Vidago Palace

What People are saying

Nice hotel but very remote

StAlbansSueon 10/05/2017 19:35

I really wanted to give this hotel 3.5 (don't think it's quite worth 4) The staff were very pleasant although check-in was a bit shambolic. We opted for a superior double room and it was a lovely size with a super king size bed and a great bathroom. The breakfast was wonderful with plenty of choice and freshly squeezed juices - it was one of the best I have ever had in a hotel. Another plus was that the reception staff arranged for us to keep our room on our departure day until we were picked up at 3.15pm.

Now here come the negatives - Although the hotel has lovely grounds it is in the middle of nowhere. The village nearby is dead and rundown. We went in April and there were only a handful of restaurants open. I suppose you could hire a car and drive out to different places but you would have to drive quite a long way. We were lucky in that the weather was superb and we were able to go for walks and sit and read by the outside pool. We don't play golf so cannot comment on the golf course.

We had opted for the half board offer, which on the face of it seemed a really good deal but in reality wasn't so good. I was expecting great things from the evening meals but sadly I was disappointed, as I found most of the food tasteless and under-seasoned. Also, one lunchtime I ordered some chicken soup, which was the worst I had ever tasted - Luke warm water with a few bits of chicken floating about and totally devoid of any flavour. So in short I would recommend you eat elsewhere (other than for breakfast, which I couldn't fault). Sadly, after 3 nights I was ready to come home!

Perfect Weekend Getaway

HK80_12on 03/05/2017 17:21

We stumbled on this gem more or less by accident - not caring much about location, we were simply looking for a nice and sunny weekend getaway and lucked out on a deal with Fleetway. From the moment we arrived at Porto airport everything was simply perfect. Being picked up by our very own driver started the weekend off nicely and we realized we had struck gold as soon as we arrived at the hotel. The Vidago Palace is absolutely stunning inside and out - beautifully laid out, and the service could not have been more friendly or more welcoming. We had splurged on a superior room and while that was absolutely lovely, I think you would find peace and quiet in any of the rooms as the hotel is tucked away from the street (and it is not a busy area anyway). There is not that much to see in Vidago (we still enjoyed exploring) but you can always visit the neighbouring Chaves or, indeed, just relax and enjoy everything this five star hotel has to offer. We did not even try out the golf course - we were too busy enjoying the spa (there is an outdoor vitality pool which on the Fleetway website was somewhat poorly described as a jacuzzi - it is much better than that) and sampling the excellent wine and food the Vidago has to offer! Our only (tiny) regret was not being able to see the wine cellar - we had booked a wine course which with the cellar being booked for another event instead took place in the breakfast room, but our wonderful sommelier Vitor made more than up for that. I would definitely recommend both the wine course and actually buying the wine you like in the hotel - we didn't due to lack of luggage space, hoping we could find the same wine at the airport, but that turned out to be a mistake. Plan wine-luggage space, and add some port wine for good measure!
Finally I have to mention the manager João Ferreira - we had to ask him at some stage if he ever went home as he seemed to be everywhere at once and always available! You could not ask for a more welcoming or knowledgeable presence.
We would definitely be happy to come back some day, and I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel - it's the perfect place for a relaxing getaway.

First cabin, first class, fun golf

Robert Don 30/04/2017 18:17

The highlight of our 4 country, 14 day, 14 city tour. Got there - impeccable front staff service and porter. Ate lunch at the grill at the golf clubhouse, played a round of golf, came back to the spa for a few hours. The water jets in the hot pool were fantastic. Great dinner in the main restaurant. Super comfy bed.

Stunning hotel!

Julie Mon 13/04/2017 14:05

The hotel is 1 hour north East of Porto and situated in a glorious park. On arrival you are stunned by the beauty of the exterior, but the interior blew us away-everything was perfect including the weather. Top class facilities with a superb spa, outdoor and indoor pool and we could leave our room in our bath robes and go directly to it. The breakfast was amazing and the evening meals were very good. Went to Chaves which is a short bus journey-a couple of excellent restaurants in the village for lunch. We both agreed it was the best short break we have ever had-Congratulations to the staff who made the trip so relaxing

Great Place and Super Spa

reading2711on 10/04/2017 21:40

Celebration of 80th Birthday
A couple of hiccups but when the staff react so well to any problem you have it becomes a THE example of how to deal with issues
Fantastic setting , challenging second nine holes of golf and a restaurant and dining area that are spectacular in decor