Lisbon, Porto And Azores
When we booked this tour, we assumed we would be part of a group traveling together around Portugal, led by a dedicated guide. Instead, we found ourselves traveling independently, receiving guidance via email and text messages. This was a significant departure from our previous travel experiences.
All the accommodations were advertised as 4-star, but the final hotel in the Azores was in very poor condition. Upon arrival, workers were carrying out repairs in the rooms adjacent to ours. We would rate this hotel as a 2-star at best. There was no coffee or tea-making equipment provided, and when we requested it, we were told a kettle could be supplied, but we would need to source our own coffee, tea, sugar, etc.
On the second night, we were informed at 11 p.m. that the hotel would be evacuated due to a serious electrical issue. The hotel’s location was also problematic—isolated, with little of interest nearby. Overall, the Azores island chosen for the tour offered very little to see or do. We were eager to leave. This portion of the tour should be reconsidered and replaced with a more engaging destination.
We arrived at the Azores airport at 4:30 a.m. for a 7:05 a.m. departure, but the flight was delayed until 5 p.m. As a result, we missed our connecting flight, and our luggage is still missing. We do not hold the tour operator responsible for this.
Our remote tour guide, who supported us via email and WhatsApp, went above and beyond to resolve the issues we faced during the trip. The ground transfer staff throughout Portugal were outstanding—polite, efficient, and always punctual.