Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

While the Octant is not charming on the outside, the people and the experience on the inside were outstanding, and the modern, green, design elements were original, attractive, and soothing. The team at reception (especially Luisa) and at the spa were so incredibly welcoming and eager to help in any way -- essentially, they conveyed a warm sense that "anything you would like to do, we can find a way to make happen," from booking us a slot to enjoy the thermal bath experience as a family to recommending and giving directions to their favorite hikes on the island. I only regret that the weather was not warm enough for us to enjoy the spectacular rooftop pool and bar area (though we might have hunkered down into the wind and done so anyway, if the pool had appeared to be heated, since the views and design were so amazing) The breakfast buffet (included) was a true feast and allowed us to savor local products as well as more familiar ones. In particular, the staff came to our rescue in the middle of the night when my daughter got terribly sick with food poisoning -- although they were down to a tiny overnight crew without anyone from housekeeping, the two men manning the fort rallied with whatever resources and creativity they had to help us clean up and set up an extra cot in our room when she could not stay in hers.

Tremendously welcoming and helpful front desk staff -- they greeted us with a local pineapple liqueur, communicated with a local restaurant for us, and put out breakfast for us to grab when we had to depart for the airport at 4 a.m. (!). The spa treatments were phenomenal, and the thermal bath suite - both indoor and outdoor -- was open around the clock and, while actively used by many guests, never felt crowded (though it would be extra nice if some of their lovely herbal water or cold tea brews were available poolside). Although the bedrooms are small and have unimpressive views, the hotel overall provides an indulgent experience -- great food, beautiful greenery everywhere - - but with a laid-back tone: guests wander around in their spa robes, the fun cocktail bar has a wealth of games, the dining room combines chic, grown-up eco-design with a foosball table. Perfect for a refuge for adventuring in the region!

Loved this place! It was like having an AirBNB with the services of a hotel. The location was great, it’s an easy walk to most things in Porto and yet perfectly quiet at night. I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with all of the staff, particularly Diogo. The place itself had a full kitchen with a washer, living room, and 2 floors - 2 bedrooms upstairs. This would be a great place for anyone who needs to stay for a long period of time. The breakfast offered was always good and a little different each day. Note: This might be a challenge for someone with mobility issues as there are steps to enter the hotel and several steps to get up to the bedrooms. Traveler tip: If you are relying on wi-fi during your travels, ask the hotel for their travel phone device that has maps and recommendations loaded - nice feature but we didn’t know about it until last night there.

It was clean, quiet and safe with all the normal amenities. Staff was friendly. We loved our little “suite” set-up. Had one main shared door and then each room had its own locking door - perfect for families or friends traveling together.

We were given a great overview of Porto. Sara was a lovely guide and knew her history. She told us tips along the way that helped us navigate on our own afterwards.

We loved our ride to Douro Valley. Ivo was our driver but he’s also a guide and knows both Porto & Douro Valley. We learned so much from him. He’s the BEST!! One of our favorite moments was going off the beaten path and seeing an area that we would have never seen on our own.

The boat was perfectly fine, the Captain was pleasant and the ride on the river was relaxing. We only did an hour and that was plenty of time. We got lucky with nice weather but there is an enclosed cabin if it were to rain and they have blankets on board too. The reason for the 3 stars is it was a private boat trip and nothing special l. We had to download an app which made it feel impersonal. I could understand having to use an app with a public boat trip where everyone speaks a different language but this trip was just for us. It just wasn’t special.

First we had lunch and then did a winery tour with a tasting. The restaurant within the hotel, was fine dining with beautiful views. Wine pairing with delicious food. I traveled with college aged daughters who had not tried wine before, this added to the fun of the experience. The wine was great! Many options to pick from for the tasting and can also make purchases. The grounds were simply beautiful even in the off season.

We had Pedro as our guide, he was great! Even though he's originally from Porto, he was very knowledgeable about Lisbon and its history. He was up for adapting the tour in any way that we wanted, our preference was for him to show us the highlights and give us a lay of the land so that we could navigate on our own afterwards. We enjoyed our personal conversations with him, he was very natural and adaptable. He gave us some great recommendations along the way and shared many good tips too. I should have taken notes as he referenced things because later on I realized we wanted to go to a restaurant that he recommended and had to reach back out - got our answer though which we appreciated. The tour ends on a very special note with wine tasting and pairings. It was the perfect way to relax and end the tour.

This was such a unique experience to Portugal. We typically are not night owls and tend to eat dinner on the early side. We were given the option of the earlier Fado or later and chose the later because it's the one that the Portuguese people tend to join and enjoy. We wanted a local's perspective and we got it!

This is a beautiful and charming town and we were happy to see it. The palace was nice but there were lines although they moved quickly. The grounds (gardens and lakes) are pretty, be sure to walk around. We didn't need a full day in Sintra, but it was nice to see.

This was a little more touristy and scripted. That said, our driver was personable and tried to make it enjoyable for us. To discover Belem you need to drive to get out there if you are staying in the heart of Lisbon. We weren't fans of being driven in a TukTuk on the busy streets. Our driver was fine and there weren't any problems, but having done it, I think I would have chosen another option to get out to Belem.

Very well located hotel, our room has river view and balcony . Staff is so kind , do all their best to make our stay the most pleasant .

Very nice boutique hotel , well situated

Such a nice hotel and staff

Very modern reception area, room average size a bit stuffy

The Douro Valley excursion was a lovely experience, but nothing too remarkable. We enjoyed the wine and olive oil tastings, as well as the relaxing river cruise. The scenery was beautiful, and it was a nice break from the city. Overall, it was a delightful day out.

Everything was good, but we wish we had more time and someone with us to show us the oldest university. Unfortunately, we skipped that visit because we didn't know where to start from.

This was the highlight of our trip. It was so interesting to taste the local cuisine from a lovely couple home. The food was delicious and something you wouldn't normally find in a restaurant.

We spent three days in Lagos, and everything was lovely. I would do it again.

All guides were high-quality and were very accommodating towards my husband. But Braga's guide was exceptionally awesome!

This small hotel on a cobble-stoned side street with a wonderful location close to sites, restaurants and bars is perfect for families. It is very close to many sites while being quiet at night (so your kids can sleep). The kitchenette and living room in our suite gave us extra space to spread out a little and the daily breakfast in our room allowed us to have a leisurely morning.

Our Tuk Tuk driver was an amazing guide and made sure to take us to her favorite pastel de nata cart on the tour.

The tour guide was amazing! She made the trip interactive and interesting for all three generations of our family. She even got us the local pastries to try during lunch.

The cooking school mishandled our reservation and did not change it (as they had confirmed via email) which led to us having to reschedule the class itself and cancel a different activity. That being said the class itself was a lot of fun and both my sons (9 and 11) enjoyed being part of making the 9 (delicious) dishes we then ate for lunch. Since the class does take a full three hours, I would recommend doing it at night so that you can spend a full day seeing the sights before cooking.

Our guide for this trip was more of a private driver than a guide. She didn't offer information or historical context on the places we were seeing and didn't seem to know much about the history and interesting stories of the areas we visited but was otherwise nice. She is definitely much more of an adult-only guide. She didn't really talk to or engage with my sons (9 and 11). Perhaps I was spoiled by the previous guide from Little Lisbon (who took us to Sintra) as she proactively offered the history of the area and interesting stories about the inhabitants of the people we were seeing. The trip to Almoural castle via boat and exploring inside it were a great start to the trip. We all really enjoyed the view from the water and then exploring the castle on our own. My mother was not able to access some parts of the castle due to steep treacherous stairs but she enjoyed the parts she could see. Our driver recommended a delicious small restaurant for lunch and then (when I mentioned my older son wanted to try as many Portuguese pastries as possible) took us to a pastry shop specializing in three pastries only made locally for dessert. Our driver did not come into the Convent of Christ with us (She said the signs inside were self-explanatory and offered only a very general overview of how the site was named) but we loved the convent itself and my sons enjoyed finding "secret" small passageways, stairs and rooms through out it.

By far, our favorite of the three hotels we stayed at while in Portugal. We arrived prior to our check-in time, but the front desk staff got us into two of the three rooms within 30 minutes. And they suggested a place for lunch within walking distance. The concierge was equally helpful with dinner reservations a couple days later. The breakfast buffet was outstanding: no need to seek out breakfast anywhere else. All service encounters were professional and courteous.

Recently remodeled but still full of historical charm. Good breakfast and great staff.

We were only in this hotel for about 12 hours due to an early-morning international flight, so we didn't experience much. The rooms are spacious and the staff was friendly and courteous.

This cute bookshop has exploded in popularity thanks to Harry Potter, but we would like it regardless.

Driver was fun with lots of stories. He drove us to some nice viewpoints and sights.

Nelson was the perfect driver for this experience: since he grew up in Sintra, his knowledge of the area was astounding. The line moving through the palace moves at a comfortable pace, allowing time for reading the signage along the way. The palace is so well-maintained and is a captivating snapshot of 19th century regal life. We loved the gardens and especially the Valley of Lakes area. We also made a quick visit to the Moorish Castle, walking a portion of the wall. Amazing to see Neolithic artifacts and tombs from a thousand years ago.

This was probably the overall favorite activity of our trip. The food was great (lots of fish and seafood, as expected) and very attentive service. Even if you don't speak Portuguese, the music is gorgeous. We had front row seats and enjoyed watching the guitarists. There were three singers, each performing about 20 minutes, with breaks in between. One of those breaks allowed for the dessert course to be served. Yum.

Unfortunately we had a rainy morning for this tour, but rain jackets helped a lot. Sara was a trooper, and tried to get us out of the rain whenever possible, but she could tell we were tired of being soggy. We appreciated her knowledge of the city and specifics about various churches, government buildings, the train station and monuments. Her recommendation for lunch (francesinhas!) was spot-on.

Elsa was so fun! Kept us moving at a comfortable pace, making a loop from our hotel down the Avenida Liberdade to the riverside, up through the Chiado neighborhood, and back to the Avenida for a tasty lunch. So much history and culture to see, and she gave us pointers for visiting other places on our own, such as the best funicular routes, the easiest way to the Castelo de Sao Jorge, and using the Metro escalators to climb hills.

My daughter and I loved this hotel *so much.* Our first stop in Portugal, we were immediately delighted to find that our suite was ready at 10 a.m. when we arrived from the airport. The suite had two full baths, an enormous walk-in closet, large and comfortable living room with plenty of seating, a bedroom, and a terrace with seating: we could hardly believe our eyes 😂😂 We had two small complaints about the room, which were the lights and the temperature controls, neither of which we could figure out--the lights in particular BAFFLED us, I'd turn them on in the living room and they'd go out on my daughter in the bedroom, or vice versa--but honestly, we could've called for help if we'd really wanted to lol. The room itself was quiet, super comfortable, full of the little touches that make or break a hotel room for me: great in-room coffee service, quality products in the bathroom, a throw blanket on the couch. The lights were confusing, but there were plenty of them, which I appreciate--so many hotel rooms are dark--and the showers were fantastic. When I blew a fuse trying to plug my heating pad into the bedside outlet, reception had someone up to our room in minutes so we didn't have to sit around in the dark 😂 My daughter and I also spent a fair amount of time in the hotel bar, where we had one great dinner and several excellent drinks (try the Portuguese gins!). Our bartender, Rodrigo, was super helpful and attentive; when he heard we were headed to Porto next, he made us a list of attractions, shops, and bars to visit--that's how we learned about the Royal Cocktail Club, a fun discovery! The PortoBay Liberdade is centrally located, within easy walking distance of many Lisbon sights and destinations, and our experience there was outstanding. Cannot wait to visit again.

That was a wonderful hotel. Service and location are great.

Really lovely hotel

Our tour guide was Anna period. This tasting activity was great.

Best hotel for mature and laidback people. Best location and relaxing

If someone is looking for modern and stylish space in heart of porto. New concept. Best use of every inch of space

Great hotel at great location. We walked every night to have our dinner in downtown. Super market is very near. Train station is very close.

Great.

It was very detailed

It was very pleasant and exciting

Lot of history. If you are visiting Portugal please take few history lessons

So quaint, clean and super friendly. Food was terrific.

Very nice accommodation Modern, clean and with all the amenities one would expect.

Our guide, Marion, was super. She was pleasant and quite knowledgable of the area. Some businesses were more outgoing and welcomingly.

Totally incredible. The highlight of our stay in Porugal!

Our guide was very knowledgeable and pleasant.

Such a pleasant evening with a wonderfully pleasant chef.

Very educational but a long day.

Very charming as name suggests. Comfortable rooms, great breakfast, friendly and extremely helpful staff. Lovely gesture of a complimentary carafe of Port wine on our first evening.

This one grew on me the most with its location and staff really providing a consistent welcoming and comforting atmosphere.

The location was amazing but was a bit modern for my taste. Nothing bad at all just totally a question of personal taste. The staff was nice but had more of an upscale hotel feel with staff helpful but a bit distant.

Def not a super fair review because they were remodeling their entry when we arrived so getting in and out of the main lobby was a mess. The hotel itself felt a bit dated overall but the location and views (especially at sunset) were amazing. The staff also did their very best to help us feel welcome.

Intimate venue and breathtaking performances.

Our tour guide, Margarida, was amazing! So knowledgeable and full of pride for her country.

Guilherme, our tour guide was fantastic! I only gave 4 stars because many of the roads in Belem were closed due to a cycling event. I feel like we maybe missed out on some of the sights and didn't get to truly experience Belem. However, Guilherme navigated the detours with ease and a great attitude.

Such a fun experience! Delicious food, great company and Chef Paolo was the best!

Beautiful accommodations and view was fantastic from our room. Restaurant was also superb.

This walking tour was very good and our guide was informative and friendly.

Perfect way to end our trip with a wonderful night of authentic Portuguese food and music. Highly recommend.

One of our family’s favorite outings. Loved the river cruise and wine tasting with lunch in a private vineyard with the owner. Our host Rafael was wondeful and our driver Fernando was friendly and informative. Also, he went out of his way to make our outing special by stopping along the way to show us scenic overlooks, a dam, and a special port tonic wine tasting on the way home. Highly recommend this excursion. We can’t wait to get the wine we ordered while at the vineyard!!

This was another favorite part of our trip. The views from the Catamaran were amazing. Best way to see the beautiful landscape, cliffs and caves from a water view. Also it was very relaxing and comfortable.

Detailed walking tour with an informative guide. So much to see in Lisbon and our guide did a good job of hitting the major highlights.