Onyria Marinha Cascais, Vignette Collection by IHG — Hotel in Cascais

We were hugely disappointed by the Onyria Marinha Boutique Hotel….

We booked a week away with my family over Easter through booking.com. We were meeting up with my brother and his family at the hotel. We booked two deluxe villas beside each other. We thought a week of spring sunshine would be great for our kids after a particularly cold and wet winter.

When we arrived, we were a bit disappointed by the weather, it was overcast with spells of sun and showers with temperatures in the high teens, but we immediately sought out the swimming pools as there were three advertised on the hotel website. Although the booking.com website states that all three swimming pools are open all year, two of the three swimming pools were closed and we had to pay to use the only pool that was open! They also only allowed kids in that pool at certain times of the day (although it says “all ages welcome” on the booking.com website)…. What a joke. Had we been made aware of this prior to our holiday we would never have booked the hotel. Our kids (13, 11,10 and 8) were so disappointed. There were also families we spoke to at the hotel who felt exactly the same way.

On day one, we asked where were we supposed to go with the kids (after 11am the kids are not permitted in the indoor pool). A member of the reception team suggested that we could hop in the shuttle bus and go down to the sister hotel, about 3 minutes away and sit by their pool as it was open. So we did and had a lovely afternoon having a few drinks in the sun while the kids splashed around. Why this wasn’t possible in our hotel is beyond me.

The following day, we asked for the shuttle bus so that we could we do the same and were told “no you can’t”. That happened a lot in this hotel. That pool was no longer open. So we asked could we sit in the sun at the pool (and not swim) beside the clubhouse as there were loungers there. Grudgingly they said we could, but when we went into the clubhouse to get a drink, we were told “no you can’t”. We weren’t allowed to have drinks in glass, as opposed to plastic cups by that pool. When we asked if we could get plastic glasses from the Drop Bar and bring them over, we were told “no you can’t”.

No you can’t. A recurring theme. But in a 5 Star hotel?

Around 6pm we returned to our villas and neither had had any housekeeping. After our day of “no you can’t” I was quite annoyed and went to reception to ask if someone could turn down our room. You guessed it, "no you can’t”. They go home at 6pm... Apparently, we hadn’t requested housekeeping and if we wanted to, we had to pay an additional €75 per day. A quick reminder that I had booked accommodation for my family of five and that was costing a considerable sum for the week. Pay extra for house keeping and to use the only swimming pool available. Disgraceful.

I requested housekeeping. I told them that I had stayed in many hotels around the world for work of varying standards and had never come across this in my life. In the US, they clean your room twice a day and don’t charge you for the privilege.

The next day they still hadn’t cleaned our room when we returned from Cascais late afternoon. I approached reception to ask why and was met with amazement… "But housekeeping have until 5 pm!" Total amateurs.

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the picture....

Before I finish, I need to say that the rest of the staff there (apart from those behind reception) are absolutely incredible. They can not do enough to help and are extremely attentive and helpful. Gonçalo, Bernardo, Joao, Rui, Alvaro (sorry if I forgot anybody) were first class and struck a perfect balance between being perceptive yet friendly. Their recommendations for wines and places to visit in Cascais were fantastic. The staff are great, clearly the management are not...

My partner and I recently stayed at the Onyria Marinha Boutique Hotel for four nights for our 6 year anniversary, and while the location and some aspects of our stay were pleasant, the overall experience left much to be desired—especially for a 5-star establishment.

Room: The room was fairly clean, although we found a dirty kettle, and it was missing an iron. The lighting features were nice, but the TV/remote was occasionally unresponsive. The bed was very comfortable, and the view was decent. Unfortunately, the room wasn’t prepared upon our arrival. While the flowers were there as promised, the champagne and strawberries, which were part of our package, arrived much later. To top it off, we found a review card left behind by the previous guests, detailing similar issues. It was a disappointing start.

Service: The front desk service was chaotic and disorganized. They seemed unaware of the details of our package, including the champagne and strawberries. At first, they suggested I “check by the TV” for the missing items, and later claimed they didn’t want the ice to melt, even though we waited an extra 5-10 minutes for our room to be ready after check-in.

Breakfast in bed was included as part of our package, but on the second day, we were told that this was only valid for one morning—until we contacted the manager of their sister hotel to confirm our full four-day package. Even then, we were almost charged for room service during breakfast on one occasion. The front desk staff were dismissive, and they never inquired about our stay or offered any final accommodations when we checked out. On the last day, despite arranging late checkout in advance, we received a call asking us to confirm our checkout time, adding to the feeling of disorganization.

Staff: While the front desk was disappointing, the bar, restaurant, and spa staff were fantastic. They were friendly, conversational, and made us feel welcome. A special shoutout to the bartender, who made a delicious sangria and shared the recipe with us! Although we had some issues with spa access (the hotel didn’t have our complimentary access on file), the spa staff kindly allowed us entry, for which we were grateful.

Amenities: The gym is small but functional, and the pools were nice, though we were surprised to find that drinks weren’t allowed by the boutique poolside. The breakfast was decent, though they forgot to bring butter one morning, and the fruit selection was inconsistent. The spa facilities were great—complete with a sauna, steam room, hot tub, and indoor/outdoor pools.

Location: The location of the hotel was one of the highlights. The setting is serene and surrounded by greenery, perfect for a peaceful getaway. It’s about 10-15 minutes by car to the more touristy and commercial parts of Cascais, which we didn’t mind.

Dining: Bar food was just okay, but the restaurant really stood out. We especially loved the T-bone steak, which was perfectly prepared.

Value for Money: Unfortunately, we didn’t feel like the hotel lived up to its 5-star rating, especially given the service issues. While it’s affordable compared to other luxury hotels, the service we received was closer to that of a 3- or 4-star experience.

Recommendation: I would recommend this hotel for short stays or casual trips, but not for special occasions like anniversaries. The management communication and overall hospitality need serious improvement to match the luxurious setting and reputation of the hotel.

Other Issues: Housekeeping comes very early (around 9 AM), which felt disruptive. Additionally, the management’s lack of communication, especially regarding specialized packages, made for an inconsistent and...

I love this hotel. The atmosphere and location was absolutely gorgoues. It was so peaceful to sit on the balcony and listen to the running water. My only issue would be the breakfast and the check out process.

The breakfast was suppar for a 5-star hotel. I expected alot more. Watery eggs and rubbery bacon is not my idea of a gourmet breakfast.

During check out, my card was ran three times. I was told it would be reversed. It was not. I had to call the hotel from the US to get the issue corrected. That was not fun.

But, if I decide to return to Portugal, I will definitely stay at this hotel again.

Edit: I left the hotel a week ago and I am still fighting with them about the charge on my card. I was charged the same amount for room service I ordered only once on two different cards. When the clerk at the front ran my card the first time the charge was not authorized. He tried it again and it still was denied. I present another card and the charged was approved. However, the second charge on the first card was not reversed and it went through. So now, I have two charges and the hotel is fighting with me to remove it. I am going to have to dispute the charge with my bank and let them fight the hotel. So frustrating. I WILL NOT REPEAT THIS MISTAKE AND STAY AT THIS HOTEL...