Guides were fabulous! All very knowledgeable,...
Portugal
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May 15 - May 26, 2023
Guides were fabulous! All very knowledgeable, timely, and came from a diverse background and perspectives. There was the architect, the accountant, the economist.... Every one of them loves their country and showed us things we would not have noticed on our own.
So why not 5 stars? There were a few things where we informed our specialist, Pedro, of our preference, but got overruled... We don't drink alcohol, and yet Pedro sent a gift bag with a bottle of port. Several guides were caught off guard and had to change the agenda on the fly because they were not informed. They were great, and able to make those changes. It was awkward.
The trip was too ambitious: we went from top to bottom in 12 days. Even though it was an independent schedule, it felt like a tour, instead of an exploration. We usually stay in one place, and take our time... but, shame on us for not insisting on longer stays per location.
Portugal is beautiful. It's so popular as a destination that there are more tourists than residents. Yet, the locals don't seem to resent us! So many helpful, nice people made our trip fun.
Shout out to BlueFleet in Lagos: We had a great time touring the caves and laughed, a lot. So nice! Except for the guy who sang "Baby Shark" right as we were leaving the dock... yeah, that stuck in our heads for days!
Hotel Reviews
If old elegance is your jam, this hotel is for you. Recently renovated, it's maintained its art deco feel -- even has time-capsule vignettes. The staff is lovely. They have port, tea, coffee and snacks available at no charge, from afternoon to evening. And by "snacks" I mean pastries. Yum. Our room was large, with a foyer, high ceilings and tile floor. A bottle of port is kept refilled, daily, and if you don't (like me) drink, they provide juice or sparkling water or whatever you'd prefer, instead. The staff moved furniture, the first housekeeping day, to better accommodate our two-suitcase-living. On our departure day, after joking with the breakfast staff that I was going to steal the whole tray of pastiche de nate, they arrived at our table with a container packed with a dozen of them! So nice! We loved this hotel.
Great location: easy walk to the waterfront, bridge and city center. This hotel, the "newest in Porto" suffers from new construction quality... the bathroom door handle fell off, the shower drain is incorrectly vented, so the room smelled like sewer if the bathroom door was left open. On the bright side, the windows opened. Mostly clean: nail clipping behind the bathroom door --not ours: pet peeve! The restaurant breakfast buffet has lots to offer and was tasty. Dinner was disappointing as the meat and fish were overcooked. Waitstaff was friendly and helpful. Front desk was efficient.
Awesome view! Efficient design. Helpful staff. Great breakfast. Nice, small, outdoor seating on room deck. Rooftop pool. No bathroom privacy as it's just a glass partition. Only stay with people who know you poop, and don't care if they hear or smell the process.... Very efficient layout.
If you have a large crowd you are travelling with, this would be great. Our travel agent booked us into a huge suite: big outdoor deck, large living room, large bedroom, 2nd balcony, huge foyer. Too big for the two of us, but made me want to come back with more people. It did allow us to have plenty of space to hang our laundry. Lots of spaces to gather and hang out at this hotel. The decor is an odd combination of antiques-style and Ikea.
Fabulous view, great staff, and comfortable space. Balcony overlooking the harbor is where we spent our last day in Portugal. No need to go anywhere else with a view like that!
Activity Review
We were skeptical going into this, because the Fado we'd heard on TV was not enjoyable. These performers were amazing! At least the 2 we got to hear. It starts late (10:30) and some of the performers were late arriving. We had an early start, the next day, so left at midnight while they were still waiting for the next act to arrive. The dinner is a fixed menu and was disappointing. Entrees were cold, and overcooked.... The highlight were the starters: little taste sensations that were all delicious! The singers set up in front of the exit doors. Don't plan on leaving, mid-performance!
Thank you for your review, it is always very helpful to receive detailed feedback on the experience - this is the only way to keep improving our service.
We do offer a welcome kit including some goodies to most of our travelers so that you can take some memories back home directly from your travel specialist (the port wine bottle is one of the elements of the kit).
Regarding being offered wine while doing the gastronomic tour in Porto, my apologies as I believe there was a... Read more