Check In

The communication with the Inn pre-arrival was very easy.  They promptly and succinctly replied to my email questions.  None of that nonsense where you ask a direct question and get an equivocal answer: here it was all premised on an attitude of "whatever you need, it won't be a problem" and taken from there.  Arrival itself was easy and simple, with our car valeted and bags taken.  The reception desk is exactly where it should be: immediately obvious when you walk in.  (I loathe it when they hide reception or it is impossible to tell what is the bell stand or concierge and what is reception).  You pre-pay for the stay so a card is just for incidentals.  You are handed a key whose fob is unique, but we always just left our door unlocked.  Let's just say that security is not really a concern on Fogo Island.

Room

LOVED our room.  King bed, small potbelly stove they will light, tub and walk-in shower, and two comfy chairs for staring out at the sea.  Every room is oceanfront, and the windows open to let in the wonderful breeze.  There is an extremely nifty venlitaltion system (really, everyone should geek out on the engineering of this place!) but no A/C.  In June that was not an issue, not even approaching being an issue, not even in the same zip code as an issue.

There were Frette linens, the bed is supremely comfortable (custom beds and mattresses) and lots of locally made items from quilts and cushions to all of the furniture, all of which is for sale through the Inn.  The Newfoundland Suite size was adequate for the two of us.  Not the largest place I have stayed in by any means, but very homely and comfortable.  I sat, happily, staring out at the sea and sipping my tea.  There are stairs and an elevator for access, the room was serviced twice daily and was unobtrusive.  The cleaning crew left it spotless and shining like a new pin.

Service

Nothing is a problem.

Would that everhwere felt like that.  They will gladly do a load of laundry for free, and the bag is amply sized and I think was $20 for each subsequent load.  They promised something like 10 hour turnaround but ours was done and returned in more like 4.  All of the activities are posted and you can join them as you wish, and the staff are very helpful in listening and making suggestions. I expressed interest in learning about the fishing and crab industries and we spent a few hours with a wonderful local who had been a captain for 47 years and was on the Co-Op Board.  He took us on a factory tour, showed us how the cod pots work, and explained anything I wanted to know about the fishing industry.  Seasonally they have a geologist in residence and we went on a fascinating hike with him, learning about the geology not just of Fogo Island but of the world.  The Inn has a fleet of cars available and they wil gladly let you borrow one of theirs if you require.  On departurne for the 10am ferry, they take your car down the night before and leave it parked in the line so you don't miss the boat.  It is just a wonderful, professionally-managed and run outfit that manages to avoid being sterile in every way.  I absolutely adored how welcome we were made to feel.

Dining

Ah, the food.

Breakfast and lunch menus are pretty much unchanging although there is a cold buffet that does change in terms of salads, meats, pickled items etc.  They have a bread program with wonderful breads made in their kitchen.  They have traditional foods that you really need to try: toutons (TOW-tns, first syllable rhymes with cow), cod with a hardtack-type thing reconstituted with fish stock as well as a more-than-respectable set of options for breakfast and lunch.  The dinner menu changes nightly and was just wonderful.  Interesting choices including cod, lobster, rabbit, lamb, haddock and chicken (no beef at dinner, but they did an excellent beef sandwich at lunch), and in nice-ly proportioned meals such that you could try every course and still have dessert.  The pastry chef deserves a round of applause as well.  As I re-read this I realize it seems sort of sappy, but really I have not eaten this well at an inn since Blackberry Farm or Amansara.  It really is that good.

Location

If someone offered you the chance to go to the end of the earth, wouldn't you?  Its remoteness is integral to its charm, and the locals are just lovely people.  The accent out there is much more like that in Cornwall or the West Country than anything else.

Overall

I am sad that our budget only stretched to 3 nights.  I wish we had gone for 5.  It is brutally, catastrophically expensive, but really once you are there, it all makes sense.  I'd go back in a heartbeat since it is not a bucket list item (a term I despise) to be checked off.  It is a special place run by lovely people, and I can't think of a better descriptor of the kinds of places we like to visit.