Palacio Estoril, Lisbon (and Cascais Miragem)

[no-backpacker]

Hi,

I haven't been on here for some months. I promised to write about Palacio Estoril which I won in the wintertime.

After I won, I had no problem with getting in contact with LL for them to get my card-details. I also had no problems with getting n contact with the hotel the first time. However there were some more problems with getting in contact some weeks later. I wrote 4-5 e-mails with no response. I then wrote to LL and the day after everything was fixed.

My package included 3 nights with full English breakfast, rental car for 3 days and golf. I don't play golf, so didnt use that offer.

Before we arrived I had written to the hotel that we were going to have a late arrival and i also told when the flight would arrive. When we came to the airport, to pick up the car, the car-rental company told us the car had been booked from the morning. Luckily there were no problem after all.

The hotel had sent me driving directions and we had no problem with finding the hotel. Outside the hotel they had a private parking place for free! Fantastic!

The hotel was impressive and so was the service and room. The toilettries was Molton Brown. Small chocolates with a note with the weather-forcast at the pillow at the turn-down service was also very nice.

The breakfast was FANTASTIC. Full English, sweets, cakes, champagne, juices etc... I could have sitten there forever!

We never tried the swimmingpool as the weather wasn't that nice. BUT it looked very nice, so did the garden.

When checking out we had a small problem. Unfortunately I had forgotten to print the e-mail which said that the package was pre-paied. The reseptionist didn't believe us and said that LL had not paied the package so we had to pay! Luckily I had my laptop with me, so I just printed the e-mail. It was my own fault, I know, but I just want to warn everybody, DON'T forget to bring the e-mail which say the package has been pre-paied. On the other hand, I think it's strange that it happend and I felt it a little bit worrying that they said LL hadn't paied.

So far this is one of the best hotels I have been to and I will go back. I can highly recommend it.

After the 3 days at Palacio Estoril we staied 5 nights at Cascais Miragem, which is a 5-star hotel just 1 km. from Palacio Estoril. We were there for a conference. This hotel was also very nice, but not as nice as Palacio. On the other hand, it's the best conference-hotel I have been to. Normally there are always lots of queing (sp?) at coffe-breaks and luch. There were a little bit of que, but nothing to complain about. At the coffe-breakd they served sweets, but there were always a choice to get "real food" (bread or bun). The rooms were also very nice, turn-down service with chocolate etc... At this hotel they also gave new toilettries at turn-down. I can't remember the brand as it was an unknown brand for me. I never ate breakfast as we didnt have breakfast in our rate and it costed 20 Euro. There was a shopping-mall very close to the hotel and we bought some bread, buter and ham for breakfast. The swimmingpool was nice, but because of unusual bad weather, for May to be, we didn't use the pool.

I liked Cascais better than Estoril. Cascais was more charming and had more nice restaurants.

[bonniejoy03]

Thanks so much for the trip info and the LL info. I haven't been to Estoril since the 1990s. We stayed at Palmilla Pousada on the way back to the airport. Loved it. Did you try any of the Pousadas? Did you visit Sintra? How was the exchange rate? I hear Portugal is still relatively affordable. Thanks.

[no-backpacker]

No, I haven't heard of the Pousadas.

And yes, it was still affordable in Portugal. I was surprised it was as inexepencive as it was. The seafood was fantastic and very cheap. I also like the Portugese people. They seem to be less agressive than the Spanish, at least in the traffic...

We went to Sintra for the conference-dinner, but didn't explore the place. I am sorry for not going to Sintra for a day-excursion, but we'll do it next time!