235Reviews2Q&A
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 124
- 67
- 26
- 9
- 9
Traveller type
Time of year
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
We have stayed at the hotel before, but this time we took visitors to walk the ground, followed by tea in the bar. The tea and cakes were excellent and finished off a nice day. Service was good and the tea was up to scratch, which is not always the case in Portugal, which is even more of a coffee country than the other side of the pond. The dinners here are expensive but excellent, having had them in the past, but afternoon tea is a good way to finish off your day.…
Read more
Date of experience: January 2020
Helpful
You arrive and your breathe will be taken away: such a majestic old palace, well in shape , set in a magical environment. Take the path to the Coimbra gate and admire the golden light at sunset letting its mosaics shine. Take a tea and chocolate "pao de ló" cake by the fireplace in the afternoon, listening to a gentle piano music. The dinner in the restaurant pays tribute to Portugal's traditions in the finest way and is served in an impressive royal decor you will never forget. Please don't do a 5 stars modern interior design, but leave the rooms unchanged (you feel like travelling in the past, when Agatha Christie and Winston Churchill stayed, inspired by the unique setting). I do not share the negative comments about the rooms, as all mine were clean every time I stayed. Some stains on carpet ? Yes, but it was clean ! Hot water, all working well, heater in bathroom, amenities etc. If you are able to see , appreciate and feel Beauty and Magic of Life, you will be conquered by this most impressive location, where spirit, history and romanticism meet. I have booked a family reunion with 7 rooms for the near future.…
Read more
Date of experience: January 2020
Helpful
We decided not to stay in the Palace of Bussaco, as the reviews weren't particularly good. We did drop into the hotel however to admire the Manueline architecture and the azulejos and we also took a walk in the gardens. The whole area is actually a little bit tired and our hotel in nearby Lusso was certainly the lowlight of our entire trip. However, at least we had the option of walking around the little town at night, choosing a restaurant and listening to some music at their outdoor festival. Although the forest of Bussaco is a beautiful shady place for families to gather in the summer, I would have preferred to spend an extra day in the lovely Serra Estrella region or in Coimbra or Tomar.…
Read more
Date of experience: August 2019
Helpful
... and this place makes for a great walk especially in the Portuguese summer heat. As others have stated, the outside of the hotel is amazing and brings you back in time. We stayed overnight and must say that we left the hotel with mixed feelings. The size of the room and bathroom was ok (we stayed in the supreme room). Overnight there was hardly any noise which served for a lovely relaxing night but I must say this place is not worth the 5 stars it has apparently been awarded. Although there were some lovely aspects of our stay, like the great view at dinner, the cotton soft towels and cute balcony, these did not make up for the run-down décor, chipped bathroom tiles, spiderwebs in the bathroom and chipped bathtub. Given the room rate, some TLC would go a long way. Some redecoration, better menu choice and in-house entertainment would absolutely make the price worth it. …
Read more
Date of experience: September 2019
Helpful
I was so excited to spend an entire day wandering and hiking through the Buçaco Forest. We started with the Via Sacra to make it up to the Cruz Alta early in the day. Unfortunately while taking an alternate path back towards the palace, the poorly marked trails got us quite turned around. I wish that the stations of the cross buildings were marked with corresponding numbers on the park map to keep one oriented. They are doing a lot of restoration on those after a severe storm in 2006. The forest was indeed truly magical despite our frustration with directions! Do not miss the fern valley or fantastic fountain! We also had a lovely lunch ( even in our hiking clothes) in the plaice — just make reservations upon arrival for later in the day. …
Read more
Date of experience: May 2019
Helpful