2 / 5 Bait and switch? Well, not quite, but certainly a misleading first impression. The gated entry to the grounds, the long drive to the palatial entry and the valet waiting to take your car, The grand entryway and furnishings all lead one to believe that you are in for a rare treat. The reality is rather disappointing. We stayed in the garden room, and it is downstairs in a somewhat musty smelling location, and the room is best described as "mediocre Marriott". Not bad, but really nothing to write home over except for being large (by European standards). The room was probably restored in the 80's or 90's sometime and were done distinctly on a budget.
My advice is do not get the garden room, or any of the cheaper rooms which are in the distinctly unattractive "new" spa wing. Maybe the more expensive suites are worth the price, but I highly doubt it. While you cannot knock the service here, the staff are wonderful and attentive, the serious refurbishment. Everything is looking a bit tired and in need of fresh paint and a bit of a fluff (don't get me started on the horrid carpeting they have everywhere!). We stayed the night before at the Torel Royal Court in Guimares and it was 2/3 the price and easily twice as nice.
To my way of thinking, this is just not worth the money being asked. I think it could be made into a truly magnificent hotel deserving of the 5-star rating (right now it is at best maybe a 3.5 star), but the owners would need to pour in about $20M in renovation/restoration to make the rooms capture a feeling of being in a Palace and experiencing something special.
5 / 5 Good history hotel with nice spa.
Yes spa building and rooms looks like from 80x but they are clean amd nice.
I also like garden.
Quite historical place , very nice location if you need stay at city with car.
5 / 5 We really enjoyed our stay at the whimsical hotel. The land on which the property is located is sprawling and well maintained - we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the grounds. The room allocated to us was very comfortable and conveniently located. The service level was excellent. We enjoyed our meals at the restaurant. We would recommend this property to anyone looking for a romantic setting that is a bit out-of-the-box.
1 / 5 When checking into a five-star hotel, you naturally expect a certain standard. Unfortunately, upon arriving at Lágrimas, that expectation was not met. The spa area was particularly disappointing, with toilet paper floating in the water and the sauna surroundings being extremely dirty. The so-called Turkish bath was nothing more than a plastic box, complete with hair inside and a broken bench that had been poorly glued together.
To make matters worse, swimming caps had to be purchased for an additional five euros, something you would normally expect to be complimentary at a hotel of this level. The rooms themselves felt outdated, with black mold on the pillowcases and an old, retro television lacking any modern features, making it impossible to stream or watch contemporary content.
That said, the staff were genuinely lovely, helpful, and professional, which only made the experience more disappointing, as it left us wishing the hotel itself lived up to the high standard set by its employees.
3 / 5 We stayed one night at this hotel. Upon entering, the hotel appears luxurious with an elegant check in area accompanied by lovely spa type water. The bellman was delightful as he brought us to our room. Our room, a garden room, however, was mediocre, at best. It smelled extremely musty and felt tired as did a lot of the hotel. We did enjoy the spa facilities and outdoor pool as those seemed to be well maintained. I’m sure at one time it was five star worthy, but to walk down the hall with beautiful sconces only to see them adorned with even a few cobwebs was disappointing. This hotel has incredible potential and with a much needed glam up and full gut renovation in some areas can return to its original 5 star grandeur.