acondicionado.

Una habitación no tenía aire acondicionado, y fueron unos dias de mucho calor.

Da localização, das vistas, da área do alojamento, da sala, internet, tv e das comunidades da cozinha.

Acho que a limpeza geral do apartamento e da varanda deve ser consideravelmente melhorada. O segundo quarto deveria ter ar condicionado e uma mesa de cabeceira. Na casa de banho deveria haver suportes para as toalhas de banho. O autoclismo funciona mal, leva uma eternidade a encher.