Casa de Casal de Loivos

A fabulous hilltop guesthouse with a breathtaking view over the Douro. The real highlight, however, is host Bernardo, who goes overboard to make your experience a pleasure. Dinner and breakfast in the dining room are family style. The meals are excellent. Bernardo will not only suggest options for day trips, he will make you reservations on your behalf and give you instructions for how to get there.

This small hotel (8 rooms) has to be among one of the best we’ve stayed at. The views are sublime overlooking a graceful curve of the river and the vineyards surrounding. The pool on the lower terrace was peaceful and the water clean and fresh. Temperatures meant we could enjoy it (although unheated) everyday. One night to stay here, would not be enough to truly relax and enjoy it. Our bedroom was super comfortable. The shared, set evening meal, was most enjoyable, meeting others from all around the world and enjoying delicious meals cooked by Hilda and local wines and port. We even got to chose the menu for all to enjoy on our our last night. Evening meal must be booked 48 hours in advance. The ambience provided by Bernardo and Paulo was quiet, yet attentive, nothing was too much trouble for them. It’s 10-12€ for a taxi up from the station and a pleasant one hour walk on a trail through the vineyards to walk back down to the town. Some nice restaurants, boat trips and vineyard tours available. Bernardo is happy to provide recommendations and help with booking etc. Thank you so much for having us to stay.

So many good features, but such a bad experience. Starting with the good points, it is a lovely facility, the rooms are comfortable and stylish, the view is magnificent. The staff was extremely nice. WE were pickpocketed in Lisbon and chose this hotel because they took American Express, the only credit card my wife had, but one that is not accepted many places in Portugal. When we arrived, I indicated that we would take dinner there that night, I was not sure about the next night. After our arrival, I went to the two places in the village where a meal might be obtained but they did not take American Express. While I was gone, the owner told my wife that no one else there took American Express, so she told him we would eat in the hotel both nights. The first night was 40 euros a piece, a very stiff price for the meal we received. The next day I went for a hike. The route was a double loop, and instead of returning on the first loop, I accidentally took the second. Then my GPS took me all over the place, I had walked over nine miles instead of three. I knew the way back then, but it was another three miles and I called my wife to see if someone at the hotel could pick me up. The owner agreed, but chastised me like a 12 year old all the way back (ten minutes by car). Then we went up to dinner at 7:30 that night, not having eaten since breakfast. The owner told us we had canceled and there were no places left. He became aggressive, but said he would bring us "something." At 8:30 we turned off our lights, not wanting anything at that point. He was unbelievably rude both with the lift he gave and refusing us dinner that we had reserved. He also confused us with another couple he had arranged a guide for. He also knew we had no money. We never said we would not eat dinner the second night, only that we would let him knowe, which my wife had done. Never been treated that badly in our travels.

The experience we had at Casa De Casa De Loivos exceeded all our expectations. From the moment we arrived we were treated like family. Bernardo's warm and friendly welcome was just the beginning of a four-day stay during which he and his staff went out of their way to ensure that we made the most of every moment. Bernardo presented us with so many options of how we might spend our time with all the enthusiasm and knowledge that only a local can offer. He worked to arrange taxis and excursions with locals, who like Bernardo, were engaging and such great ambassadors for Portugal and the Douro valley. His efforts saved us so much time that we could then devote to other adventures in the area. I We were served unhurried and delicious meals that reflected the cuisine of the area, and the meals were accompanied by stories of the ingredients and the family recipes. The rooms were charming, clean and very comfortable. Finally, the fantastic views from the patio captured the beauty of the valley in ways that words cannot capture.

Almost indescribable! The owner, Bernardo, is very responsive to guest's needs. His care for his home is obvious. The facilities are, in our opinion, perfect, yet this winter, he has scheduled a large number of upgrades. He is constantly working to ensure that guests are comfortable.

I am going to keep this review short. After a day of driving from Porto to Pinhao and visiting towns and vineyards in between, we were running late for our 7.00 pm Douro River boat ride. We arrived at Casa De Casal De Loivos planning to drop off our bags and drive back to Pinhao to catch the boat. The moment we walked in the hotel and looked at the terrace we changed our minds. We just wanted to stay and enjoy watching the sun go down on the valley, coloring the river, hills, and countless vineyards with a golden hue. We did not regret forgoing the boat ride or the money we lost. In fact, after we settled at a table outside our beautiful room, beneath a gorgeous olive tree, where Bernardo, the owner, served us wine and olives, we were willing to upend our entire travel plans if we could extend our stay for another day. Unfortunately, with only 8 rooms, we were not surprised to hear that they were completely booked for weeks to come. That evening, we also canceled our diner reservations, and decided to join the rest of the guests at the hotel's charming formal dinning room, where we and other 8 guests conversed while enjoying a delicious homecooked meal and Douro Valley wines. I can only say that everything about the experience, the hotel, the company, the location, the views, and the personalized service felt intimate, exclusive, and exceptional.

We totally loved this slice of luxury! Bernardo was an amazing host. Very welcoming and went above and beyond to welcome guests to his beautiful home. The grounds are SUPURB. There is everything you could ever wish for. The room was enormous, beautifully decorated with a very comfortable bed and excellent shower. The pool was clean and warm. The terraces were well cared for and had ample seating either amongst the orange groves or on one of the 2 terraces. George is an essential part of the successful running of the guest house. He worked tirelessly throughout the afternoons and into the evening to fetch and carry for all guests. The views are stunning. The food is amazing - breakfast included and the option to join all guests for a 3 course dinner (some of the best food we have had in Portugal). All staff were amazing. A true 5* experience. I will happily recommend to all. We loved being there at harvest time and Bernardo welcomed us to his picking team to experience the harvesting. Hot and back breaking work - respect to all pickers out there (and thank you - I love the wine)!