Monte Velho - Portugal

Monte Velho

5 star rating   30 May 2026

Annabelle (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Dressage dream | The trail rides were a little monotonous so I would opt for more lessons next time.
The dressage horses were fantastic and so were the 2 instructors, Bernardo and Guilherme. Very realistic lessons in that it wasn’t always easy and we had to work hard but once we asked correctly, the horses were very responsive. Hero was my absolute favourite, a very talented schoolmaster in Grand Prix movements. I definitely learnt a lot so was a dream as a dressage rider. [ITS note - We are happy to hear you enjoyed your lessons so much]


The Riding

How well were you matched with the right horse for your ability?
5 star rating
How would you rate the variety of riding, pace or terrain?
4 star rating
How would you rate the overall standard of the horses, tack and stables?
5 star rating

The Accommodation

How would you rate your room(s) for comfort and facilities?
5 star rating
How would you rate the standard of the food?
3 star rating

Do you have any comments about the accommodation and food?

The food was generally great and plenty of options.
The breakfast buffet was the best though. Really enjoyed all the options for the granola etc. also enjoyed how much fresh fruit was served with every meal.


Before Your Holiday

Did you have all of the information you needed to:

Plan and prepare for your holiday?
5 star rating
Feel comfortable about your transfers and what to expect?
5 star rating

How could we improve the quality of pre-holiday information that we send?

It seems most people book Saturday to Saturday which I didn’t realise. Not a problem but meant we started a couple days late so the group we were with had all already met. That meant they already decided on the extra activities for the week. We could still join most of them but would have done the full week if we’d realised we’d feel more involved. [ITS note - we do always suggest Sunday arrivals but in this case it was not possible dute to availability. Lengths of stay are flexible]
However, absolutely loved the information pack that came in the post. A very nice touch and saved me trying to print or screenshot all the details myself!


Do you have any other feedback for us?

I really had the most amazing holiday. The place was also just so beautiful! And thankfully in the 37 degree heat, everywhere indoors had aircon.