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Hotels and Guest Houses in Portugal

The choice is fairly wide, with quality and prices to suit all tastes, whether you are spending a couple of weeks travelling around looking for a more permanent location, waiting for your own property to be completed or constantly moving around. Most towns have a few larger hotels (hoteis), starred * as in the UK, with a variety of other possibilities. Don't be surprised if conditions in some are not quite as you might wish. Use your common sense - a few glances around a neighbourhood will identify possible dens of iniquity to avoid. If you are desperate for a night's sleep and find yourself in a suspicious place, lock your door and leave the key in the lock. Block your ears to strange comings and goings! You may also need to make do with a strip wash in the morning, with only a sink in the room, and even the Yellow Pages for loo paper. Be prepared to be eyed suspiciously as you emerge from the dingy doorway onto a sunny street the next morning. Not for the faint-hearted, but a real experience, and very cheap.

Available Accommodation

Pousada - State-run system. Hotels in historic locations (such as castles or monasteries), or areas of natural beauty. Usually pricey, with a ranking of categories, depending on location, season, type of building and region. Good value in low season if you fancy staying in a sumptuous environment. Contact: Enatur, Av. Santa Joana Princesa 10A, 1700 Lisbon. Tel: 351-21-8442001, or http://www.pousadas.pt The Portuguese Tourism Office also has details.

One thing to remember in town centres is that many guest houses are situated on third and fourth floors above shops and other premises, therefore if you do not look for signs above you in the street, you may well miss some bargains. Do not be put off by grubby entrances - often when you get up to the establishment, it is actually quite decent. On the other hand, you may just have picked the local knocking shop! You can usually tell by the types of clientele sloping around at different times of the day. You can always walk back out, or just spend a single night there (which can often be an experience in itself!).

Most tourist information offices will book accommodation for you, and help you find something specific to your requirements. If it is high season, and they are busy, be prepared for a wait.

Youth hostel - Although mostly still quite basic, they are an ideal cheap stop-over place, and great for young people students/itinerant travellers. You need a YHA card issued in the UK.