cjacob

Thanks to a lot of advice here, my fiance and I have decided to go to Portugal for our Honeymoon in June 2010!

We are going to start our trip in Lisbon before heading to Madeira, and then to Douro Valley. We'll be coming in from NY so we know we'll have jet lag and be exhausted from our Wedding. We just want to spend the first 4 days moving at a slow pace with no real plan. The only thing that we know we're going to do is visit Sintra for one day.

With that said, what hotel would you stay at? We have looked at the Lapa Palace and Four Seasons, but we are also considering staying in Cascais as that will have a more relaxing pace (and the beach!), and I think I found a great hotel - Fortoleza do Guincho.

While we're not ready to use up our life savings for this trip, we do want to stay in an upscale property. We prefer smaller properties (with no kids), but if it were truly a fabulous hotel that has tons of rooms, we would consider staying there. Price can go up to $450/night.

Any suggestions you have, or neighborhoods we should focus on are greatly appreciated! Thanks!

amer_can

You might go to pousadas.pt and check out their specials. Also pestana hotels for deals. Look into joining leading hotels of the world. lhw.com If you get into one of their hotels in Portugal you will get an up grade and believe me you'll like it. Pestana Palace has an outstanding buffet bkfst but then all of the Pt. hotels seem to have them. The Duoro is lovely but so is the south.. Pousadas have hotelsin Lisbon, and just outside..Setabul is just a short drive. Was in Pt. a year ago now and this was the third trip..All outstanding.. So much to see, do and enjoy and so little time!!! A travel agent can do the hotel booking for you and it is worth the time to get one for your trip.It can be a hassle to try to do it all on your own and a TC gets the commission and can save you $$$ Be sure to say HONEYMOON...It may get you perks..Anniversary did for us!!! Take care and best to you and yours.. Amer_can

cherrybomb

I liked the Bairro Alto Hotel: http://www.bairroaltohotel.com/

The location and service were great, though my preference is for "boutique hotels." Their website offers better than rack rate, I can't remember if we had the deluxe or prestige room as we were upgraded on arrival, but it was on the square. I think the Lapa Palace is is slightly out of the way FWIW, though you may like the location.

portuense

i agree with bairro alto...sexy, smart, great rooftop bar, great location for the city, probably no kids and lisbon has great connections for day trips etc so stay in town

also, i've plugged them before and i'll do it again - the heritage chain heritage.pt is excellent and not overly expensive; there are five or so hotels in the central area, each different and each very impressive. have a good look at the website

Gordon_R

We stayed in the Tivoli Lisboa a few years ago. For a 5-star I remember thinking its rates were quite reasonable and the views from the restaurant/bar on the top floor are amazing at night.

BTW have you already booked your hotel in Madeira, or do you need any help (I'm a fairly frequent visitor to the island)?

cjacob

Thanks for some more hotels- I'm going to look into Bairro Alto and Heritage chain.

Is staying in Cascais not a good option at all?

Gordon- We haven't booked anything- any recommondations for a hotel in Madeira would be greatly appreciated!!!

portuense

cascais is ok but it's just a resort...and very doable from lisbon for an afternoon which is all it really needs - only about 30-40 mins on the train i think

Gordon_R

cjacob - in Madeira, I can without hesitation recommend the Quintinha Sao Joao, which is a wonderful 5-star boutique hotel: http://www.quintinhasaojoao.com. The service is fantastic and it would be a great location for a honeymoon stay. Another good choice with a strong reputation is the Cliff Bay hotel: http://www.portobay.com/hotel.aspx?areaId=49. Qunita de Casa Branca gets good reviews though I've not stayed there myself: http://www.quintacasabranca.pt/Default.aspx. Avoid the CS Atlantic, which purports to be a 5-star but is anything but!

cjacob

Gordon- thanks for these reccomendations. I've looked into Cliff Bay and am very excited by the Sao Joao hotel. Have you heard of Choupano Hills? I had been looking into that hotel.

Since you have been to Madeira a lot- what are the activities that you do there? I have been reading all about the levanda walks, and have also been reading that you don't go there for the beach. Is it uncommonon to take a day trip to Porto Santo to enjoy the beaches there? I'm not really worried about being bored, more curious as to what people do there for weeks at a time!

Gordon_R

Yes, the Choupana Hills is a well-known "destination hotel" on the island, popular with a well-healed younger clientele who like spas, lounging by the pool and that sort of thing. I've not stayed there myself but have passed through the grounds on a levada walk. Madeira is a very mountainous place, and Choupana Hills is situated quite high up in the hills overlooking Funchal. On a clear day the views are spectacular but cloud often descends on the higher slopes. There are no restaurants in the immediate vicinity (other than the hotel's own of course), so its very much a place for those who want to spend most of their time (and money!) in the hotel.

Levada(*) walks are a major attraction of the island, for the simple reason that they offer walkers exclusive access to some of the most jaw-dropping scenery on the planet. The paths vary in difficulty level from very easy to challenging, so it's important to research before setting out - there's loads of information and maps on the internet and there is an excellent book: Landscapes of Madeira by John and Pat Underwood.

(*) Madeiran term for a drainage channel with adjacent path.

Day trips to neighbouring Porto Santo are easily arranged either by air or boat (a newish ferry is in operation). Porto Santo is completely different from Madeira - much quieter and less developed, with long sandy beaches, golf courses and horse ridng. To be honest, there's plenty to see in a week in Madeira itself without a side trip to Porto Santo being necessary - and be warned, the boat trip is sometimes rough.

You're right that Madeira has no natural sandy beaches, but there are now one or two artificial beaches of imported Saharan sand (yes, really!), most notably at Calheta, about 15 miles west of Funchal). All the big hotels have excellent pools as well.

Hope this helps.

cjacob

That helps tremendously, thanks so much for all of the info! I will be 25 and my now fiance will be 29 on our honeymoon, so I guess we are "younger clientele". If there are no real sandy beaches, what are the benefits of staying at a place like the Cliff Bay hotel? Just distance to restaurants and shops? I am guessing we will rent a car from other posts I have read, but I assume is it easy to take taxi's into town for dinner at night?

While you're here... know anything about the Douro Valley?!

portuense

full of port

Gordon_R

The main selling point of the Cliff Bay is arguably it's reputation for high service standards, and the prestige location right on the cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It's located on the eastern edge of what is known colloqially as the Hotel Zone, a long street (actually called Estrada Monumental) of modern hotels, restaurants and shops extending outwards from the centre of Funchal. It's about 25 minutes walk into the old town, or about 6 Euros in a taxi each way. If you have your own car its easy to park in the car parks in town. The Old Town (Zona Velha) boasts several excellent restaurants with plenty of atmosphere and local charm. The seafood on the island is superb.

Most of the Cliff Bay's clientele is quite a bit older than you, actually that's true of Madeira in general. Madeira is not a destination for those in search of wild nightlife - it's more well known for the sub-tropical gardens, mountainous scenery, warm all-year climate and outdoor activities. We first visited in our early 30's and never felt out of place. We northern Europeans like it especially as a winter sun destination - only 4 hours away but no cold wet rain for weeks on end.

Definitely hire a car, it's great fun tearing round the precipitous mountain roads and tunnels leading to the many picturesque villages and bays.

Never been to the Douro valley yet, sorry.

lreynold1

Hi cjacob,

I think we've had some exchanges on other threads, sounds like your honeymoon planning is going well. Gordon's right that Madeira does not attract much in the way of young crowds. Lots of older people, lots of families. But if you're into outdoor stuff, there is one hike that is un-missable. The walk between Pico Ariero and Pico Ruivo and back is one of my top three or four day hikes ever (and I'm almost 60 and have done a lot of hiking). It's kind of strenuous, maybe about 5-6 hours total, but really incredible. I am not a big fan of heights, and much of the published information about the hike stresses that it's not for people with height "issues", but I never felt uncomfortable at all. No technical mountain climbing involved. For some pictures of the views along the way, check out the google earth link on this website: http://activityworkshop.net/hiking/m...picoruivo.html Truly spectacular, IMO

I second Gordon's suggestion about the car, you definitely need one to get around, though the driving can be frustrating any time you get off of the main superhighways (which are engineering marvels in themselves).

I may have already suggested this for the Douro, but if you want upscale, try Aquapura. If you want charming B&B with spectacular views, private patio, pool, try Casa de Canilhas. If you like pousadas, the one in Mesao Frio is nice, too, but IMO not as nice as the Casa de Canilhas. If you want to stay on the grounds of a vineyard, Quinta do Passadouro gets good reviews. I have been there and like it, but it's about 5 km inland from the River. What kind of place are you looking for?

Laurie

cjacob

It's our honeymoon so we're not looking for crazy nightlife- we want to go to nice dinners and maybe a have a drink or two afterwards, not looking to go to a club or anything like that! Would see shows if they were available, but if they're not, that's okay by us! We're not avid outdoor people but both appreciate amazing scenery-- we said we'd prefer amazing views with a gorgeous pool rather than an amazing beach. We get bored just sitting around all day, so we'd love a destination where we could have an activity in the morning and then come back and sit by the pool in the afternoon- that is Madeira, no? Aren't there places to go to drink Madeira wine and take tours?

For Douro- I looked into Aquapura, I think on your recommendation, Laurie. It looks amazing and is definitely the front runner of hotels there. I also looked into Romaneira but we can't spend 1100 euros a night no matter how great a hotel is!! We like upscale boutique hotels- aquapura looks like it fits that bill. Is it a central location within the Douro Valley?

Now any more recommendations on Lisbon? I guess it'll be between the Lapa Palace, Bairro Alto and Four Seasons.

lreynold1

Hi, Cjacob,
The Aquapura location is very good. It's on the south side of the Douro River, a few miles west of Peso da Regua. There's a north-south superhighway crossing the river close to Peso da Regua, so you will have good access.

I have not stayed at the Aquapura, and I think you should check it out on tripadvisor, because I did see some mixed reviews there, along with suggestions about the best rooms.

And as for Lisbon, as others (and probably me) have already said, it is a bit "out of the way" but very accessible by cab. And there are always cabs waiting out front. It's probably a five to ten minute cab ride to the main tourist area.

Now I've never been inside, and the location is great, and the view must be great too, but the outside of the Four Seasons (if I have the hotel right) is a little off-putting. It's a huge, really huge and kind of out of scale, white modern structure. I think the Ritz/Four Seasons lost its place as the glitziest hotel in town with the opening of the Dom Pedro Palace Hotel, another glitzy modern high rise a little further from the center near the Amoreiras Shopping Center. So if you want glitz, I'd go with one of those, if you want old elegance, the Lapa Palace (did you check out the Pestana Palace, a bit farther afield, but more drop-dead old world elegance than you can believe), and for new boutique-y style, the Bairro Alto. I don't mean to add confusion by suggesting new places, but I know it's your honeymoon, so i assume you want it to be really special.

Laurie

lreynold1

p.s. Sorry, I deleted a sentence in the paragraph beginning "And as for Lisbon..." I am referring there to the Lapa Palace. Sorry.

Gordon_R

Hi again, yes you'll find exactly that mix in Madeira. There are plenty of nice cafe bars along the main street in Funchal, and drinks are less expensive than most other Europan destinations (by the way, I really would recommend basing yourself in Funchal for a first visit, and using a hire car to get around the rest of the island).

Also in the same locality is the Blandys Wine Lodge - a touristy place where you can sample the various types of Madeira wine (our favourite is sercial).

WFIW, my own "must-do" suggestions for Madeira:-

- Drive up to the top of Pico do Arieiro mountain on a clear day. If you're physically up for it (and the weather is good), do the levada walk Laurie suggested.

- Take the cable car up to Monte and explore the fabulous Monte Palace gardens, then either (a) take the toboggan ride back down to town, or (b) take the 2nd cable car over to the Madeira Botanical Gardens (amazing collection of parrots and tropical birds here too)

- Have a picnic up in the mountains near Ribeiro Frio, then do a levada walk.

- Drive up to São Vicente for lunch, explore the caves, then take the dramatic north coast road over to Porto Moniz (which feels like you're standing on the edge of the world), before returning to Funchal over the jaw-dropping Paul da Serra plateau.

- Have a romantic candlelit dinner in Riso restaurant in Funchal Old town. This is a stylish new place that specilises in rice dishes and is set into the cliff overlooking the sea. Reserve a table on the outdoor terrace if the weather is fine.

cjacob

This sounds amazing!!! I am SO excited!!

So Lisbon we will most likely stay in Lapa Palace, Bairro Alto and maybe the Pestana Palace. The only reason we'd stay at the Four Seasons is because it's the first stop on our honeymoon and we know what we'd be getting there (first class service), though staying in such a large hotel doesn't excite us-- we want to feel special!

In Madeira- looks like Choupana Hills might not be the best place, so we'll consider Quintinha Sao Joao and Cliff Bay.

In Douro Valley, I think we've decided on Aquapouro. It just looks so nice and perfect!

I'm going to call my travel agent and get some more advice, but this information has been so incredibly helpful. I can't thank you guys enough!

amer_can

hi cjacob...sounds like plans are progressing and seeing that you may consider Pestana Palace or Lapa Palace excites me also. You will love either..Again I mention www.LHW.com ...and of course pousadas.pt . Might save you $ for 5 star experiences.. If you get a car to drive abit consider Victoria House in Pinhao in the Duoro area..Lovely old place.It was operated by the Fonseca Port people when we were there. Obidos..Evora, Porto, I could go on and on..Another place that is interesting and lovely is Busaco (sp) Palace. Met a young honeymoon couple from MA there and found put that we, having gone through Pousadas.pt were paying 1/2 their rate and had a much nicer room.. Worth checknig out!!! Best to you and yours..