What an amazing place! The concept of a hotel in a former Franciscan convent was a bit strange at first. However, what marvelous piece of architectural genius! The common areas are built in what survived of the old convent. The lodging section is brand new and is an extension of the old building. The rooms are not numbered, but identified by the name of one of the Franciscan friars--just so creative. While the facilities and the view are just so lovely, the restaurant deserve the gold fork. The chef is a gifted artist. The quality, taste, and innovativeness are so surprising. We met the chef, Valdir, on the first night. Because of him we stayed another two nights, just to taste his other creations. We tried a little bit of everything, loved it all, especially the desserts. What a great experience. We will be back to Belmonte whenever we travel to Portugal. Prices are above average, but worth it. Truly memorable.

We stayed at three different pousadas in Portugal through the "Pousada Passport" program (available on the web) and although all were very good, Belmonte was the loveliest and our favorite. The setting is magnificent, with the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen over the mountains. The pousada is a restored convent that takes advantage of the original stone and setting and uses wonderful lighting and fixtures to enhance the environment. There is the slightly corny touch that each room is named after a friar -- ours was Jose and was a beautiful large and immaculate double-bedded room with a terrace; I believe most of the rooms have terraces with lovely views. We were there for the "mushroom festival" and ate in the restaurant both nights. Our first night was terrific -- excellent salmon and turbot -- and a silky-smooth mushroom pate, with terrific breads. We also enjoyed the clafoutis with zabaglione dessert. On the next night the chef (who is Brazilian) was being interviewed and photographed for a magazine article; we thought the dinner might have suffered a bit due to his absence from the kitchen; in any event, my husband's wild boar (a very difficult, if not impossible, dish to do well) was not very good -- with the result that the waiter, without hesitation, first offered him something else and then, when we were too tired to order anything more, graciously removed the charge from the menu! Breakfast service was equally delightful with a nice assortment of cheeses, meats, and honey as well as delicious bread, rolls, cereal, fresh fruit, yogurts, and scrambled eggs. We also loved the area -- Belmonte (the home of Cabral, the explorer who discovered Brazil) , including its castle and Jewish museum, and the Serra da Estrella for the magnificent walks and sights such as Poco do Lobo (wolf's leap) a waterfall that we drove to but that would also make a nice walk (leaving from the nearby town of Manteigas). The drive down the Zezere glacial valley from Manteigas had amazing views as well. We recommend Belmonte and this entire area -- with its fresh airs, walks, mountains, culture, goats, sheep, sheepdogs, and terrific cheese -- to those interested in exploring a different side of Portugal from the cities and beaches. This pousada was a great stop (and, with the pousada passport, quite reasonable)!