Douro Royal Valley Hotel & Spa

The taxi service that hotel arrange for us is unreasonbly high. It takes EUR 16-18 for one way 8km distance from the hotel. referring to Uber trip, it just need half price. And we used the taxi service for the round trip, it costs EUR 34 for the trip. We spend 30 mins to wait for the taxi service that we think will be more reliable and reasonable, which make us feel bad, I think the staff should let us know the price in advance.Except the taxi service, everything was good, the stunning view, the vibe is amazing for people looking for a relaxing place to stay.

We recently spent 3 days (2 nights) at Douro Royal Valley Hotel & Spa, and we can only describe our stay as absolutely wonderful. The hotel is beautifully located right by the Douro River, offering a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere that truly enhances the feeling of being in the heart of the Douro Valley. The rooms are modern, comfortable, and offer stunning views, and the hotel facilities – from the pool area to the spa – made us feel completely spoiled from the very beginning. What really made our stay extra special was the level of service. The staff were always helpful, kind, and professional, and we felt genuinely welcomed throughout our visit. A very special and heartfelt thank you goes to Cecilia, who with her knowledge, care, and dedication helped us arrange an unforgettable day trip in the Douro Valley. She organized a private boat tour along the Douro River, where we could quietly enjoy the breathtaking scenery, followed by a visit to a winery high up in the valley. There we had a guided tour and a fantastic lunch that truly gave us a taste of the region’s best. The entire experience was smooth, well-planned, and thought out in every detail – something we could never have arranged as perfectly on our own. For anyone planning a trip to Portugal and wanting to experience the Douro Valley in the best possible way, we can highly recommend Douro Royal Valley Hotel & Spa as your base. And be sure to take advantage of Cecilia’s help – her efforts made our journey not only memorable, but truly unforgettable. This is a hotel and destination we would be more than happy to return to!

We recently stayed at this hotel and were impressed with the spacious suite, which is comfortable and well designed. Also the location, tranquility and views are great. Also the breakfast offering is good. Unfortunately, the service experience did not match the expectations of a 5-star property. Service was consistently reactive rather than proactive. For example, when asking about restaurants or tours, we were simply handed a list without any effort to help with reservations. Requests at the front desk, such as ordering something to the room, were met with “you need to call yourself,” rather than assistance. Even simple requests like towels when heading to the sauna were not provided, you were explained how to reach certain areas but not proactively offered assistance etc. Never once is there a ‚welcome‘ exclaimed, e.g. when entering the restaurant etc, food at the pool bar is placed without a exchange of pleasantry or even eye contact or smile etc. Room service orders came with pre-filled out tip sections. The service is 1-2 stars. The hotel itself is very large, with many areas that feel unused or underutilized, giving it more the atmosphere of a big convention hotel than a luxury property. Overall, the quality and, in particular, the service level align more with a 3-star hotel than a true 5-star. Until the service culture and use of space improve, the current 5-star rating feels misleading. As someone else noted: it feels like a too big too cold hotel, a bit of warmth, a nice word here or warm smile there would allow this place to fulfill so much of its potential.

Our family was very much looking forward to staying at this hotel. The infinity pool is spectacular and the location has incredible views. However, the hotel itself and the customer service was sub par. This is a 3-star hotel. Every interaction we had with the hotel staff was indifferent and unfriendly. They seemed understaffed and overwhelmed. The facilities felt more like a stark conference center than a hotel/spa. Our rooms had two single beds and noticeable stains on the carpet and water damage on the walls. The hotel itself was dated and rundown and the atmosphere felt very cold. Our dining experience in the restaurant was positive and the food was fine. However, the rest of our stay was not a good one and we looked forward to leaving. This was such a shame because this hotel was supposed to be one of the highlights of our trip.

I have no idea what some of the bad reviews on here are talking about. This hotel is truly special. The views from every room - and the restaurant - are spectacular. The heated rooftop infinity pool is one of the best I have ever used. We had lunch at the rooftop bar and breakfast and dinner at the restaurant, everything was really super. There is even a very good quality tennis court on the 6th floor.||The staff were friendly and efficient and our room was spotlessly clean. There is a huge underground car park.||It is not cheap, but there is a similar 5* hotel nearby which is around SEVEN TIMES more expensive than this for a room with a meagre view of the river that is not in the same league as the ones offered here. We lived in the area for many years and can honestly say this hotel is the perfect place to experience its beauty.||My only slight niggle was that the wifi was a little slow - fine for general use but not easy to stream.||But overall, it was a memorable stay and we intend to revisit often!

Expensive visit to the sister hotel of DS Hotel in Duoro Valley Portugal|In the river - we rented the jet ski and it was our kids first time on a jet ski|We visited in the national black out in Portugal during April 2025 - and most places had no electricity - the hotel went out of their way to find us a dinner from a place who could make food - it was a good meal||The room had a jacuzzi bath |The view and amenities were really nice||Friendly staff

The location of the hotel was excellent with an amazing view of the Douro River. The infinity pool outside was heated. The restaurant and food service of the hotel was not up to par. We waited over an hour for coffees during dinner and left before it arrived. When we ordered room service, it took over 90 minutes for the food to arrive. When we asked how long the food may take, they had no idea what we were talking about. They simply cannot handle the volume for dinner, even with the reservation slots. We wound up going to nearby towns for lunch and dinner, where it was significantly better service and better pricing. Breakfast was buffet style, so it did not rely on service. The rooms were of good quality but also had visible blemishes in the hallway and room, indicative of past water damage. When we asked about how to go about booking jet skis or nearby winery tours, the front desk seemed confused. The room cleaning was good.

The positives is the location is great and the view stunning. The room was clean and also had a great view , parking was easy.||However, this is definitely not a 5* hotel and many elements would struggle with other 4 * hotels. First the breakfast is a very mediocre buffet (unfrozen bread, overcooked scrambled eggs, cheap meat) 3*. Also only 2 to 3 staff despite a very large amount of clients.||First night was told the restaurant was full despite half the tables being unused. Ordered a burger from the bar which took 1.5 hours and was as hard as a rock. In Portugal you can get tasty burgers for 5 eur. This was the worst i had ever had or seen so didnt eat a second bite (they still did not refund the 16 eur or apologise for the 1.5 hour delay) .||The spa, annoying to get to and doesent feel particularly luxurious. Paid 170 for a couples massage, my wife said hers was good but mine was possible the worst iv ever had (5 EUR massages in Bali have been MUCH better). It was basically just applying copious amounts of oil despite me asking for more pressure. ||Finally the building is an eye sore if you look at it (needs painting and effort to absorb it into the beautiful valley). There is very little décor inside as well. It seems costs have been cut at every corner||100% not a 5* hotel.