September '09
Review Submitted: October 23, 2009
Date of Stay: September 2009
3 of us had a lovely stay here, the setting of the property & grounds is really wonderful, it really is rather unique. The gardens are very well looked after & there's plenty of scope to wander off to secluded spots.. to read a book, paint a picture or maybe play a ukulele/cavaquinho.
The swimming pool's great, good size for a decent swim & we did try the river just once for fun, Brrr!
Re. accomodation, it's pleasant & generally fine, but tend to agree with earlier reviewer - abit more attention to detail perhaps with kitchen & bathroom bits & cutlery/crockery etc. We passed our comments on. Not that this element detracted from enjoyment of our stay.
The guest house wasn't available during our visit.
The owner Rachel is lovely, kind & helpful. Her 2 dogs Scott & Boris potter about - they did make the odd nocturnal woof, which we also mentioned! There's a folder of info at the house & Bergen's list of local recommendations etc is really useful.
The Minho is a fascinating area, so much to explore & discover. Would absolutely recommend it to anyone who's havering on whether to visit - DO! Beautiful coastline, big sandy beaches, rivers galore, historic towns, great food, good/interesting wines, many areas of natural beauty - forests/mountains. All this and it's not touristy (sssssh).
Viana de Castelo is v. nice, also Ponte de Lima, we hit the big 3 day (mid-Sept) fiesta there, fab. Music/ dancing/folklorique tradition.
We really liked Porto, picturesquely set on the tilting banks of the River Douro,there's much to offer. We didn't do a boat/port trip, but it's supposed to be well worth doing. The Casa de Musica there is a stunning new concert venue. Anyone interested in arts/ architecture, do visit, it's quite something.
All in all - a great holiday - our great thanks.
Owner's Response: We're absolutely delighted these visitors found the Minho region so fulfilling. They were here for a fortnight in September, and their enthusiasm is evidence that the region is a great place for a break, even out of season. The beaches are quiet, the restaurants are open all year, and - as Mary says here - there is so much to explore and discover. Porto is only an hour away by motorway, so it's easily possible to combine a city break, exploring the historical World Heritage area or visiting the Port Wine lodges (and the trip up river, by boat or train, is well worth it), with a more relaxing few days in the country. Many people even come here for just a long weekend: it's cheap, within easy reach of the airport, quiet, beautiful and unspoilt.
This season was the first full-scale rental experience for the owner, and several lessons were learnt. During the winter, a thorough inventory will be carried out, and every effort will be made to ensure that all the equipment is perfect for next season's visitors.
One final point is to mention the Guest House. Moinho do Enchão is a 2-bedroom cottage, sleeping up to 4 people, and the price is based on that. The Guest House is available for larger families, at extra cost: it has one double bedroom, a bathroom and a sitting room. Since these visitors were a group of just 3 people, there was no need to use the additional accommodation in the Guest House, but it could have been made available on request, for just 15 euros per night more.
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