I will be traveling in Portugal between Dec 20 and Januaury 4. Has any one stayed at the two hotels:

1. Evora- Solar de Monfalim in Evora
2. Viana do Castelo -Casa dos Costa Barros

Or can you recommend accommodations in the area. I am trying to stay under a 100 Euros per night.

Linda

We stayed at the IBIS in Evora for 45 Euros a night in the summer (peak season). The walled city was across the street. Very accessible. Would have liked to have stayed inside the walls but it was very expensive at the time we were travelling.

Strangely enough, I've stayed at both of these places. I wholeheartedly recommend Solar de Monfalim as a budget alternative to the pousada---you get to stay in a beautiful old building, but at a fraction of the cost. Rooms vary drastically in quality though. I was first given a horrible dark room that was basically windowless (it looked out onto a dark interior courtyard). I complained, and the girl shrugged and handed me the key to a beautiful, bright corner room with a view of the cathedral. Same price. Go figure. As in many older Portuguese hotels, you need to be tolerant of musty smells emanating from the old plumbing.

The Casa de Costa Barros is a beautiful, immaculate family house that has been turned into a B&B. Again, rooms vary in quality...some are oppressively tiny if occupied by two people. For those planning to visit in summer, note that there's no AC, and if you sleep with the windows open, mosquitos can be a problem (they didn't bother me but they made my friend miserable). The proprietors speak no English, so you'll need to speak Portuguese or French to communicate with them. Note that they do not give you a house key---you must buzz them every time you return to the house, so you end up feeling like a bit of a nuisance if you come and go a lot. Overall, a pleasant, unique place to stay that I would recommend, especially if summer heat will not be a problem.

Boswell thanks fo the input on the two hotels. Did you see the Pousada in Viana do Castelo. Is it worth the approximate 35 Euros more per night??? Not sure which way to go. Would appreciate your advice.

Also any other suggestions for Evora?? I will traveling in December. I assume all hotels will have heat.

Hello Linda,
If the pousada only costs 35 euros more a night, it's definitely worth it. We had dinner there and it was very beautiful. I can e-mail you pictures if you like. The one drawback is that it's at the top of a steep hill on the outskirts of the town, so you're far removed from town life. Viana is a lively place (in summer at least) and one of the pleasures of staying there was walking out of the hotel and taking walks in town. From the pousada, you'd have to drive in.

An alternative to the pousada is the Melo Alvim, a Relais & Chateaux hotel right in town, next to the train station. We had another excellent dinner there, and it too is a beautiful place. I'm not sure what the rooms would cost, but it surely wouldn't be more than the pousada. www.meloalvimhouse.com

In Evora, you might look into the pousada there...perhaps they have some off-season bargains too. If you don't stay there, do have dinner there. Excellent food.

Let me know if you'd like me to send pictures.

I just spend 3 nights at the Solar de Monfalim in October. It was a beautiful building and very well located in the heart of the old town. I would highly recommend it. I traveled solo and got a single room. The room was quite small but the bathroom was large and everything was very clean. I had a nice window, minibar, and the hardest pillows I can remember though! The staff was very friendly and the breakfast included was nice but nothing extra special. One of the best things about the location was the incredible gelato shop at the bottom of the steps that lead to the hotel - yummy.

I stayed 3 nights in Evora and in hindsight would just stay 2. One night wouldn't be adequate but 3 was a bit too much. The nearby marble towns make nice day trips and were quite easy using public transportation.

It was very quiet at night, even during the weekends. However, one of the highlights of my trip was enjoying a glass of wine at an outdoor cafe in the main plaza when a large (20 or more) group of people all ages came and sat down at the nearby tables. After the poor waiter took their orders and they settled in, they began to sing. The Alentejans are famous for their singing and it didn't take long for a small crowd to gather round. I had a front row seat - it was one of those moments!

Enjoy your trip and let me know if I can help you out anymore.