1st Stop: Lisbon – Lapa Palace - 4 nights

HOTEL
Classical grand hotel located in the embassy district on a hill just outside the centre of Lisbon. Room varies a lot in terms of view and interior style, some rooms not really my taste in terms of decoration, others really beautiful.

ROOM
We had booked a deluxe palace room with a large terrace for a rate of just over € 500 per night incl. breakfast. Arrived early morning at around 0930 (efficient and good pick up at the airport organised through the hotel – expensive (90 euro), but a nice and relaxed way to arrive).
We were first told that our room was not yet ready and decided to have breakfast (which we found out later was complimentary). After breakfast we went to change in the spa, where the woman from check in came to find us to tell that she had upgraded us to a suite in the garden wing, which was ready for us. I was a little sceptical at first, since the garden wing rooms are not as nicely decorated as the palace wing rooms, but forgot all about this after having seen the large suite. A hallway, a living room with the bed for our son plus sofa, chairs and a table in addition to a writing desk and a small “kitchen” (mini bar, coffee/tea making facilities). From there into a large, separate bedroom (bed too firm for my liking, but after requesting a mattress topper, it was very comfortable) and a very large bathroom with wardrobe, double vanities, bath tub, separate shower, separate toilet plus two exits to the terrace with a nice view of the pool and the city and river from the suite in the 5th floor. We really enjoyed this suite and were told that lots of famous guests had stayed there lately, so I got the impression that it is one of their largest and best suites.

POOL, SPA, GYM
It was heat wave in Lisbon at the time with temperatures well above 40 degrees celcius, so we were extremely happy about the garden and the pool at Lapa Palace. Comfortable loungers, plenty of umbrellas, good service with drinks and food either around the pool or in the (outside) pool restaurant.
Did not try the spa.
Good, but small gym.

FOOD
We had breakfast and lunches in the hotel. Quick and friendly service, good food.

SERVICE
Concierge gave us good tips for sightseeing and booked restaurants for us. We did not have any “out of the box” requests, but they were eager to please us and gave us a very good service both during and before our stay. We felt recognized and our preferences were remembered.
Housekeeping was good, but forgot our room at turn down once which should of course not happen. We had left the room at 1730, and came back at 2100 and no one had been there. Also the refill of the complimentary coffee was not always done, so we had to call them to make sure we got extra coffee for the next morning.


2nd stop: Obidos – pousada Castelo de Obidos - 1 night

HOTEL
In the old castle.

ROOM
We had booked a suite without being able to get in tough with the pousada directly to find out about it or to tell them our preferences (reservations are central). Two days ahead of our visit, I received an email from the pousada to give us information about parking and activities during our stay. I replied to this email to ask them if it would be possible for us to get the suite in the tower, which they confirmed. When we checked in, I found out that there are actually three such tower suites and that we did not get the best one as I had though. Ours were in the 2nd tower and had two floors, one (top floor) where the wooden traditional double bed (hard and not very wide) was, downstairs pretty modern and simple furniture and just about space enough for a sofa, a TV and the extra bed for our son plus a small bathroom. Adding our luggage it was really full. Still special to stay in the tower, but not as good as I had hoped for. There was noisy air condition upstairs – which we definitely needed to put on as it was even warmer inside than outside. We paid 260 euros incl. breakfast.

POOL, SPA, GYM
None

FOOD
We had a very nice dinner in the evening with a great view (make sure you ask for one of their best tables, not all of them has the great view). Live cooking at the table for some dishes, very good service and wine recommendation and the best pousada-food that we had. Also breakfast was good.

SERVICE
All pousadas have a competition going on where guests nominate the employees that they find should be the employee of the month. I believe that the winner each month receive a double salary. I do not know what the service was before they started this, but remember from a previous stay at (also government run) paradores in Spain, that there was basically nothing like service minded employees, but must say that we received a much better service at the pousadas than we had expected, maybe as a result of this little competition.
At the reception they would give us information about sights to see, someone would carry our suitcases to the room (which included lots of steps up to the tower!), everyone would be asking if there was anything they could do for us, chat with us, recommend special things etc. Really very very good. Of course not like a 5 star hotel, there are not enough employees in the pousadas to deliver such a service, but very friendly, personal and willing to do the best for us kind of service which we highly appreciated.

OTHERS
Obidos is a nice white village inside a well preserved city wall. Nice to walk around in the village and at the wall. Quite some tourists.

3rd stop – Coimbra – hotel Quinta das Lagrimas - 1 night

ROOM
We had booked their best suite, The King Suite (no 7 – 330 euro per night incl. breakfast), which was ready when we arrived at around 10 o’clock – great. The suite consists of a small hall where the wardrobe is, a large bedroom, large marble bathroom (twin vanities, bath tub, separate shower, separate toilet) and large living room (incl. card playing table, sitting area, coffee making facilities) plus a huge but unfurnished semi private terrace (one could get to this terrace also from a corridor leading to other rooms).

POOL, SPA, GYM
The pool was located in the back garden close to the (breakfast and lunch) restaurant Aqua. Not particularly charming layout of the pool, not particularly comfortable loungers, no poolside service. We needed to bring special towels from the room to use at the pool.
Did not try the spa. Lots of very good offers, so I guess I was not the only one not using their spa.
Gym would have been OK if the air conditioning would work better.
Indoor pool as well as the pool in the garden but did not try that.

FOOD
We had chosen the hotel mainly for it’s restaurant, a one Michelin star restaurant Arcadas where we had dinner in the evening. We had the large gourment tasting menu with wines. Food and service good, but not as good as other similar restaurants that we have been to. Had lunch at the Aqua restaurant by the pool which served one of the best lunches we had during our trip. Serviced by same personnel as the main restaurant, meaning service was great, but a bit slow for a lunch maybe. Breakfast good.

SERVICE
The hotel has four stars meaning it was not top luxury. Service in restaurant was better than a four star hotel, reception and others more than OK, but not perfect.

OTHERS
Coimbra has an old, really beautiful university which is worth visiting.

4th Stop – Douro Valley – Aquapura hotel - 3 nights

ROOM
We had booked a panoramic suite for a daily rate of around 700 euros. A few days before we left for holidays, I discovered at the hotel’s internet site that the rates online had been significantly lowered, our room was being offered for less than 300 euros per night (including extras for our son) instead of the 700 that I had booked it for!!! Luckily I had a reservation that could be changed or cancelled up until two days before arrival, so we contacted the hotel and they offered to give us the new rate, luckily without any discussion.
We really liked the room and the spectacular view of the Duoro (only panoramic suites have view, so make sure you book one of them if view is important to you). The room is very modern with an open plan and floor to ceiling windows (blinds make it completely darsk at night). One part has the comfortable large bed and a bath tub, one part has a writing desk, two lounging “sofa-chairs” to watch TV or relax and one part has the bathroom with glass walls (two separate vanities, separate (glass again) toilet and shower) and then there is a closed room (normal doors, not glass) for wardrobe and a 2nd toilet. We receieved a welcome letter and fruit, port wine plus juice for our son on the day of arrival.
Only thing we missed was a balcony, would have been great to sit outside to enjoy the view, but the rest was perfect.
I have been reading a lot of complaints about too dark rooms and, but we did not have any issues with this, it was rather the other parts of the hotel that was a bit on the dark side – but with the sun shining and us spending most of the time outside anyway for meals and drinks etc. it was no problem.
No coffee making facilities in the room.

POOL, SPA, GYM
Pool is just beautiful, in the middle of the wine fields with comfortable double loungers. It could have been a real heaven, but was pretty crowded at times, and there were many families with kids meaning that it was not quiet. No issue for us since we travelled with our son, but for others it could be. Pretty OK service at the pool: Had to get the towels and make up beds ourselves, but drinks were served by someone coming around.
I had two treatments in the spa, a salt and vanilla oil peeling and a massage. My theraphist Sandra was very good and I really enjoyed the treatment. It is a huge spa with a large common room with changing facilities, showers etc. and individual, tasteful treatment rooms.
Very large and well equipped gym and also an indoor pool (did not try that one).

FOOD
Lunch at the pool was pretty basic (sandwiches and salats), but the restaurant offered fine dining in a relaxed setting, sitting outside in the evening was heavenly. Breakfast again very good.

SERVICE
Very good, but not perfect at all times, maybe due to lack of personnel? One woman at the reception was fantastic, but she was there alone at many times and had to answer all request by herself meaning it could take some time. The boy at the pool was also alone some times and thus not always very quick.
Housekeeping very good. Nice that they provided a little note every night with recommended activities for the next day, information about weather etc.
Cold towels and a drink offered upon arrival.
The car park was two minutes walk from the reception, but the bell boy would always get the car for us – and even wash in quickly if it was needed! Very nice.

OTHERS
We had a boat trip on the Douro booked through a company recommended by the hotel (Pipadouro, departing from the village Pinhao). We booked a two hour non private cruise for just 35 euro per person – normally max 6 persons onboard the nice wooden boat, but we ended up being alone which would normally cost a lot more. Beautiful scenery enjoyed with a glass of port from one of the quintas that we passed. A great excursion. After the cruise, we went up in the mountains to visit the quinta Portal. We were served a wonderful lunch with a great view to the fields, tasting the local wine with the dishes. Again highly recommended.

5th stop – Pousada de Santa Maria do Bouro, Geres - 1 night

HOTEL
An old monastry. Hard to find pousada, really in the middle of nowhere, make sure to plot the location in a GPS before starting the drive. Nature park for trekking etc. relatively close by, otherwise really NOTHING to do except enjoying the pousada.

ROOM
We had booked one of the two suites, for around 180 euro per night. Spacious suite with wardrobe, separate living and bed room plus bathroom. Nice view of the mountains. Really 70’s style furniture!

POOL, SPA, GYM
Nice, round pool in the garden that we had for ourselves the whole day. Food and drinks could be ordered to the pool by calling from a phone there.
Got towels at the reception to use at the pool.
No spa or gym, but a pool table that our son enjoyed.

FOOD
Lunch and breakfast were tasty, but we did not really enjoy the dinner. Maybe we were getting tired for the not so very varied food offered in Portugal or maybe we ordered the wrong things? Dessert buffet great, though.
A very nice courtyard to have before or after dinner drinks. Sitting there was the nicest place in the whole pousada.

SERVICE
Again good service at this pousada, both reception and restaurant, but it was really quiet here.

6th Stop – Pousada de Santa Marinha in Guimaraes - 1 night

HOTEL
Again a monastry located just outside Guimaraes.

ROOM
Again we had booked a suite for around 180 euro per night. This time we liked the suite more than we did at the two other pousadas. Two large, separate rooms, one living room with sofa, coffee table, desk and one even larger bed room with a small “dining table” and a pretty comfortable bed. Wardrobe in the hall, bathroom smallish. No balcony, no view to write home about.

POOL, SPA, GYM
Pool was behind the historical building and did not fit in at all. It was very modern, with lots of concrete and fences. Strange design. Towels were given us at the reception and we had to bring them back there by ourselves.
Good service at pool, though, with nice drinks, ice creams etc. There was a little pool restaurant as well, but we did not try that one.
No gym or spa.

FOOD
At this point of time, we felt we had tasted all the different dishes that Portugal had on offer several times, but managed to find some tasty alternatives on the menu here. Good enough but again it was the dessert buffet that was the highlight, and the port in the nice bar afterwards. Beautiful dining room.
A separate kids menu.

SERVICE
Very nice welcome at the reception, where we were given information about sights and things to do in the city. Also very nice service in the restaurants and in the bar with recommendation and a personal touch, telling us about the food and other things about the region.

OTHERS
A beautiful city, especially the old town.

Last and 7th stop – Hotel Yeatman, Porto - 3 nights

HOTEL
Located at the port houses side of the river with a spectacular (I think best ever) city view to old Porto. Hotel owned by a port wine family, lots of the room is “sponsored” by a port house offering port wine related decoration and information in the rooms. Also the different floors and lifts have port wine themes. Very nice. For the rest a classy, traditional design.

ROOM
As for the Aquapuro hotel, I again found out about a special promotion with lower rates, including breakfast, spa discounts, free parking etc. a couple of days before arrival. Upon reservation, they had promised me to make me aware of any such offers, which they did not, but when I found out myself, they changed the rate, so that I would pay around 430 euro for a jr suite per night, around 150 euro less than the rate that I booked for. Upon arrival, we had, however, decided that we would splurge on a better room for our last stop, and asked to see one of the grand suites (The Taylor’s suite) and then the top suite (the Bacchus suite). While the latter was more spectacular in terms of view, terrace, fireplace, special bath tub etc., it was open plan and more for a couple, so we preferred the Taylor’s suite which had a fantastic over-the-top bed in a huge barrel, large wardrobe, separate sitting room with sofas and coffee table and a nice bathroom with separate loo, shower etc. and a covered private terrace. A bit dark (large windows only in sitting room).
At one stage mid day we found glasses, water and a welcome card plus knives and forks in the suite. Nothing else. Only much later – when we arrived back after a late dinner – they had brought cured ham, sweets and a bottle of sparkling wine. Very nice, but late…
No coffee making facilities in the room.

POOL/SPA/GYM
Pool is beautiful and decanter shaped with a fantastic view. Not many loungers around there, though, so it was sometimes full… Service was OK, but not more than that. Orders took look, drinks were forgotten, but the young trainee that served us was really nice and friendly, so we almost forgot about the mistakes.
My spa experience was a disappointment: I had booked a massage for 1700 hrs. Since we wanted to go sightseeing before dinner after the treatment, I tried to change to an earlier appointment, but this was not possible as they were fully booked. The spa information folder recommended an early arrival, and I was at the spa reception 25 minutes before my scheduled appointment. At that time, I was told that there would be a 10 minutes delay. I told them that I was in a hurry, and they promised to make sure that my treatment would start on time. At 1710 (10 minutes late) I asked what was happening and was told that my theraphist was “almost ready” as the previous customer had arrived too late. At 1715 I went to the reception to cancel my appointment. They apologized but did not offer me any kind of compensation. I never went back.
Gym was very good with lots of modern equipment and also pilates and jogging “classes” many days. Did not try these, though.
An indoor pool and saunas available as well, but did not try.

FOOD
Breakfast was the best we had. On top of the “normal” selection, there were many nice extras, even caviar, sparkling wine and a large selection of cheeses, cakes and eggs any style. Very good.
Two lunches at the pool were tasty and offered some variation to the normal club sandwiches and salads. A plus.
The last night we had dinner in their one star Michelin restaurant. Good service, food and wine, but we were not overly impressed compared to the two previous dinners that we had in the old city in the restaurant DOP by Rui Paula (no Michelin star) which was really very, very good – so good that we went there twice. Also we found it too dark in the restaurant in the Yeatman. A good thing there was, however, that they offered a special menu for kids in the Michelin restaurant. Our son is a little gourmet, but Michelin style food decoration and ingredients might not always be according to his wished. Here he was served a tomato/mozzarella salad as a starter and then a pasta dish as a main course, as well as getting all the wonderful little pre starters etc. that we got.

SERVICE
Very good arrival service with separate check in. The lady showed us all the hotel, two different rooms, explained everything etc.
Housekeeping varied: Some days perfect, one day forgotten turn down, often not removing used glasses. Room for improvement.
Service at restaurants good, but also here not perfect. Sometimes we had to look for someone to give us coffee instead of this happening automatically, nobody remembered our preferences as I am used to from luxury hotels etc.

OTHERS
Nice visit to the Taylor’s port house next to the hotel. Porto city has many nice buildings, but it is also many signs of Portugal not having glorious days in this city: Empty stores, broken windows, houses falling apart. Really a sad sight…