Pousada Convento de Arraiolos

I could've sang in the church all day long, but I didn't want to be rude! This place is so beautiful, unique, and serene. Such a special experience. Phillipa (I think that was her name) at the front desk was very welcoming and helpful. I wish I could return!

A quaint little hotel on the outskirts of Arraiolos. We stayed there for a couple of nights and had a great time. The large fireplace is permanently lit and it's great to just sit down and have a meal by the fire. The restaurant was closed, but you can order food from the bar, which we found to have good portions and reasonable prices. The indoor pool has a great view and there's also a sauna (though you have to walk through some corridors and the gym between the two). Service was very good; kudos to the staff!

We arrived an hour before check-in time thinking we would have lunch in the bar which is advertised on the website. The bar was not open, apparently due to a shortage of staff. We had to go into the village to get food and came back again at 15:15 (check-in is at 15:00) but our room was not ready. Reception said if we went to the dining room we could get a drink. We had a glass of wine and an hour later were finally able to go to our room. (The wine was not complementary - it was on our bill when we checked out.) It was not the best start. The evening meal was also disappointing as the roasted vegetable salad came without a single roasted vegetable. The positives are the beautiful and peaceful location and the superior family room with balcony was comfortable with a stunning view over the valley up to the village. However, I would not use the hotel again due to the disappointment of being unable to get even a light snack when arriving and the inconvenience of being unable to check-in at the correct time.