Grande Real Villa Italia Hotel & Spa

"I knew this hotel from a business seminar, I was seriously impressed, but this trip was to support our son taking part in the Cascais Iron Man competition. Lucky me, I have stayed in many good hotels, but this team is, without doubt, the best I have ever seen. Nothing is too much trouble, even helping our son with his training diet. Everybody is friendly, genuine, you feel like you're looked after by close family. The food is exceptional; food in Portugal is always very good quality, but we found it hard to leave the hotel. Our favourite drinks are remembered immediately when we walk in, and the team really goes the extra mile; you never wait long for anything. Leaving was a hard thing to do. We were so impressed that our next visit is currently being arranged. I know my wife will have a wonderful birthday!"

"Very beautiful hotel, good services but the spa staff very unpleasant."

"My husband and I stayed here for two nights as part of a romantic trip to Portugal, after spending three nights in Lisbon. The hotel itself is beautiful and the location is excellent. The furnishings throughout the property are lovely, and the breakfast was wonderful. That said, there were a few things that were disappointing. We spent time at the pool on both days, and the service was definitely lacking. There was really no one coming around to offer food or drinks, which was surprising for a hotel of this caliber. The pool area was also extremely quiet—there was no music or atmosphere at all. It was so quiet that you could practically hear someone move their chair. The crowd also seemed to be considerably older, so if you are looking for a lively or romantic resort atmosphere, this may not be the best fit. I was also under the impression that the pool would have an ocean view, but you really cannot see the ocean from the pool area. Our room was comfortable but felt somewhat dated. Overall, the location, breakfast and common areas were the highlights for us. However, between the lack of service at the pool, the very quiet atmosphere and the dated room, there wasn’t enough that felt special or memorable about the stay. While we enjoyed our time in Cascais, I’m not sure we would choose to stay here again."