Pestana Douro Riverside

Lovely clean and views over river were stunning. Staff were friendly and extremely helpful.

Hotel was beautiful, so modern, tasteful decor, floral theme, rooms & bathroom lovely, staff v helpful and friendly, location perfect - on the river with lovely terrace, pool and easy to get into the hustle of porto

Beautiful position overlooking the Douro with great views. The rooms and bathrooms were excellent and well fitted, though storage was limited if staying more than a couple of nights. Lovely to have balconies looking over the river. Staff were very well trained and helpful, and all spoke good English. Julia Borges in the evening restaurant was particularly helpful and friendly, as were the reception team, including Jorges. It was noticed by staff that we were celebrating a big birthday, and gifts were left in the room for us - a great touch, much appreciated. Buffet breakfast was superb, and extra items could be ordered at no charge. Good car parking at no cost.

The first thing to say is that the staff were super helpful! We genuinely couldn't fault them. Highly professional, superb proficiency in languages, but also - on the shuttle bus to take us into the city - the driver gave us loads of really great advice about what to see and do, what to avoid, places to go to, places not to go to... He was brilliant. The staff at the desk were equally friendly, and helpful - and had a great sense of fun/humour, which was lovely. The rooms were beautifully clean, the view of the Douro fabulous. Everyone adored the breakfast buffet and the additional attention provided by staff - for example, making fresh coffees, making hot chocolate for the children etc. The location was stunning and the hotel felt really spacious and roomy, with sensational views of the river and the city in the near distance. For travellers wanting to spend all their time roaming the streets and seeing the sights of Porto, they might prefer a hotel within easy reach - but the summer crowds were intense and we were so grateful to be able to escape to our hotel at the end of the afternoon for a lovely swim and relax! The presence of a huge pool was another big advantage that the city hotels don't have; and was a real draw for my children (aged 14 and 11). The kids got quite overwhelmed by the intensity of Porto, so loved having the opportunity to play in the pool or read in the sun as a counter to the madness! There were plenty of sunbeds available at all times, the pool bar was lovely, the barman super friendly and you could order drinks/snacks/lunch poolside each day.

The property is a welcome retreat after walking the city of Porto. We loved the beautiful breakfast and it was a excellent start to our day. We would then walk the riverside path into Porto. This would take about a hour. We would book a ride back to the hotel or walk after exploring the sights. Every afternoon we would sit by the pool and watch the sunset. Then get a Uber back into the city to enjoy a dinner in Porto.