Estalagem de Santa Iria — Hotel in Tomar

First, the positives: The hotel enjoys an ideal location. It's in the middle of a park, which encompasses a small island only a couple of hundred yards by foot from the edge of the old quarter of the town. Many fine restaurants are within a five minute walk. The train and bus stations (which are adjacent to one another in Tomar) are 15 to 20 minutes by foot, or five minutes by taxi. We had a room facing front, with a very large private balcony overlooking the park. It was an ideal spot to sit after dinner, enjoying a glass of port while watching people and their dogs pass by.||||The building dates, as I understand it, from the early 1940s. The small hotel has fewer than 20 guest rooms. The corridors are dark, and include unexpected small changes in elevation. There is no elevator. Our room and bathroom both looked 1940-ish, which suits us, but which may not suit some other guests. The bed was comfortable and the room was clean. We never got the Wi-Fi to work.||||Breakfast is served at the table, at the staff's own pace. The orange juice is measured out by the drop. Over all, the breakfast is adequate, but no more than that.||||At times, only unilingual Portuguese speakers are on duty. However, they were very polite, and strove to understand my limited command of the Portuguese language. We didn't try the restaurant for either lunch or dinner, as the menu seemed limited. The daily special each day of our four-night stay was set out in English, not very appealingly, as "beans with chopped pork".||||Should I be in Tomar again, I'd return here -- but this time better knowing...

My wife and I have traveled extensively. This hotel is probably among the top values we have ever experienced. There are only a small number of rooms and all are recently updated and modernized. Because it is small, the staff seems to know everyone by name. Such friendliness even seemed to imbue other guests similarly. ||We loved the restaurant, spa and lobby bar. The restaurant menu was a bit limited but everything we tried was excellent. The hotel manager welcomed us on arrival and said farewell when we left. She was absolutely delightful and even stepped in to perform some concierge work when we had communication issues with a local tour. ||The only criticism I would offer relate to the spa. They require everyone wear a shower cap for hygiene reasons. Few people travel with caps but the hotel offers them for sale on check in. In addition, the in-room robes and slippers were only suitable for extremely small people. They were laughably small compared to our typical American frames. The slippers fell apart when first tried. This is an issue because the spa floor is dangerously slippery when wet. ||If you choose to try this gem, please book well in advance. It is new and I expect relatively undiscovered. I suspect that will...

If you are planning a visit to Tomar, consider this newly renovated, boutique hotel! Located within walking distance to nearby shops and cafes, it is situated on an island with views of the surrounding river. It is absolutely lovely!! |We had a regular room with a balcony outfitted with comfy lounge furniture. The room is beautifully decorated with walnut floors, a modern bathroom, and very comfortable bed. My spouse completed two zoom meetings from the desk comfortably. Included are my two favorites—robes and slippers! The bathroom has a large makeup mirror and LED lighting. It’s modern, efficient, and beautifully designed. |We ate at the hotel restaurant both nights. The service is impeccable. If you are fortunate to have George or Francisco as your waiters, ask for their recommendations. We enjoyed both dinners. Breakfast is similar—amazing offerings for a day of sight seeing. |The hotel has a small spa. After climbing, walking, and driving, we took advantage of the sauna and hydrotherapy pool. Just ask for the required swim cap to go along with the large towels provided in the room. |TripAdvisor photos are no longer accurate. Check out the pics I’ve added and look at the hotel website. We had a wonderful...