Pousada Palácio Estoi, Small Luxury Hotels

Having read some of the reviews I’m very surprised. We have nothing but praise for this little gem of a hotel set within an atmospheric palace and beautiful grounds. We were greeted warmly on reception and were allocated our room early which was a real bonus. The room was spacious and the bed very comfortable. The pool is a good size and great for swimming (really good opening hours too so that swimming before breakfast is possible). There’s plenty of sunbeds and a nice bar area. Daniel was very helpful and was working really hard (also in the restaurant in the evening). Breakfast was fab with a fantastic buffet and eggs cooked to order if required. Lovely staff too. |We had dinner both nights, great service and food (being a vegetarian was no problem at all). Yes, there were a few cats around but this is southern Europe and it’s a fact of life. They are just trying to live, as we are and we found most of the guests were very kind towards them. It really was not a problem. |The rooms in the palace are beautiful and atmospheric. A very special place to stay.

From the moment of our arrival until the time came to leave our time at Pousada Palacio de Estoi was just simply beautiful. The staff all so welcoming and polite. The hotel built in a modern way yet sympathetically fits with the Palace. The rooms within the original palace are stunning and the modern guest rooms large and cosy with a minimalist design. The morning breakfast had a great choice to suit all diets and was fresh. Nice touch with a Nespresso coffee machine and freshly squeezed orange juice. All in all a beautiful stay at a beautiful palace in a beautiful country.

I have mixed feelings about Pousada de Estoi. ||The Palace backdrop with the modern hotel is simply stunning. This could be an absolutely wonderful hotel but unfortunately it falls short on the very basics of hospitality. ||Check-in was good-efficient and courteous. We arrived early and were offered a room which was very much appreciated as we had a small child. There was no obvious help with our luggage, although front desk half-heartedly offered by saying 'you are ok with your bags'. Maybe it is a cultural difference but to us this was not an obvious offer of help. ||The room was large, modern and very comfortable with a lovely little terrace. Unfortunately we noticed an issue with ants develop quickly. While we expect this with heat, we did not eat any food in our room over our stay but it appeared the wardrobe and surrounding floors needed proper hoovering. We seemed to have to deal with this issue every day. ||The staff in the hotel overall were generally very lovely, accomodating and friendly.||The pool area was absolutely fabulous-beautiful view of the palace and overlooking the nearby countryside-stunning. It was super clean, well organised with a great bar pool service/staff!||The basics as I say are missing. You have to pay E3 for the pleasure of basic water in your room! Also, there are no irons available on request to iron your clothes. According to reception, this is a fire risk? The hotel does, however, offer a very reasonable laundry service at E4 a shirt, or a dress for E7!! ||We ate one night in the hotel restaurant, and while the terrace view was simply amazing, the fact that there was street cats all around the area was somewhat off-putting. I know that this is a major issue in Portugal but I had hoped it might be a little more under control here. We just could not relax as they were scavenging between tables. The meal was also expensive and the service, as others have eluded to, was extremely disorganised. The food was ok, nothing special, but at a premium price I expected a lot more. ||Overall, it was very clear that there was no obvious management structures on-site. Although, I do want to mention a lovely lady who seemed to manage the breakfast room with clear efficiency and courtesy. The breakfast was the a highlight of our stay.||The problem with this hotel is that they don't get the basics right but charge premium for everything. What they need to realise is that customers will pay. But, only if the basics are right!

A beautiful mixture of historical luxury and modern architecture. The hosts and servers and workers are extremely friendly and attentive. It feels prestigious yet relaxed. We would definitely recommend it. People working very hard to make visitors feel welcome and catering to their every need. The spa and pool area alone make it a place you can stay for days taking in the views!

We attended a wedding at the palace over 3 days and we had an incredible time. The views and architecture are stunning to say the least. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The staff are super helpful and the breakfast was delicious. My husband made use of the spa and highly recommends the back massage. Overall a great experience. My only minor criticism would be to provide more irons, we had 25 rooms chasing 1 iron which when we have several events for a wedding is not ideal, although we are laughing about it now and it does not take anything away from our wonderful experience. Thank you so much Estoi palace for making my cousins wedding a dream come true.

Lovely hotel. Rooms were very ‘minimalistic’ but actually just basic and probably not as premium as you would expect at a hotel like this. The food was incredible and used local sources. All the staff were friendly and helpful. They also brought fruit daily to my room and I had a nice welcome bottle of port and tarts.

A hidden gem. A fabulous place for complete relaxation. Staff were helpful and in particular Ines who is the one who gives lots of information and the most fabulous spa experience. That was the highlight! Thank you Ines. 🤩||The dinner menu could be a little more diverse & the cocktails 🍹 were just ok. |There were 4 of us & we ate out of the hotel. We didn’t find much of a selection on the dinner menu. ||Overall a great experience & we will be back!

Very nice hotel with a pool and spa. During my stay, I had two sports massages with Ines, and I must say she is outstanding. She is not only highly professional but also incredibly skilled at understanding exactly where to focus and how to relieve tension. Her technique is precise yet relaxing, and she creates a welcoming and calming atmosphere from the moment you arrive. I truly believe a massage with Ines is a must for anyone visiting the hotel!

The staff at this hotel were beautiful and the view was spectacular from our balcony. Our room had ample space and the bed was comfortable. The shower was not the best we've ever had, nor were the toiletries provided but they were both good. We were impressed by the connected restaurant and bar but the food again was just good, not great. One of our steaks came horribly overcooked but otherwise the soups and small plates were where we were most pleased. The accessibility to the town was nice and they had some beautiful walking grounds connected. Our main complaint was the cleanliness, we saw cockroaches throughout the indoor pool area, in the steam spa, and in the hallways. We notified staff but were not offered any compensation or extra kindness, just assured the staff would look into it. The front desk was constantly helpful which is why my rating is as high as it is. I would stay again perhaps for a night or two, but a deep clean of this place is definitely needed. The carpet throughout had stains and spotting and we noticed a fair amount of dust on their art and other amenities as well. On the plus side, the breakfast buffet was plentiful and changed every day. They had a wide variety of cold and hot food with sweet and savory options both available with beverages to pair including tea, coffee, fresh juices, and wine.