Pestana Palacio Do Freixo

An absolutely delightful oasis and almost a museum in itself, away from the chaotic tourist center. The hotel excels at the rare combination of combining grandeur and elegance with warmth and hospitality. My only regret is not staying longer to both better enjoy the property, the amenities, and relax. Sometimes we just felt like reading the coffee table books in the stunning parlor lounge or swim in the infinity pool overlooking the Douro rather than sightsee! Breakfast was divine and the pool had excellent food and service. We appreciated our interactions with all hotel staff and sad to leave. They were great with kids. Big thanks to GM Diego and team for a truly memorable stay!!

We checked in on Thursday morning and had a beautiful side sea view from our room. in the annexe part of the building, the rooms here were old and slightly musty but it was a good size with a large sofa. Unfortunately, there was confusion over breakfast. We had booked through Expedia believing breakfast was included, but on arrival we were told it wasn't. I called Expedia from the hotel and spoke to a manager, who insisted it was because of the room type we had selected. I asked the hotel manager to speak to Expedia, and the Manager confirmed that guests simply book with or without breakfast and that there is no rule that breakfast depends on the room type. Expedia offered £75 compensation but continued to insist that we hadn't booked breakfast. Even though I had taken a screenshot of the page where it said breakfast was included. that was particularly concerning was that, while I was discussing this at reception, two other guests walked past and said exactly the same thing had happened to them. They had also booked through Expedia believing breakfast was included, only to be told by the hotel that it wasn't. If booking through Expedia, I would strongly recommend double-checking exactly what is included in your booking. On Friday morning, we asked reception on our way out for clean towels and fresh water. When we returned in the early evening, nothing had arrived. I called reception again and still nothing happened. On the third call, I spoke to a male receptionist and a maid arrived promptly with the towels and water. She said she would return with ice but forgot, so I had to call again. The breakfast itself was fantastic. (see photos) The quality was excellent and there was a great selection. It would be even better if the hotel offered iced matcha, as we don't drink tea or coffee. The hotel grounds and buildings are beautiful, and the pool is particularly lovely, with wonderful views overlooking the river/sea. The gym was unfortunately very disappointing for such a large hotel (see photos). It is about the size of a small lounge and has only one treadmill, one bike, one cross-trainer, one seated bike, one bench and a cable machine with a loose wire (see photo) on one side. The weights only go up to 10kg and there are no proper leg or upper-body resistance machines. The two mats provided are cheap, slippery plastic and are also ripped (see photo). There were six people in the gym this morning, meaning my daughter and I couldn't comfortably do our ab workout inside. For a hotel of this size, the gym really needs significant improvement. Last night, at around 9:45pm, a waiter knocked on our door with room service that we hadn't ordered. Mistakes happen, but I would suggest checking the room number carefully before knocking on guests' doors so late in the evening. We were asleep. One of the biggest positives, however, was the help we received from the manager. My daughter accidentally left my Lululemon jumper in the bathroom, and she also couldn't find a T-shirt and shorts. The manager went out of his way to locate all of the items and arrange for them to be returned to us. His service was excellent and very much appreciated. David who worked in the lobby/concierge was very kind and genuinely pleasant and keen to help. Overall, there were some lovely aspects to our stay, particularly the excellent breakfast, beautiful views, grounds and pool, and the manager's outstanding help with our belongings. However, the confusion over the Expedia booking, the delays with our housekeeping requests, the late-night room-service mistake and the very inadequate gym were disappointing and could certainly be improved.

Mafalda Scadesh very kind and polite

Staff were great during check-in and Mafalda showed us where everything was. Rooms are great and location is fantastic

If you are going to Porto, the Palácio do Freixo is a highly recommendable place to stay. The buildings have been beautifully renovated with style and taste, offering generous rooms and facilities. The staff are helpful and attentive, and the hotel enjoys a marvelous view over the Douro River. The gastronomy is also excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.