Bussaco Palace Hotel

“The most beautiful Hotel I have ever stayed in / Ein Erlebnis, das ich nicht missen möchte”

The Hotel is the old hunting residence of one of the last kings of Portugal and it feels like it. You can spend days just marveling at the craftsmanship of the Palace, as it is beautifully build. There are regular conservation efforts on the interior too, so the halls have lost none of their gra... more

The Hotel is the old hunting residence of one of the last kings of Portugal and it feels like it. You can spend days just marveling at the craftsmanship of the Palace, as it is beautifully build. There are regular conservation efforts on the interior too, so the halls have lost none of their grandeur. The Furniture is beautiful and the classical tiling is worth a trip on it's own. The surrounding park is well kept and seamlessly opens to a forest hiking-route. There are tourists visiting the Park and hiking routes, but the hotel is kept strictly for guests only. Keep in mind, that the hotel is situated in it's own park on a countryside hill. We made a daytrip to nearby Coimbra, but don't expect to quickly reach much hustle and bustle. I can't support the negative reviews about the staff. The personnel is friendly and respectful with manners and training fitting a five-star-hotel in an old royal palace (which might be mistaken for "distanced" or "cold", but a warm hug just doesn't do in this setting). The breakfast was very good and served in the mein dinner hall and adjacent balcony. You can book a table for dinner or drive to the town outside the Park for a number of small restaurants. We spend multiple evenings in the parlour, as the room is simply gorgeous and the bar and service are spotless. The rooms are grand and a bit away from the main halls. As some wings of the building have been renovated more recently than others the experience here may vary between good and splendid. We had no complaints to make of our room. I hope I get to visit this place again. 11/10 Building 8/10 rooms 10/10 Interior 10/10 Staff Mit Abstand das schönste Hotel, in dem ich je war. Der Palast ist ein Jagdschloss der letzten portugiesischen Könige und zeigt es auch. Man kann problemlos mehrere Tage damit verbringen das atemberaubende Mauerwerk, die kunstvollen Fliesenbilder oder den wunderschönen Park zu begutachten. Letzterer geht nahtlos über in ein gut gepflegtes wandergebite im angrenzenden Wald. Es gibt Touristen im park und Waldgebiet, aber das Hotelgebäude ist ausschließlich zugänglich für Hotelgäste. Wir haben einen Tagesausflug ins nahegelegene Coimbra unternommen, aber Reisende sollten im hinterkopf behalten, dass dies ein Jagdschloss auf dem Land ist und daher keine schnellen Städtetrips, Partys o.Ä. in der Nähe situiert sind. Einige Reviews haben den Service als "distanziert" bezeichnet, was ich nicht bestätigen kann. Die Mitarbeiter sind freundlich und gut ausgebildet und der Service entspricht einem 5-Sterne-Hotel in einem Palasthotel. Hier wird ein respektvoller Umgang an den tag gelegt, keine herzlichen Umarmungen beim hereinkommen. Das Frühstück ist sehr gut aufgestellt und wird im Speisesaal und dem angrenzenden Balkon zu sich genommen. Zum Abendessen kann man einen Tisch reservieren oder in der angrenzenden Stadt ein kleienres Restaurant aufsuchen. Der Salon (Kaminzimmer) ist wunderschön eingerichtet mit einem hervorragenden Barservice. Die Zimmer sind stattlich und etwas abseits der Haupthallen. Da die einzelnen Gebäuderakte zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten renoviert werden variieren die Zimmer zwischen "gut" und "wunderbar". Wir hatten an unserem Zimmer nichts zu beanstanden. Ein Erlebnis, dass ich nicht missen möchte und hoffentlich eines Tages wiederholen werde. 11/10 Gebäude 8/10 Zimmer 10/10 Einrichtung 10/10 Service

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“A wacky wonder”

Encased in a stunning exterior and surrounded by beautiful grounds, this hotel is a time warp into bygone elegance. Opulently carved wood and stunning ceilings abound. The stain glass will take your breath away. But be prepared for some nuttiness: no internet in your room; water stains on silk wa... more

Encased in a stunning exterior and surrounded by beautiful grounds, this hotel is a time warp into bygone elegance. Opulently carved wood and stunning ceilings abound. The stain glass will take your breath away. But be prepared for some nuttiness: no internet in your room; water stains on silk wallpaper; dusty menus from long dead royal guests; peeling paint on the windows sealed with fabric window snake/draft dampeners; and a knight standing guard on the marble stair case with glowing eyes. Seriously. They glow. None of these are criticisms, merely facts that added to the entire fun that was this place. PS The Christmas Eve dinner is opulently bonkers too - ten courses and then a dessert buffet complete with port and champagne. Get ready to imbibe and stuff yourself. Also, be sure to hike all over the grounds and see the heirloom chickens, the waterfalls and the medieval gates. There's nothing else like this in Portugal that we found during our two week adventure.

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“Noble Living”

Eye Popping. Approaching this Palacial Hotel on top of a mountain in the fog is a cinematic experience. Talk about making a huge impression. You truly feel like you are entering a different dimension. Beautiful, awesome lobby, staircase, lodge and dining room.These are the pluses and they more ... more

Eye Popping. Approaching this Palacial Hotel on top of a mountain in the fog is a cinematic experience. Talk about making a huge impression. You truly feel like you are entering a different dimension. Beautiful, awesome lobby, staircase, lodge and dining room.These are the pluses and they more than compensate for the slight inconveniences of castle life...like very few outlets and no AC. The rooms have high ceilings and doors that lead to the turreted terrace that wraps around the hotel and provides views of the spacious grounds. It's not just accommodations, but an experience.

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“Not a five star hotel”

We had a three star experience in a five-star hotel. Although the hotel itself is beautiful, our room was no more than three stars. There was no Internet in the room; there was no mini fridge in the room; there was no safe in the room. When we turned over in bed, we could hear the springs squeaki... more

We had a three star experience in a five-star hotel. Although the hotel itself is beautiful, our room was no more than three stars. There was no Internet in the room; there was no mini fridge in the room; there was no safe in the room. When we turned over in bed, we could hear the springs squeaking. The only source of heat was a small electric radiator plugged into the wall in our small room, so a trip hazard. Although the server at breakfast was very attentive, the server at dinner ignored us to the point that we finally got up and left without eating. Not what we were expecting, a big disappointment

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