Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

Everything was amazing! It was a family vacation of a lifetime. Seeing 3 completely different regions of Portugal inside and out was epic and so memorable and we have the photos and videos to hold onto for life. All of the tours booked represented a wide variety of activities to do both on land and sea. We would recommend anyone to use Helena for booking a trip for themselves! The promptness and organization was top notch and made our trip far less stressful for us!

Hotel Reviews

BessaHotel Liberdade

Lisboa

Modern, clean, great location to walk around, great breakfast, bar, pool and gym!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pestana Carlton Madeira

Funchal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel is a bit older, bathrooms are not as new/modern as we would have preferred and beds were not super comfortable, all that aside the views were wonderful and a 20 minute walk from the town!

Belmar Spa & Beach Resort

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Sintra and Quinta de Regaleira

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Introducing Funchal - Food & Cultural Tour

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monte Toboggan Experience by Tuk-Tuk

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class with Local Products

Madeira

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Funchal Sunset Cruise Experience

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Algarve Kayaking Trip to Benagil Caves

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dolphin-Watching Tour

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Carlos was amazing driver to Sentra. Busy palace and town but we escaped to the beach for lunch.

Ricardo was great. I wish he would have had water in the van. We were for many hours to Porto and Douro with no water. Other than that he made great suggestions and was a great guy during our time. So helpful.

Knowing in advance we had a kitchen would have been great info to share. We had no hot water on night 1 in Porto until 11:30 pm.

The Pine Cliffs resort was so BIG and our room clear at front gate. Everything was a bit overwhelming. Maybe in future we would choose a smaller hotel. Was not aware we needed to make a reservation for dinner and wound up eating so late because all restaurants were booked. So many young children.

All in all we loved our expeditions and seeing this beautiful country. Thank you

Hotel Reviews

The Pine Cliffs Resort

Apartado, Albufeira

Hotel is gigantic and a bit overwhelming. Need reservations for dinner well in advance but need to know this. Lots of children! Young kids and babies. Very family friendly but as a family with older children we were looking for a bit more relaxing feel. Our room was very nice but way at front near exit. Would have predatory be closer to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

No hot water day 1 but was corrected late into the evening. The garden was fabulous and rooms very clean. We were on the top floor so lots of stairs. Be prepared

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

No hot water day 1 but was corrected late into the evening. The garden was fabulous and rooms very clean. We were on the top floor so lots of stairs. Be prepared

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Sintra was beautiful. Must see but be prepared for long lines

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos was so great. We had a great day

Transport

Flavors of Lisbon: A Gastronomic Tuk Tuk Adventure

Lisbon

Do not recommend. Not authentic and cobblestones made for uncomfortable ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Joao curated a terrific trip for us. While we really enjoyed our time in Lisbon, Joao gave us a great history lesson on the city and the country over several centuries. That history lesson provided us with a much better appreciation as to what inspired the architecture over the years. Outside of Lisbon, we really enjoyed our visits to Fatima, Batalha Monastery, Pena Palace and Nazare (home of the world’s largest waves). We had some last minute adjustments to our schedule and Joao accommodated those requests and was incredibly friendly and helpful along the way. At the end of our trip, one of our family members accidentally left their eyeglass case in his van. He could have easily left in the van and did nothing. Instead, he texted us, met us at our last excursion and offered to drive us in his personal vehicle back to a spot near our hotel. Joao was caring, thoughtful and worked very hard to ensure that we had a memorable experience in Portugal (which we did!). Thank you again, Joao!!!

Overall, this was a good trip. I was a little disappointed compared to my experience with using Kim Kim in Rome, which was truly amazing. My consultant. Was easy to work with and informative and helped tailor the trip to what I wanted. I was disappointed with the timing and some transportations as pick up times were not what my itinerary said and some vehicles were less than optimal. I was also very happy with my walking tour guide. She was amazing and would highly recommend her. Our food tour was OK. They did make great effort to accommodate my wife’s celiac disease and need for gluten-free options, which was above and beyond and highly appreciated. My full day tour was a great guide and driver however, my friends got the same experience without using Kim Kim so I’m not sure if it was added value but overall good experience. I was happy with result, but was overall not as highly satisfying experience as what I had in Rome.

Hotel Review

Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel

Lisboa

Great hotel and fun location. Check-in process was easy and they were very accommodating. Room was very nice with modern amenities. Breakfast provided was great with lots of options. Would recommend this hotel and would use it again in the future.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the center of this region of the city and easy walking access to restaurants and shopping. As well as other highlights.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Our guide was absolutely amazing. She took the time to make this tour very personal and let us experience the highlights of Lisbon. She was very knowledgeable and answered all questions and provided great information. Would highly recommend her and use her again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Lisbon

Our guide was very nice. He took the time and went above and beyond to try to accommodate my wife’s gluten-free food needs to celiac disease. I love the choices he made for the stops for the food and it was great to experience some authentic dishes. While he was not as good of a guide as some of our prior ones in regard to overall Discussion about the city and tour experience. He was still great company.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Our driver and vehicle were amazing. He was very knowledgeable and went above and beyond to take good care of us. He made the experience great and it was a very accommodating. Definitely worth seeing all the stops and made a pleasant and fun day. The restaurant we had lunch at was amazing. Would highly recommend and love to go back again. Would have preferred to visit the first stop a little earlier in the morning to avoid the crowds and the tour could’ve started a little earlier as well to make the day not quite as long.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip ! Family of three with a cranky 12 year old .. and everything still went smoothly !

All the hotels booked were in perfect foot friendly locations . We were able to walk everywhere in each city and get a great taste of of the people /the city and the delicious food .

I have to say our time is Porto and Cascais was our favourite, we hope to go back .

We did a fantastic food tour with Margarite in Lisbon and highly recommend her . She catered to our specific tastes and found ways to make our picky 12 year old happy .

Our driver Carlos was personal , funny, knowledgeable and very professional. Really enjoyed our time with him.

Pedro and his team were proactive and very responsive. Each day we would receive reminders of upcoming plans and checks in on how things went . On one occasion the hotel had made a booking mistake . We reached out to Pedro - and we literally heard him calling the front desk ( within 5 mins ) and had it sorted . We felt very supported and taken care of the entire trip .

I would highly recommend Pedro and his team .

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Cute , clean and in wonderful location .

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

Fantastic location, staff were extremely warm and helpful . Great suite with everything you needed .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Amazing pool ! Had to be the most beautiful pool in Portugal :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

One of the Hotel pools ( in front of our room) was under construction while we were there . Very loud and disturbing during the day . The room intensely was also very loud ( some machines cal issue that made loud banging sounds all night long . Check in is later than any other hotel we visited (4pm) and when we got in just after floor the carpets were wet and someone was fixing a mirror in the bathroom . We were excited to visit this hotel , and unfortunately felt very disappointed with our experience here .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Flavors of Lisbon in a Premium & Gastronomic Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joao and team did an excellent job to customize our experience. Excellent time all around. Thanks to the team!

Overall it was a good experience. All the logistics of moving us from place to place and all the tours were well executed. the hotels, except for one was very nice. Miragem in Cascais was great, except the pool was freezing. Liberdade Porto Bay in Lisbon was excellent. Conde Azevedo Palace, a very rustic location, was not up to our standards and when I complained to Across Portugal, the provider, there was not much they could do that would not cost me an arm and a leg. I was a touch offended that the young lady said it was the 2nd best hotel in Porto. I can guarantee that the second best hotel in Porto does not have creaky floors, smelly refrigerator, dirty walls and insufficient hot water to fill a tub. It also had its share of bugs including a spider in our bed. it made our 3 days in Porto unpleasant to say the least and no compensation was offered or considered. Places worth seeing, Obidos, The Pacheca winery, Duoro valley, Nazare, Cascais. Places that underwhelmed, Pena Palace and the adjacent town.

The food tour in Porto was amazing and the CoolTours Sintra day trip is a must do. Kim Kim plans a great trip!

Hotel Reviews

Casa dos Lóios by Shiadu

Porto

Great service, clean and excellent location. They also had an amazing breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

You can walk to many of the main sights and there are plenty of places to eat within walking distance also.

Staff

Everyone was very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Costa D’Oiro Ambiance Village

8600-544

Love the location and the very spacious rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We could walk to the main plaza with many shops and restaurants.

Staff

Everyone was very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

MeraPrime Gold Design Hotel

Lisbon

Great location but small rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walking distance to many sights, hotels, and shops.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are the typically smaller size rooms in the older areas of Europe. It was safe and clean.

Activity Reviews

Explore Porto's Culinary Scene and Bolhao Market

Porto

One of favorite tours ever! We loved everything we tried and the guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Sintra and Quinta de Regaleira

Lisbon

An amazing tour and amazing sights. I would recommend this tour to anyone. Rui was our guide and he was phenomenal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our local specialist Joao was amazing. He was so helpful planning day trips and restaurant reservations. We had the best time!

Diana did a wonderful job planning our Portugal trip. From the moment that we were picked up at the aiport in Lisbon to the day that we were dropped off at the Porto airport, everything was seamless. Our first driver, Carlos, went out of his way to make sure that everything was perfect. Our driver in Porto, Ricardo, was equally as wonderful. They even set up dinner with locals at their home. Having all of this arranged made this a true vacation!!! I would highly recommend using KimKim to plan your next vacation!

My son, daughter and I had a wonderful experience visiting the Azores. The beauty of San Miguel and Terceira exceeded our expectations. Raquel did an amazing job organizing the trip - she listened to our requests and coordinated the adventure. The most wonderful part of our experience was our San Miguel guide Natasha. She took us on amazing hikes, told us about the island's people and culture, and we just loved learning everything from her. Natasha organized a lovely lunch with a local dairy farmer and his wife - the highlight of the trip! Our guides in Terceira were terrific as well - we learned so much about the history of Terceira. An added bonus was that we arrived during one of the island's festivals and were able to enjoy that as well. Thank you for this wonderful memory.

Kimkim did an amazing job planning our very pleasurable trip to Portugal. The activities and guides were lovely. The lodging was perfect for each location and they were easy to reach whenever we needed help. We told everyone on our travels how exceptional Kimkim had been to work with from start to finish. This trip was the perfect blend of adventure, culture, food, wine, and leisure.

We were so impressed that we already logged onto the site to see other destination spots they service so that they can help us with next year’s excursion.

We appreciate their attention to detail and personalization. They listened to all of our desires and helped create an itinerary with the perfect blend of adventure (hiking, biking, kayaking), food, wine, and culture. We HIGHLY recommend Kimkim and our exceptional planner, Giorgia.

Joel was a great private driver for our day trip to Sintra! Our favorite location was Madeira given the hiking activity and amazing views. However, all locations were special in their own way and we really appreciate Tiago making every effort to fit as many locations into our itinerary upon our request despite the difficulty of the task. We intend to come back for the Azores and the Algarve.

Best aspects of using Kimkim: the ease of planning and booking with Marisa, the operators we used, such as the drivers and tour guides - all fabulous, on time and totally professional. We thought all the hotels were great choices in prime locations. Loved all the included enormous breakfast buffets at the hotels as well.

Highlights of our activities were: Porto sunset cruise with tastings- loved the hosts, the boat, and scenery; farm dinner cooking experience with dinner; cave boat tour at Ponte de Piedad. We loved the e-bike tour but it was a little scary going through the center of Cascais with pedestrians, traffic, wind/sand and biking on the elevated boardwalk- would not recommend for those not comfortable on bikes. Was expecting something more relaxing.

Marisa was thoughtful with the itinerary and allowed us to see a lot of the country with some fun activities along the way. For example, we loved having drivers take us through the Duoro Valley and our wine tasting and lunch at the winery. The tours were well timed for when we arrived in a city to give us the lay of the land. We could have perhaps planned a little less full days or more ‘days off’ here and there.

Overall we loved our experience and are grateful to Kimkim for lining it all up. We would definitely book another trip with them.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

We loved this hotel and wish we had had more time here. The location was prime, with views of the ocean, we enjoyed great drinks at the bar, and the breakfast buffet and outdoor seating area were fantastic. The lobby is beautiful with a glass elevator, allowing you to see the amazing views on your ride up to your room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the coast

Staff

Bellhops and front desk personnel were friendly and very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathroom was gorgeous with views of the ocean, very clean and spacious. The bedroom was generously sized with a huge bed. Best of all was the huge balcony. Again, wish we had had more time here.

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

We loved our apartment, suite-style rooms with a separate living area.

Location

Centrally located, easy for cars to drive to, and walking distance to most parts of Lisbon.

Staff

Very warm and welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

All good!

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

Ideal and tranquil location away from the fray, along the coast, with walking trails all along the cliffs, proximity to beaches, town, and unbelievable views. Staff was helpful and friendly and the breakfast buffet was unbelievable. Loved the spaciousness of our apartment, it was perfect for traveling with our two young adult daughters. We enjoyed the pool as well but wish we’d had more time for everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great beds, nice kitchen and great to have laundry in unit.

Pousada Convento de Evora

Évora

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic and beautiful. Loved being in an actual convent. Breakfast area was lovely.

Location

Central with a beautiful Roman temple just outside.

Staff

All were great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room feels a bit dated but the beds were comfortable. A shower rather than just a tub would be nice.

Activity Reviews

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Delicious lunch: very elegant and upscale. The wine flowed- maybe too much! - and we were grateful to have a driver for the way home. The valley is so beautiful and we were really glad to have spent the day seeing it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Group Boat Voyage along the Douro River

Portugal

This boat cruise was okay. They arrived late, and therefore our trip left late and yet we ended ‘on time.’ The scenery was nice but nothing spectacular and my opinion is that seeing the valley from the road was better. We were served champagne and trail mix. I would probably skip this one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver, Rafael, was a great driver and very courteous.

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Portugal

Fado was pretty good, not sure I’d do it again if the meal were a part of it. I’d prefer to only see the music and skip the dinner.

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Great driver

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour & Tastings

Lisbon

Margarita was super knowledgable and friendly. We felt that we saw a good portion of Lisbon and loved the Alfama area and its character. Was great to have a private tour for just our family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

On time, trustworthy, safe drivers, friendly and knowledgeable.

Transport

We loved our drivers: Rafael, Carlos, Ivo and Ricardo. Comfortable car too and held all our luggage.

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

We loved seeing the Pena Palace, the Cabo da Roca and Cascais. Carlos was a fabulous driver and gave us a great tour and service. Also is a very interesting person with a lot of knowledge about Portugal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Loved our tour. Andres was awesome. It was an in-depth glimpse of the city with the perspective of how different ethnic groups were treated in Porto. We saw so much of the city and learned a lot of history. He also shared lots of food recommendations with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Two-Hour Private River Cruise in the Picturesque city of Porto

Porto

Ivo began our evening with a short driving tour of Foz Do Duoro. The sunset boat cruise was stunning, with the boat to ourselves and a generous port tasting on the top deck. We loved our hostess, Karina, she could not have been sweeter. Both she and Ivo spoke fantastic English and were very personable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

The boat tour was incredible. We couldn’t believe how well the driver could get in and out of the caves and other tight areas. The scenery was amazing. The only downside is that we were told the wrong start time by Kimkim and so we lost out on ½ hour of the tour.

Step Back in Time with a Private Guided Tour of Évora and the Bones Chapel!

Portugal

Joao was a fantastic guide who spoke great English. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Cathedral of Evora, the aqueduct, city, and the Chapel of the Bones. Definitely worth seeing!! So glad we spent a couple nights in Evora.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joao was informative and personable.

To Eat Suggestion: Luca´s Rooftop Restaurant

Portugal

Views, food and service. Top notch!! One of my best dinners of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Embark on a Flavorful Cooking Class with a Meal at the Farm

Portugal

This was one of the highlights of the trip. The grounds were lovely and we received a tour before the class started. Chef Ines was a great instructor, communicator and chef. We loved the interactive nature of the activity, and learning how to make a couple local dishes. Best of all was enjoying dinner in the picture perfect setting with phenomenal views.

Quality of Experience

Chef Ines and the setting

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cascais-Sintra Exclusive E-Bike Adventure

Portugal

This ended up being a fun tour but I would not recommend it for inexperienced bikers. Juliano arrived late and led us off on a tour of the city, going through red lights, roundabouts, narrow ramps, and cobblestone city streets, weaving around pedestrians. We headed along the shore, with some very strong wind and then up a sketchy boardwalk. He should have been checking in with us. I was not very comfortable and we were relieved no one got hurt.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had Kim Kim Plan a trip to Portugal for us. It was excellent. I answered the questionnaire. I got everything I asked for private drivers, private tours, beautiful hotels. Every driver we had was accommodating and showed us extra little secret places to visit and took us. It was absolutely amazing and it was totally hasslefree. They texted us every day with an itinerary and always checked in on if we needed anything
I would totally use them over and over

All of the guides and drivers were outstanding. The hotels were very nice and comfortable and the hotel staff in all three hotels were friendly and helpful. The trip planning and communication were excellent and you were terrific at meeting the individual needs and interests of various group members - such as my wife and I staying for an additional day in Lisbon. Well done - would use your services again without hesitation.

Tiago was an outstanding guide throughout our trip. From the initial booking stage, he conducted himself with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail. He not only planned a well-curated itinerary but also drove us across the country, offering insightful commentary and sharing his extensive knowledge along the way.

A particularly commendable aspect of Tiago’s service was his genuine care and support. When I experienced a back issue during the trip, he went above and beyond by arranging a medical appointment at a reputable hospital in Porto and connecting me with an excellent doctor.

More than just a tour guide and driver, Tiago has become a valued friend. He made sure we returned home safely and has continued to stay in touch.

We had a truly memorable experience, and I highly recommend booking your trip with Tiago for a seamless, thoughtful, and enriching journey.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Coffee machine in the room

Thomar Boutique Hotel

Tomar

Great location and d place

Authenticity & Character

Location

Center of the city. Close to many places

Staff

Very kind and nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

Very rude front desk. AC was not working reliably

Authenticity & Character

Location

Center location

Staff

Front desk people can be more accomadative nicely

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon (Old Town) guided visit

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Belém and Cascais guided visit

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Óbidos visit

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Batalha Monastery visit

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Porto (Half-Day Guided Walking Tour)

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We recently traveled to Portugal with a custom itinerary arranged through KimKim. While the trip had some highlights, overall it fell short of expectations—especially considering the premium price we paid.
The hotels were consistently well located and comfortable, offering a good base in each city. Having breakfast included was a plus. Our main guide/driver was flexible, and we appreciated his willingness to adapt the schedule slightly when needed.
The price felt high for what was delivered. The inclusions—hotels, a car, a driver/guide, and two modest experiences (a boat ride and a Port tasting)—didn’t add up to the cost. The "guide" functioned more as a driver, with very limited insight or commentary about Portugal’s rich culture, history, or landmarks. This was particularly underwhelming given KimKim advertises guided tours, not just transportation. The guide's engagement varied—at times seeming unmotivated or disinterested in the role. Our first day was very disappointing: the assigned driver arrived extremely late, was rude, and even threatened not to complete the job. Thankfully, they were replaced the next day by someone far more professional. Compared to platforms like Viator or GetYourGuide, where guides are not always exceptional but at least consistently informative and friendly, this felt like a significant downgrade. Finally, communication with KimKim felt impersonal and opaque. We found it difficult to fully understand what we were getting until after we had paid in full, which left us with little recourse once the trip started.
This trip had enjoyable moments, and Portugal itself is a beautiful country worth exploring. However, KimKim's execution did not justify the price or promise. For travelers seeking more informative, engaging, and transparent service, there may be better options out there.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Excellent location and service. Nice rooms and breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

Excellent location, but rooms were very small and not very functional. The breakfasts were very good but started late and the space was crowded. No coffee was available in the lobby before 8 AM - no exceptions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thomar Boutique Hotel

Tomar

Excellent location and very responsive staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Albergaria do Calvário

Évora

Excellent location and service. The staff was outstanding!!! They provided information and help and there was always someone at the front desk. The outdoor area was very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lagos Avenida Hotel

Lagos

Very good location and modern hotel, but the glass doors separating the toilet and shower from the room created lack of privacy. Very nice continental breakfast and additional options. The hotel's entrance is not prepared for people with limited mobility and even getting large pieces of luggage up the steps (without any help from the staff) was unusual. The staff was not particularly helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Melia Lisbon Airport

Lisbon

Practical location to catch early flights. Unusually good for an airport hotel. Nice swimming pools, although the staff could be more attentive to keeping the area clean. Very convenient restaurante and good food. We dinned there twice, but the second night the service was surprisingly unqualified, including not speaking English. The option to take a boxed breakfast for early departure was a joke (1 apple, 1 bottle of water, 1 small juice).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cave Boat Tour

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire week was well done!

Natacza for the Furnas Volcanic experience was amazing. Knowledgeable and easy to understand.

Freddie the Culinary Trip did an excellent job engaging with the entire group.

Francisco and Bae for the Epic Canyoning Trip were very easy to understand and made you feel very comfortable and safe during the activity.

Hotel Review

Vila Nova Hotel

Ponta Delgada

Comfortable bed, front desk staff a little abrupt at times, probably due to language differences.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walk to all the restaurants and shops.

Staff

A little more friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Volcanic Experience: Furnas Lake Full Day Adventure

São Miguel Island

Natacza did an excellent job educating us, taking care of lunch reservations and engaging with each one of us.

Quality of Experience

Very educational and amazing views.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and friendly

Transport

Safe and comfortable.

Azorean Culinary & Wine Experience

São Miguel Island

Staff was nice and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Epic Canyoning Adventure

São Miguel Island

Friendly guides and made everyone feel safe and expertly explained what we were going to be doing and to steps to keep you safe.

Quality of Experience

A fun adventure.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were great. Made an attempt to get to know us and made it fun and safe.

Whale Watching Experience

São Miguel Island

The dolphins were fun.

Quality of Experience

Fun to see aquatic wildlife

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Spoke three languages so we could all understand what was going on.

In every location we had great guides and drivers who made it a fun, informative and entertaining adventure. The accommodations , tours, meals and entertainment were above expectations. The high points were staying in a monastery in Alcobaça, the Douro valley tour and Pacheco winery, Porto—it was all wonderful. Great guides Nuno and John and drivers Manuel and Joao (sp?). A wonderful Portugal experience. Thanks, Joao and Kim Kim!