This place is a bit like a Peter Seller's movie in that it is incredibly beautiful and tasteful but just below the surface lies technology run amok and a slight incompetence that is comic.
First, the beauty. This is stunning hotel nestled in a lovely part of the Douro Valley with elegant appointments and rates to match. It stacks up well with the great guest accommodations in the European countryside. The rooms are well appointed with fine linens, gorgeous bathrooms and virtually every amenity one could wish for. There's a lovely pool, an extensive spa, grass tennis courts and every other conceivable hotel service.
But underneath lies a comic streak that can be either exasperating or funny, depending on one's mood. For example, some salesperson sold them lights and plumbing fixtures that are so complex that each room has an individual set of directions on how to work them. The dining room is lovely and the food elegant (if overpriced) but so significantly understaffed that it took 30 minutes between ordering sorbet and cake and having it delivered. The high tech room keys took four trips to the front desk before they worked on the second day of our stay. And the valet parker told me I'd have to retrieve my car since he was the only one working at the front desk.
So, if you want to stay in this lovely hotel be prepared for a few surprises.
NOTE: in spite of emails to Yelp HQ the map for this hotel is still incorrect. It is across the River Douro from and slightly west of Peso da Regua.
NOTE TWO: I just got an email that this place is closing for renovation/rejuvenation. That can only help and the fact there are new owners could also be a plus. read more