Some places deserve to be referred and Casa do Côro is certainly one of them, a glamorous village hotel in a spectacular landscape.
Most of the times, when I think about traveling, I will first think about where to go and then where to stay. However, in some cases is totally the opposite.
With Casas do Côro (http://www.casasdocoro.pt/), the lodging itself is the destination and around it there are plenty of things that can be done like countryside walks, ride a mountain bike, a guided castle visit and also visiting other small historical villages.
Casas do Côro is located in Marialva which is one of the twelve Portuguese historical villages as you can check at http://www.aldeiashistoricasdeportugal.com/en/. It worth visiting all the historical villages and Marialva is no exception.
Marialva is a village older than Portugal, isn't that funny? Portugal was founded in the XII century AD and Marialva was founded by the Romans probably during the II century AD.
But, if you think that you will go to Marialva and you will find there a building with a sign saying "Hotel" you couldn't be more mistaken.
When visiting Marialva you will notice that a certain part of the village is better preserved and has some kind of harmony even in the chaos of the narrow streets of the village. This newer area is the hotel.
Casas de Côro is composed by an increasing set of rebuilt stone houses and there is a bigger house where one can find the restaurant, a living room, kitchen and breakfast area … lovely concept, a village hotel.
In each stone house you will find a complete house, I mean with rooms (with private bath), living room, kitchen and even a small yard.
The decor is absolutely fabulous but never ostensive. If I need to find only one word to describe it I will say elegant … yes, very elegant.
This is the kind of place a Tour Leader loves because everything works like a Swiss watch, the service is as good as everything looks like, just perfect.
One starts to wonder about the reason behind the success and the elegance until talking with the owners Paulo and Carmen Romão. You will feel they live the hotel and consequently the hotel mirrors them and it's their heart and soul.
I know the place since 2010 and I've been there in many different occasions, in all the stations of the year.
Although I can say that it was always good independently of the time of the year, is with bad weather conditions that I prefer the place.
Several times I returned to the hotel with the guests, all of us completely wet from the rain and cold from the hard wind after a walk in the woods and the people there had lighten the fireplace thinking about us. Upon our arrival we were greeted with a "Would you like some hot tea to warm you up?" … this is pure gold.
If you have an opportunity visit the place and enjoy yourself.
David Monteiro
Location: Marialva, Portugal
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