Pousada de Setubal - Sao Filipe

Embarrassing situation The Pousada de Sao Filipe is closed and no warnings whatsoever about it. This situation is so embarrassing because in any site including the Setubal Council wil infomed the building closure. After make some enquiries a Council official worker told me they closed the building because they found out a huge estrutural failure. Since then the Pousada is closed and as normal in Portugal nobody knows the reopen date.

It WAS a superbly UNIQUE place to stay, but "Perverse Pestana" smme to have closed it (because of re-furbishing expense? The Pousada de Setubal began its existence as a castle built by Spanish King Phillip !! in the mid-16th century. It has a stunning location on a hill on a promontory overlooking the estuary and across to the Troia peninsula. It has a chapel filled to the brim with gorgeous and rare 17th and 18th c. azulejo tiles. The furnishings were "Pousada 17th and 18th c.Repro" style. Staff were obliging and extremely helpful. It WAS, in short, a totally UNIQUE place to stay, with "once in a lifetime", glorious views from its roof and battlements and patio (where drinks/food were served weather permitting). Alas! It is no more. It is closed, with no plans to re-open it by the Pestana chain who now have taken over the Pousadas ( neglect by the Pousada chain because of the enormous expense needed to re-furbish the fabric of the building and to up-date the rooms has turned this this Pousada into a "white elephant"). Pestana is a run-of-the-mill chain that focuses on surface gloss and slick marketing , but they really do NOT have ANY idea about quality, real charm, REAL service or what makes a hotel GREAT as opposed to the merely "glitz-sleek/ersatz plastic". In short, having absolutely NO IDEA of what makes a real jewel of a hotel, they apparently prefer to open "money-makers" ( which do not even provide coffee-making facilities in rooms!!) SO infinitely SAD!!!!!!!

Romantic Retreat Up a winding and increasingly steep hill (try cycling up the polished cobbles), it has commanding views over the hinterland and coast. Spectacular but windy setting. Palatial building around a drafty courtyard. Take warm clothes. Cuisine not particularly special. Wifi extremely fickle almost everywhere but what do you expect in a castle!

The only good thing is the view We stayed for two night in a room classified as superior. Ok, it was a large room but there was nothing eles that can be condidered superior in this room. The toilette was completly olf fashioned but not in the good way. The bate tube was very and the taps very difficult to control the Walter temperature. But the worst was the lack of bags service. The Car had to stay in the park and you have more than 20 stone steps very large and dangerous because as it was raining they were slippery. For me and my husband ir was difficult (58 years old) but the worst was my niece who is 5 months pregnant and had lots of difficulty combina those steps. They should advise at the time of bolinha that this hotel is not suitable for persons with limitations. I think this hotel needs immediate intervention. The breakfast was normal but there were lots of small flies that were not agreable to see. DefinitivelyI don't recommend it

Absolutely excellent "Views are Spectacular" as other reviewers have said. We stayed here on the last night of our 3 week vacation. It was great. We enjoyed drinks on the out door patio overlooking the valley and sea. We were given corner rooms, so had spectacular views in 2 directions. The rooms are large, the hallways are large. This place gives a wonderful pousada experience. We ate dinner in the dining room. Food was good. Service was very good. I would stay here again