Douro Marina Hotel & SPA

The location and view are lovely, which is lucky, because the rest of the stay was disappointing. Our room’s walls were so thin that we could hear the people next door showering and talking at a normal volume, as if there were no wall between us. The breakfast buffet was disgraceful even though we arrived just 30 minutes after it opened: the scrambled eggs tasted strange, the bread and cakes were dry and stale, and the “natural juices” were made from concentrate. On top of that, each robe or towel for the chlorine-filled spa costs 2€ to rent.

The restaurant staff did their best with the tools they had, and the staff overall were lovely and always happy to answer questions. Breakfast was a positive, though I wasn’t sure how fresh some items were. The restaurant food, on the other hand, was very expensive, and its quality seemed questionable for a 4 star hotel. The spa had such high chlorine levels that the fumes bothered my eyes just from being in the area. I asked reception to check it, but they said the system was automatic, which didn’t reassure me. I wouldn’t go back with the levels like that. I also couldn’t sleep because the fridge or minibar was so noisy. Reception suggested unplugging it, but I don’t think that’s the answer. I’m not sure I’d stay here again. A 4 star hotel?

The room and bathroom were spacious, and the staff were friendly. The indoor pool was really nice, and breakfast was 10+. We enjoyed our visit and would definitely return and recommend the hotel. There could be more places to hang things, either in the bathroom or on the bedroom walls, since we had bath towels, pool towels and bathrobes to put somewhere. More information or suggestions about things to do nearby would also help.

The rooms were clean and good, and the location was quite nice. Service was good too, with very polite staff who were happy to help.