Q9461BEdeborahd2026-07-17
Sunday bottomless Brunch
The setting is beautiful, with stunning views, and the food was generally of a good standard. However, for the price, I think there are several areas that could be improved.
The starters are buffet-style, allowing you to help yourself as much as you like, but the selection was limited mainly to salads. There were oysters, which were a nice touch, but for a brunch at this price point I would have expected more variety, such as deli meats and cheeses.
For the main course, you choose between a fish, vegetarian or meat option. My lamb was beautifully presented and cooked well, but unfortunately it was far too salty for my taste.
The desserts were enjoyable but, again, I felt there could have been a wider selection.
The "bottomless" drinks free-flowing sparkling wine or mimosas were not really free-flowing, as we had to ask for every refill. The service was slow and, at times, it felt as though refills were being provided rather reluctantly. With only around 15–20 guests in the restaurant, it would have been much better to have a member of staff dedicated to monitoring tables and proactively topping up glasses.
Our major issue was the music. When we arrived, we were seated outside under an umbrella, which was perfect. Unfortunately, there was a DJ playing very loud music that completely changed what we expected to be a relaxing Sunday brunch atmosphere.
We asked a member of staff if it would be possible to lower the volume, they immediately spoke to the DJ. The music seemed to come down slightly, but before long it was loud again. After a few glances in the DJ's direction by me, one of the speakers was turned slightly inward, but this made very little difference. The constant heavy bass and loud beat completely spoiled the peaceful setting.
After finishing our starters, we asked a member of staff if we could move inside for our mains and desserts, and this was happily arranged. However, in my opinion, we should never have had to move inside simply to escape the noise. At that point, having seen that the first request had not been respected, the staff should have insisted that the music be lowered to a level that all guests could comfortably enjoy. Instead, we felt we had to leave what had been the perfect outdoor table in order to continue our meal. Even indoors, the bass could still be heard.
In my opinion, there is simply no need for loud club-style music during a Sunday afternoon brunch. The beautiful setting speaks for itself and would be much better complemented by relaxed background music. DJs and heavy bass are far more suited to the evening.
After our meal, we moved to the outdoor sofas, further away from the music, to enjoy the wonderful view. At around 3:30 pm, the DJ finally finished, and the atmosphere immediately became far more enjoyable. The background music that followed was the perfect volume—pleasant, relaxing and exactly what the venue deserved. We stayed on, purchased a bottle of wine, and finally enjoyed the peaceful Sunday afternoon we had hoped for.
Overall, Aethos Ericeira has a fantastic location, attractive surroundings and good food. However, at €65 per person—prices more comparable to London than Portugal—I expected a more varied brunch offering, genuinely attentive bottomless drinks service, and an atmosphere that allowed guests to relax and enjoy the surroundings.
With a few changes, particularly to the brunch selection, drinks service and Sunday music policy, this could be an exceptional experience.
I did e-mail the hotel to express my opinion, but still after a couple of weeks, I do not have any feedback.
What a pity, it’s such a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, away from the crowds of Ericeira in the summer months.
