"We stayed at the Grande Hotel de Luso for a few nights while travelling from Porto to Lisbon and wanted to see Coimbra. It is about 12 miles from Coimbra in the town of Luso which is quiet and with not a lot to do although the big attraction is the spa. There is a natural water fountain in the center of town where people will travel to fill water containers. Agua de Luso is sold all over Portugal in plastic water bottles in restaurants and stores.
The other attraction in Luso is Bussaco National Forest which we spent half a day walking and hiking and is very beautiful. As to the Grande Hotel de Luso, it is an older hotel and the rooms and furniture are a bit antiquated. The rooms are adequate and unspectacular. However, there are a few things that raise the rating of this hotel to me.
First, they have one of the best breakfast buffets that I have ever enjoyed and it is included with your stay. There is also a lunch and dinner buffet at a modest charge. We did not eat lunch but did have the dinner buffet once and were delighted at all the options and the quality of the food. For the price it is well worth it.
Second, the gym in the hotel is the best out of any of the hotels we've stayed at in Portugal. It is a large and they have a wide variety of machines and free weights and even have fitness staff on hand for personal workouts or if you need assistance. For an exercise fanatic this gym is outstanding.
The spa and pool are also great."
