HI Geres - Pousada de Juventude do Gerês

Breakfast was adequate, nothing out of the ordinary. The room was clean and comfortable and the bathroom simple and functional with lovely hot water. Cleaners check the room each day and make the bed. The grounds of the hostel are large and there is plenty of room to sit outside and relax. Lots of good walks within easy reach. Be sure to visit the nearby Museum, dedicated to the village of Vilarinho da Furna which was flooded to construct the hydroelectric dam/reservoir, and the Museum of the old Roman Road (Estrada da Geira) next door.

Beautifully located in the middle of nowhere - You breathe in the fresh air and are only surrounded by nature. :) Perfect for a relaxing and quiet time. The receptionists were friendly, breakfast was more than OK but is only served starting from 8:30, if you are planning a long hike I'd probably leave earlier than that. Rooms were clean and had enough space for storage, beds were comfy. Shower areas also clean, towel included. It is a traditional youth hotel and in that way basic.

The ‘old cottage’ look and feel of it, cause it actually is an old cottage in the woods. The staff, cannot even say enough about their friendly service and attention to detail. Miss Cátia, Olga, Sofia, they all are truly the best and the most important part of the service, and customer’s satisfaction, while being a big hub for the tourist information about everything around the hostel and the Gerês National Park. The massive improvement in the breakfast service, the same good old quality but with more equipment and less ‘quantities restrictions’ as it was in the past. The ‘expresso’ machines were IMHO more of a bad idea than good idea, because they are in constant need of attention from the staff and generated some big queues around it, definitely more that the old fashioned coffee and milk hotel heating units, which I do not intend to stop using, as they do not generate any queues and do not require that much staff effort.

When I think "youth hostel" I'm prepared for a dark building with smelly, decrepit bunk beds, especially for only 13€ (dorm bed, early November, breakfast included). The Pousada de Juventude Gerês is absolutely the opposite. Located inside Penedas-Gerês National Park, it is modern, clean, and very friendly. I reserved a dorm bed but because I was the only one, they voluntarily upgraded me to a standard double room that was very comfortable. Evenings downstairs, they light a nice fire -- real wood, not gas fake -- and you can enjoy it in comfortable chairs. The staff speaks English so while I was struggling with my Portuguese during my first hours in the country at checkin, Katia was kind enough to deal with me in English. Breakfast, in an adjacent building, was all-you-can-eat, with a very good selection, and again a very helpful and friendly staffer. About the staff -- they are the best and saved my skin. After checking in, I went for a late day, rainy, trailless hike up the rocky hill behind the pousada. Coming back, I stupidly let my phone slip to the ground from layers of clothing. On arrival in my room, I discovered the loss. On my computer, I could see exactly where it was but without another GPS-equipped phone I couldn't navigate precisely back to it -- and it was now dark. In the morning, I rehearsed ideas for convincing someone to rent me their phone so I could go back out and try to recover mine. When I explained my situation to Maria at the front desk, she simply handed me her phone and said, "Go". I used it to find the lost phone and saved a lot of money and grief replacing and restoring everything. Could you ask more of any hotel staff?

Spectacular and peaceful location surrounded by nature and moutain views. It's so much more comfortable than the pictures suggest. Very helpful English speaking staff at checkin. Free secure parking. Delicious and plentiful selection at breakfast. Super room and comfortable mattress. Room was spotlessly clean. We will be back! Complimentary drinks in the lounging area.