We loved this place at first, but had to leave after one night due to a strong musty, mildew odor. I am allergic to mildew, and I could not sleep because of the smell. The smell was strongest in the non-washable fabrics and some of the old furniture (see photos). The linens were fine, and the apartment was otherwise clean. We opened the windows to clear the air, but the apartment was already cold, so we had to sit in front of one of the plug-in portable heaters provided.
When we spoke to the owner, who was out of the country, he claimed he’d never had complaints before, and Portugal is humid along the coast, and perhaps I should not visit Portugal in March if I was allergic to mildew. Fortunately for us, the next six places we stayed in Portugal had no problem at all, and we enjoyed the rest of our trip.
Although we offered to pay for the one night (out of five), plus the cleaning fee, the owner gave us no refund, and VRBO did not support us, saying they needed proof (which, of course, is difficult with an odor). The owner asked my husband to call him directly, so we assumed he would offer a refund in exchange for us not leaving a bad review. However, when my husband suggested this, he accused my husband of bribery. We were very shaken by this unpleasant experience, and so cannot recommend this apartment.
