Portugal Guidebook
Best and worst accommodations:
Best: Residential florescente in Lisbon
Why: Big breakfast buffet, great location on restaurant row, good air conditioning, helpful staff, comfortable room
MW in Portland , OR USA 10/27/2011
Best: Hotel Astoria in Coimbra; Mar Bravo in Nazare
Why: Hotel Astoria: We were upgraded to one of the tower rooms--large with 3 big windows and small balcony--gorgeous view!
Mar Bravo--Great location across street from the beach, balcony with table & chairs-view of beach and the praca.
susan & milton martin in Hopewell, VA USA 10/20/2011
Best: Quinta de Marrocos
Why: Larger than normal quarters, exceedingly helpful family, great access to a functioning vineyard, nearby Duoro River cruises and a wonderful restaurant in Peso da Regua
Peter D. Springberg, MD in Fort Collins, CO USA 09/16/2011
Best: Quinta de Marrocos
Why: Larger than normal quarters, exceedingly helpful family, great access to a functioning vineyard, nearby Duoro River cruises and a wonderful restaurant in Peso da Regua
Peter D. Springberg, MD in Fort Collins, CO USA 09/16/2011
Best: Quality Iinn in Porto at Praca da Batalha
Why: Great price, great location, great staff and great rooms. What more can I say.
Also wanted to mention Pension Mare in Salema. We had the apartment with the large terrace and it was wonderful. Bettina was a great hostess. There are a lot of stairs but it was fine even with the baby.
Catherine in Montreal, QC Canada 09/08/2011
Best: Pousada in Tavira
Why: Good service, comfortable room and good location above the heart of the historical district near the old castle.
Victoria Wakins in New York, NY USA 06/19/2011
Best: Pousada in Tavira
Why: Good service, comfortable room and good location above the heart of the historical district near the old castle.
Victoria Wakins in New York, NY USA 06/19/2011
Best: Pousada in Tavira
Why: Good service, comfortable room and good location above the heart of the historical district near the old castle.
Victoria Wakins in New York, NY USA 06/19/2011
Best: Residencial Policarpo in Evora
Why: I loved the atmosphere, old tiles, steps, columns, breakfast area and terrace of this 16th C. nobleman's mansion. Also Monica, a graduate of the university, was so helpful and recommended 2 very good places to eat.
Nancy Lloyd in Allentown, PA USA 06/12/2011
Best: found hotels on our own
Why: recommend: Avenieda Palace, Lisbon; Pestana, Porto; Molicero, Aveiro
Worst: Tivoli, Sintra
Why: rooms need a complete overhaul, stained dirty carpeting, old bed spreads, no extra pillows, surly staff
Pat in Marlborough, MA USA 05/17/2011
Worst: Pensao Geres in Lisbon
Why: I was traveling alone so got a single room. The room was very tiny, the mattress was very hard, the shower was virtually impossible to use - so narrow my elbows banged the sides, and no place to hang the shower head (had to hold it in one hand and wash with the other hand). I gave up on the shower and washed in the sink. Reception spoke very little English - if I'd needed any help or guidance from them it would have been close to impossible. I tried asking if I could switch to a double room, hoping it might be more comfortable, but I couldn't make myself understood so gave up on that also.
Ruth Baer in Lexington, KY USA 05/07/2011
Best: Dom Pedro Hotel
Why: Reasonable price. Open to negotiation. Sent champagne and fruit to our room unsolicited when I arrived and they discovered my birthday was the next day. Room was large and quiet on an upper floor. Staff was friendly and accomodating. Diagonallly across from the Amoreriers shopping mall with lots of cheap but good places to snack and food shop. Not too far from downdown and short walk to "hop on hop off" bus tour spot.
Joel Marcus in Media, PA USA 05/01/2011
Worst: Quinta Maroccos
Why: The bed was a torture rack (ancient mattress with hard clumps) and we had to leave in the middle of the night to save our backs and get some sleep. We have never had to do this ever and we are a mature couple.
Ilana Slonim in Santa Fe, NM USA 10/25/2010
Best: Quinta do Passadouro - Pinhao area
Why: Great location to see the vineyards and also Casa de Mateus. Good size room, cozy place, and great hosts. 200 euros for 2 nights (early October), includes 1 night of dinner.
Loved the tour of the vineyard and also the outstanding dinner. The wine was excellent too. I loved the sav blanc type wine and, of course, the Port wine. The soup, chicken, and gluten free dessert were excellent! A great cook! Thanks for accommodating me with my gluten free needs. Breakfast was good too. A good way to start the day.
We missed harvest season by one day at the Quinta do Passadouro, but we were able to see some people mashing the grapes at Casa de Mateus. Loved the tour of the Casa and also the gardens at the Casa de Mateus. We also loved the private tour at Quinta da Foz.
We will return to wine country in the future and we will stay again at the Quinta do Passadouro!
Worst: Casa de Relogio - Obidos
Why: We killed 5 flies. The whole town has a lot of flies at the beginning of October.. Great location and good value though.....
Caroline Hill in New York, NY USA 10/16/2010
Best: A recommendation from Casa Miradouro
Why: Casa do Valle, #1 B&B on tripadvisor! - across the street, great value, and great hosts!! Beautiful views from their backyard. 87 per night (end of Sept / early Oct), euros are inclusive of their breakfast (6 euros). Great spread for breakfast.
Caroline Hill in New York, NY USA 10/16/2010
Best: Residentcial Forescente
Why: It was the only place we stayed but we really enjoyed the location, price and general helpful nature of the staff. The bad part of this place was the broken elevator that was working one day and broke the next.
Kevin in Lake Forest, CA USA 07/11/2010
Best: Albergaria Mar Brava
Why: Great location, fresh modern decor and friendly hotel staff make this an excellent place to stay.
Worst: Pensao Residencial Roma Lisbon
Why: Although it was in a good location and the staff was pleasant, the rooms were dark, dreary and depressing. The dated decor, fluorescent lighting and well worn bathroom made this the worst place we stayed in Portugal.
Debra in Rumson, NJ USA 06/23/2010
Best: Hotel Astoria, Coimbra
Why: Excelent location and old fashioned atmosphere, good free internet, good room, and we got a great deal (about 50 euro/room) by booking through a travel agency in Portugal.
Worst: Pensao Residencial Geres, Lisbon
Why: The Pensao itself is fine and the managers very friendly. Unfortunately, there were many male idlers standing around, long into the night, in the single slope leading to the hotel. Not a reassuring sight for a couple from out of town.
Bert in Lutz, FL USA 06/22/2010
Best: Pousadas
Why: Over 65 can get a golden age passport 760 euros for 10 nights with excellent buffet breakfast and 6 20% off coupons for the set dinner menu.Dinners not worth the cost and if have option outside take it.But 4-5 star places,some like Evoa with it's temple view,Porto on the River and Misso Frio are unique.Unbeatable bargain for top quality "world class" historic hotel experience.
Worst: No "worst" but
Why: For 50 euro Hotel Mare was excellent value for money with a balcony,nice "family" staff and adequate breakfast in sunny top floor but the "parking" was 1/2 mile away up hill and we did better,as they advised,hunting for street space.OK in late April but would not recommend for people with cars in the summer.
Vincent F Biondo Jr in Del Mar, CA USA 05/14/2010
Best: Pension Mare, Salema
Why: Perfect location, view, excellent condition, friendly and helpful owner. Good value.
Steve in Westcliffe, CO USA 04/27/2010
Best: Pensao Alcobia (Lisbon)
Why: Clean as a pin, good range of food options for breakfast, close to Praca da Figueira but not too close.
Sally H in Kalamazoo, MI USA 03/29/2010
Best: Solar Montfalim in Evora
Why: Great charm and atmosphere.
Marylene Pastides in Columbia, MO USA 11/20/2009
Best: Residencial Mares
Why: Beautiful building, room overlooking the river, good price (50 Euros including breakfast for two), wonderful welcoming owner, excellent location.
George in Pittsburgh, PA USA 10/10/2009
Best: Residencial Florescente, Lisbon
Why: Perfect location, good staff, elevator & better than average breakfast. Short walk to Metro, Tram, Rossi station and "Eating Lane" at its door ideal for people watching.
George in Pittsburgh, PA USA 10/10/2009
Best: The mare pension in Salema
Why: beautiful views, great location, friendly manager, delicious breakfast.
Patricia Snee in Springville, PA USA 10/09/2009
Best: Internacional Design Hotel - Lisbon
Why: Not a Rick recommendation but should be. The hotel was hip and comfortable and located right on Rossio Square, very near a metro station and right by the airport bus stop. The staff was friendly and helpful. We found the hotel on hotels.com which was the only thing that made the hotel affordable for us. The advertised rate was 200 Euro per night (roughly $300 USD) but we got it for just over $100 USD. If you search for it on hotels.com, you must search by Internacional with a "c" as it does not show up if you spell it with a "t".
traveldorks OK USA 09/19/2009
Best: Hotel Grande Paris in Porto
Why: The breakfast and the garden alone were worth it! But service was also warm and helpful, if formal. And the location made a great central point for all our adventures. Agree its good to ask for room towards the back - ours had a little balcony and great views.
Hillary Slawson in Seattle, WA USA 08/15/2009
Best: Casa Miradouro, Sintra
Why: Wonderful views, day and night (not surprising, given the translation of its name!). Charlotte Lambregts is a most gracious host, with lots of suggestions - I'm glad we took her advice to rent a car for a day to visit the coast and Obidos - she quickly helped me overcome my trepidations about driving (she made arrangements with the rental company to bring the car to us, too). Her staff were welcoming and attentive, even making an early breakfast so we could get to the Lisbon airport on time.
Rebecca in Charlottesville, VA USA 06/02/2009
Best: Residencia Domus
Why: Clean room, quiet and a great value. Our double room was 38 Euros and included breakfast and overnight parking
Carol in Atlanta, GA USA 05/28/2009
Best: Sagres, Infante Pousada
Why: Location, location, location! Splurge for a room with a view of the ocean; that's why you're here. It well worth the extra money.
Brenda VanAmburgh in Fort Worth, TX USA 05/17/2009
Best: Hotel Britania, Lisbon
Why: Tripadvisor reviews sounded too good to be true. It's all true. This is one of the nicest places you will ever stay. The staff is wonderful and very helpful with booking tours, etc.
ED ERWIN in CORSICANA, TX USA 03/23/2009