I came upon Vidago Palace while browsing through the properties that were included in the Virtuoso Network portfolio. I was immediately attracted to its unique and handsome architecture; the rather remote northern location, I thought, would be a welcome respite after spending the previous nine days in Marrakech and Lisbon. Bonus: there was a “Fourth Night Free” promotion being offered—an excellent value for this Leading Hotel of the World! It isn’t the easiest hotel to get to without a rental car (not on a rail line, and about 80 minutes from OPO), but judging by the information on the hotel’s website, and the reviews here and elsewhere, it seemed that it would be worth it. And it was. In advance of our arrival, I had several email exchanges with the concierge team to discuss transportation options and available tours. The rate we were quoted for the airport transfer seemed exceptionally high, so we used Bolt instead for almost 1/3 the cost. All emails were answered promptly and courteously. After an easy 80-minute drive from OPO with an affable Bolt driver, we turned into the driveway that leads to the hotel…and our jaws dropped. It is a magnificent building with lush, impeccably maintained lawns and gardens, and an atmosphere of times gone by… A pair of friendly bellmen took our luggage and escorted us up the grand staircase to the lobby to check in. Because we booked with a Virtuoso agent, and I’m a LHW Club member, we were upgraded to a Junior Suite. It wasn’t quite ready when we arrived (around 1PM), so we were invited to have lunch on the terrace of the bar. We ambled down a long hallway impressively decorated with a gorgeous wallpaper mural, and then through a sumptuous lounge outfitted in metres of velvet, brocade, tapestry, and fringe. Palace indeed! We ordered cocktails and sandwiches from the delightful Beatriz, and before they were even served we were informed that our room was ready. In my pre-arrival notes, I indicated that I like a corner room on a high floor, so I was delighted to discover that Junior Suite 208 was exactly that. With soaring twelve-foot ceilings, It’s more like an actual suite, however, as it has a small sitting room that can be closed off from the bedroom. In that room you have a daybed, a small coffee bar, and a wall-mounted television. There were four sets of French doors that could be opened onto delicate Juliet balconies; they were framed in a heavy and opulent brocade. The bedroom had a king sized bed with butter-soft linens, a cocktail table with armchair, a desk with straight chair, another television, a BOSE radio, and a pair of nightstands. We greatly appreciated the ample storage that was provided by two closets with lots of shelves, drawers, and hanging space. The large marble clad bathroom also had French doors directly in front of the soaking tub, double sinks, heavy monogrammed towels, and a terrific range of toiletries by Molton Brown. The temperatures during our stay were so comfortable t
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