20/10/2026
A tale of kindness... ✨
Some people make a mountain feel like home.
Today, we’re sharing the following story:
“Carlos Silva, known to everyone as “Senhor Carlos”, has been part of the team at Casa das Penhas Douradas, in Serra da Estrela, centre of Portugal, for more than eight years. Kindness and caring are part of his DNA, and he is the team member with the most mentions in the hotel’s book of compliments.
On a day of heavy snowfall, at 1,500 meters of altitude, a guest lost her phone during an outdoor walk. Senhor Carlos didn’t rest until he found it, in a search that lasted more than ten hours. The following year, passing through the area, the guest made a point of stopping to thank him again, and ended up staying once more in “her Mountain House”. A gesture of care that became a connection that endures to this day.
But this wasn’t the only time Senhor Carlos made a difference. Close to Easter, a boy staying with his parents was sad to see other children with a Kinder chocolate egg. At dinner, he told his parents he would like one too, and they explained that, since they were at the top of the mountain, they would get him one once they returned home. Senhor Carlos heard the conversation and, that same night, went to the nearest village to buy a Kinder egg. The next morning, at breakfast, he gave it to the boy. The surprise and joy of the child and the family stayed in everyone’s memory.
Two different gestures, out of a multitude of them, with the same underlying motive: understand what could make someone happy, and always taking the initiative to care.”
Our warmest thanks to Casa das Penhas Douradas for sharing this story with us, and to Senhor Carlos for showing that true hospitality is paying attention and acting on it. 👏
Stay close. The next tale is coming. 💛
