The hotel is beautiful and the views were amazing! The bed was huge which is always a bonus. Our room was made up every day. The staff were lovely, pool was clean and quiet and food was decent. We even got a little welcome gift (small bottle of red wine and some sweet treats) upon arrival which was waiting for us in the room. The hotel is about a 45 min walk along the river from the centre, but it's such a lovely walk. I would recommend doing it at least once! Most of days we took Ubers which were very accessible and SO CHEAP! We would definitely come back here.

We booked the Grand View room with extra bed, however be aware that on the pictures on booking.com it shows that the room has balcony, but our room did not have one. It also didn't have an extra bed, even though we booked extra bed, but they immediately put it in after we pointed it out. They even offered to move us to a room with balcony half way through our stay but we were not bothered moving all of our stuff just for a couple of days. Sometimes you had to queue to get into breakfast, so it's better to go there before 10AM if you want to avoid waiting. Except for that we couldn't complain.

This hotel is beautiful, a palace with a gorgeous pool on the Douro River. Both the indoor and outdoor pools were warm, holiday water! A 25 minute walk along the river to the Dom Luis bridge. We also stayed in a hotel near the bridge so it was lovely to have the 2 different experiences. The restaurant in this hotel is superb, we ate their 2 nights in a row and I rarely do this, I usually prefer to eat out but I had to go back tot his restaurant as it was so good. The breakfast is superb also.

The staff weren't overly helpful. The restaurant staff though were superb as was the concierge. More the girls behind the desk were pretty average which is a shame as this hotel is magnificent.

The hotel was stunning and in a quiet location just outside the city centre. Breakfast options were ok and the spa treatments were excellent.

The inside pool is currently closed for renovation - we were disappointed that this was not advised in advance as spa experience is not the same without. There was mould in the tiles and edges of the bathroom and the bath in an executive room was disappointingly small. There is a persistent weird smell in the downstairs area between the main building and the bedrooms. Coffee at breakfast is terrible - save yourself and order in town with a pastel de Nata!

We liked the combination of historic palace with the rooms in the adjacent restored factory building, all very tasteful. The staff were very friendly and professional, the rooms were very spacious , the food was nice and the breakfast buffet was just excellent. The palace itself is just outstanding, given its age it looks very well maintained; as it was winter we could not use the outdoor area but the location with the park-like garden and the outdoor infinity edge pool right by the river is very special; if you want to go for a river walk you can access a walking trail right from the hotel.

The room was a bit gloomy due to the somewhat "discrete" lighting. As it was raining and windy it would be nice if the walkway from one building to the other could be also covered on the side.

The main building (genuinely an old palace) and the location on the river about two miles from Porto centre were beautiful. The updated property and the combination of old and contemporary styles was very good - the dining rooms were great. Two good pools, small but perfectly good gym. Staff were fine: friendly and helpful.

Not much to criticise. Quite complex to find your way around at first, maybe worth giving arrivals a map showing where everything is.

Breakfast was excellent and plentiful but they had to ask what a white coffee was? The outside space is lovely. The toilets were screened by frosted glass so that was amusing. Shuttle was used once so that was also good to get into the town.

The pillows were awful for all of us. They left arrival cake which was inedible for two days in our room. There was no shampoo except in shower dispenser but two conditioners on the sink. They stated 25 euro per person for any expenses during stay but on leaving I was told they had taken 500 ! which of course was refunded. The bar staff were incredibly slow and then one emptied a tray onto the floor and covered my daughter in drinks meaning she had to change with no apology from the waiter and my friend had to scoop up lemon and ice from carpet before a waiter arrived with a broom with no cloths for the rest of us, this was not what I expect from a five star which we frequent on holidays.

I loved my stay at Hotel Pestana Palácio do Freixo with my family. Everything was so easy and stress-free. The spa area and pool are absolutely fabulous, and the breakfast is fantastic with plenty of choice. Although the hotel isn’t within walking distance to the main area, Ubers are very cheap and easy to use, so getting around was no problem. I would highly recommend this hotel for a relaxing and memorable stay.

The pool bar could stay open longer

Spectacular setting, building and decor Historical content as good as you can get Views unparalleled

1. TV did not work and no reply from reception 2. Bath took 20 minutes to fill and shower rather slippery 3. Shower has shower gel and shampoo but no conditioner, the bath has conditioner but no shower gel and shampoo!! 4. Normal movies have to be paid for - really surprising and penny pinching 5. No berries for breakfast - standard fare in all 5 star hotels I stay at 6. No plain yogurt only strawberry flavoured. Not exactly gourmet !!

Staying at Pestana Palácio do Freixo was nothing short of magical. The elegance of this historic palace, combined with modern comfort and truly attentive service, made the experience unforgettable. The view over the Douro River is absolutely breathtaking, especially at sunrise. Every detail felt thoughtful, from the delicious breakfast to the peaceful riverside pool. A true haven of serenity and charm in the heart of Porto. I’ll definitely be coming back!

Everything about this gem of a hotel, From the incredible staff, fantastic food, beautiful building and the shuttle bus service in and out of Porto. Thank you Rita for the cans of Sumol delivered to my room in a champagne bucket. That was a wonderful surprise. Also a big thank you to Fabio and Rui for driving me to and from the hotel. Barbara and Sofia in the Spa, Sebastian in the bar, and many more of the kind and attentive staff for looking after me. The Director of the Hotel you have an incredible team, and you’re doing a remarkable job - this hotel is in great hands. Very well done.

Nothing, it’s all good.