We stayed at the Dom Carlos Park for 7 nights. We selected this hotel based on previous reviews at Trip Advisor.Their location and pricing is excellent - but there were some communication problems. We booked our reservation by using their email address eight months in advance.Their representatives didn't always answer our email. We had to resort to sending our questions to every email address they listed until someone finally responded. The front desk staff were pleasant but we found that they gave us incorrect information which resulted in additional charges on our bill. We were told that their Internet was complimentary in the breakfast room - then found charges on our bill after we used it. They also forgot our wake up calls.
The housekeeper neglected to refill our soaps and related items. Their dishwasher broke down during breakfast one day and so they hand washed the dishes and glasses - I observed that they were replaced in an unsanitary condition with food debris still on them. Your best bet is to reserve a rental car from Hertz before arriving in Portugal - seniors will be given a 10 % discount. The Hertz office is a short walk from the hotel...they do not deliver cars. Reserving a car from the hotel will cost much much more. The Autostrata has lots of tolls - make sure to take a ticket when you first drive in. Dom Carlos has a garage space around the corner for 10E a night - Do Not park on the street - you will be fined. It is very difficult to pull up in front of the hotel and stay there for any length of time. The hotel will recommend Diana Tours - a new company - for tours of Lisbon.The cost was 30 E per person and not worth it. We took the Lisbon Monument Tour and didn't feel that the guide was informative. A short walk from the hotel across the Liberdade is the Gray Line Tour office - for 15E they offer an all day - Hop on and Off Bus that stops at 14 locations. Many of the best museums and monuments are not included however. The bus leaves every hour on the hour. You can get across the Liberdad ( main boulevard ) by walking into the subway entrance and out the exit. When we asked the manager for directions but he was not very helpful. We would have appreciated it if he had mentioned to us that an all day pass for all types of Lisbon transportation could have been purchased down in the subway for just 3E a day - and it may also include museum entrance fees. We paid each time we got on and off a bus or subway - until we spoke with other tourists and heard about the special Lisbon pass...then it was too late in the day for us to purchase it. From the airport a taxi to the hotel should just cost 10 E - plus a 2 E tip - We purchased a taxi ride at the tourist information center at the airport and paid 17E - the guide books recommend doing that - but that resulted in an overcharge. If you are a senior - ask the museums about senior rates - sometimes there is no charge at all. There are no restaurants near the Dom Carlos or even small food markets. The Tivoli Jardim Hotel on the Liberdade has an excellent buffet dinner for 26E pp - in an elegant room on the first floor. The Chinese restaurant right near the Dom Carlos was good - and we also saw that some guests had pizza delivered to the hotel. All of the guide books and tours recommend the Coach Museum as a highlight - in reality all the coaches looked similar and were just lined up in a large hall. We loved the Military Museum - the building and interiors were excellent as were the displays. They also feature wonderful painting and murals as well as a few coaches, armour and numerous painted tile murals. Check out the Castelo of St. Jorge in the Alfama district - the views of Lisbon are breathtaking from that spot. Sintra and the Pena Palace should not be missed...also Mafra and the long guided tour that comes with the admission fee. Nearby is a fishing village - Ericiera - a good place for lunch and the ocean views. The cathedral monestary of Bathala was special - and it's not far from the walled city of Obidos. Queulez Palace is on the outskirts of Lisbon - it's quite generic and can be skipped. The Portugese people are very friendly and most do speak English. Wish that we had more time to explore this wonderful country.










Value
Rooms





