Lamego Hotel & Life — Hotel in Lamego

We had an excellent stay and definitely recommend! The property was beautiful - the pool area was stunning and well maintained. The restaurant, bar and other common spaces were tastefully decorated and the room was spacious and relaxing. We particularly loved the indoor pool area which was quiet and it was nice to have the warmer indoor pool - the outdoor pool is heated but on a chilly morning it was still quite a brisk swim! ||Pros: |- Super friendly staff who are available to help with booking everything, including taxis, restaurants and winery visits. It was so nice to be able to craft our itinerary with their help|- The spaces felt luxurious but at a reasonable price point - really tastefully done and felt like a retreat from the world |- Plenty of spaces by both the indoor and outdoor pool to relax - we were there in Sept so not the peak of summer but still a prime time to visit the region, and we never felt like the hotel was crowded|- LOVED the vegan picnic lunch basket - tons of food and really delicious range of options, great for a winery visit but make sure to eat it quickly after it arrives as it’s best warm |- Really good veggie burger on the bar menu |- Excellent drink selection, we tried many of the wines which were all tasty and we loved the pina coladas! ||Cons: |- I was disappointed in the vegan options at dinner in the main restaurant - the vegetable pasta was very bland (not even plenty of salt and pepper did much) and had no protein, and the risotto was also bland and dry although the falafel it was served with was much more flavourful (even if it was an odd combination). Given how flavourful the vegan picnic basket was it’s a shame that the restaurant doesn’t offer better flavours for the vegan mains (and there were no vegan starters)|- Breakfast was a standard continental spread and the breads and spreads were particularly delicious (try the pumpkin jam on the raisin bread!) but again, few vegan options beyond the bread and fruit. It would have been great to see a vegan yogurt or vegan sausage or scrambled tofu |- We didn’t rent a car for our trip and relied on taxis to get around - you can expect to pay 20 euros for a taxi to or from Regua, which was more expensive than we expected. When visiting the wineries in the region, we planned to use the hotel’s taxi service and were quoted 35 euros to go 10 minutes from one winery to the other as the taxis were all coming from Lamego. Instead we asked the winery for a taxi number and they found local drivers with more reasonable prices. We knew that the location was going to be more remote when we booked but weren’t quite prepared for the taxi costs so it’s good to be aware of that going in! |- There’s not much to do in Lamego and while it is definitely walkable (about 20 mins, uphill on the way back) there aren’t many scenic walks around the area. It would have been better if we had a car and could go to some of the natural areas that the hotel...

We arrived with high expectations, but first impressions were disappointing. The website suggests an authentic heritage property surrounded by vineyards and nature; in reality, you arrive between apartment blocks and a road, and the hotel occupies the modern building next to the heritage façade. Our room—pictured online as bright and airy—was quite dark (and this was one of the better categories). Carpets looked tired and there was a noticeable odour in corridors.

The pool is pleasant, but there aren’t enough loungers for the number of guests, and the chairs have no cushions (photos show cushioned furniture). After a couple of hours it becomes uncomfortable. Breakfast is fresh and sufficient for a 4*, though nothing remarkable. Bar/snacks are fine. The restaurant is the highlight: very tasty dishes with good value for money.

Service is genuinely friendly, but we experienced frequent slip-ups (bringing 2 drinks when 3 were ordered, or delivering the wrong dishes). Everything was corrected promptly, so no drama—just room to streamline.

As for the location: the immediate area has little to see and feels less attractive; there are, however, a few excellent restaurants in town. We used the hotel mainly as a base for Douro day trips, which were beautiful and exactly what we came for.

Pricing is where the experience felt out of balance. Some items are simply overpriced for this hotel category: €21 for three mini scoops of ice cream (for reference, the same scoop with a dessert is €7, and a top place in town charges €2 per scoop). Several premium drinks at €15–€22 also felt out of step with the otherwise fair menu and the local market. There’s a gap between the website’s promise and the on-site reality.

Constructive suggestions

Breakfast area: Place a small drip tray under the juice dispenser; it currently drips onto the carpet, which looks discoloured. Consider a deep clean/replacement or spill mats for a cleaner look.

Pool area: Add more loungers and cushions (as in the photos). A simple towel policy would help availability.

Rooms & housekeeping: Address the carpet odour and consider brighter lighting in the darker rooms.

Service flow: Keep the warm attitude, and add an order repeat-back and quick pre-shift checklist to reduce mix-ups.

Pricing: Revisit pricing for ice cream and certain premium drinks to match the hotel’s positioning and the local market.

Website accuracy: Clearly indicate that the hotel is in the building next to the heritage façade, and align pool furniture photos with what guests will actually find.

Verdict: Based on the reviews we expected a strong 4* edging towards 5; in reality it feels like a solid 3 with an excellent restaurant and kind staff, but with operational and presentation gaps—and some pricing that needs rethinking. We still had lovely moments here (pool time, great dinners, and wonderful Douro excursions), but there’s clear potential to better match...

Lamego Hotel & Life is a true gem, nestled in the green hills of the Douro Valley—perfectly set in a charming little town that feels like a peaceful escape. From the moment we arrived, the staff was incredibly welcoming. I had made a mistake in my booking that I hadn’t noticed beforehand, but they resolved it quickly and kindly, setting the tone for what became a truly dreamlike stay.

The service throughout was exceptional—the team was always ready to help with anything we needed. The welcome drink was just the beginning of a wonderful food and drink experience, with plenty of tasty snacks and cocktails enjoyed at the bar or by the outdoor pool. A special mention goes to the sparkling passionfruit sangria—refreshing and full of flavor!

Breakfast was fresh and well-presented, with a good variety of classic options. The colorful sliced fruit bar greets you as you enter and adds a bright, refreshing touch. The only small drawback was the boiled eggs, which were consistently overcooked during our stay.

We had dinner at the hotel once and enjoyed both the food and the dessert cart, which was filled with delicious treats. Most evenings, though, we opted to change the scenery by walking into town for dinner—a pleasant 15-minute stroll, even if the summer heat made it feel a bit longer. Lamego is a lovely and walkable town, and the Escadório de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios is a must—climbing those beautifully tiled steps to the church felt like an almost spiritual experience.

The hotel’s facilities are simply outstanding. Surrounded by vineyard views, nearly every part of the property—our room, the dining hall, spa, pool, tennis court—offered scenic beauty. The pool area is especially well-designed, with deep brown benches and matching umbrellas, neatly arranged greenery, and a striking centerpiece: an old green-tiled traditional Portuguese building reflecting beautifully in the blue water.

The only real issue we had was the lack of a proper bathroom door—a somewhat common hotel design choice, but not one I personally enjoy. No matter how close you are as a couple, some things are better kept private.

Overall, this hotel is the perfect getaway. If I could redo our itinerary, I would have extended our stay—we spent four nights here and it simply...