An imposing building at the top of the hill high above Viana, the Pousada is a welcome retreat after the twisting,winding roads leading up to it. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon, and had to negotiatenot just the bends but also crowds of pilgrims and tourists visiting the Basilica de Santa Luzia, which sits just below the Pousada. This is a driving experience not to be recommended for weary travellers at the end of a hot car journey. Choose a weekday.
The Pousada has a cool, elegant interior, with expansive public areas, chandeliers, sofas, armchairs and a beautiful terrace, and yes, that magnificent view ( according to the Receptionist, the best in the world).
Our stay for 3 nights was pleasant, comfortable and relaxed. The room had a small balcony opening on to the gardens and sea views. The beds were excellent, the bathroom tiny but functional.Luckily the soudproffing was first class otherwise the bells of the Basilica, ringing on the quarter, would have kept me awake.
Dinners was average, but the set menu only 20 Euros a head. Breakfast was very good.
Drinks from the bar ( very tempting as you sit on the terrace) are expensive. The management could consider discount vouchers for residents.
The one complaint I have about the Pousada is the endless loop of muzak, My Way, Dont cry for me Argentina and so on ( and on), such a pity in these elegant surroundings.
We stayed at the Pousada in Tavira later and were relieved to have Portuguese Fado and some Bizet playing, occasionally as we ate breakfast in the cloisters.
Eat dinner in Viana's Old Town, a compact, walkable area ( free parking after 9 pm). The distinctive pedestrianised centre is the Praca da Republica. We ate at the Adega do Padrinho, very touristy, with a pushy waitress. Much better is A Marisqueira,, Rua General Luis do Rego, a small place down a side street; a gentle, charming owner meets you with a touch of Jose Mourinho about him. His wife cooks the best roast goat I have ever tasted, and the bill was embarrassingly reasonable .

We only spent one night at this Pousada - maybe if I had been staying for longer I would have been allocated a better room - but if I had to stay longer in the very cramped room for which I paid over 110 Euros, I would have been even more displeased!
The room was spotlessly clean and fully carpeted (which is unusual in Portuguese hotels) but why so tiny? No work space or dressing table, just a bed (comfortable enough for 1 night), bedside tables, 2 boudoir chairs, a TV and a quite useless half-moon table affixed to the wall at the foot of the bed.
The staff were friendly, polite and obliging. No complaints there.
The food was good but way over priced (a common feature at Pousadas - where they tend to believe that having got you inside their remotely located establishment and away from the competiton, they can charge through the nose for food & beverages).
The menu for evening meal lacked imagination & offered only a limited choice - but still cost over €80,. for the 2 of us.
I complained to the management at being asked to pay €3,- for what is normally a complimentary bottle of drinking water in the room. I consider that scandalous. Bottled water costs between 15 & 20 cents at the supermarket!
Another aggravation was the WiFi Internet access.
I used my laptop in the residents' lounge to get on line without any problem. The hotel WiFi network allowed me access straightaway without demanding a password but when I tried to access it again from the room, I was asked to contact reception and obtain a password. Reception duly informed me that it would cost me €5,- but if I wished, I could use the public PC in the lobby for free. Does this make sense to anybody?
It certainly doesn't to me!
Viana do Castelo is a charming & attractive town and well worth a visit if touring northern Portugal. The view from the top of the hill (or "Monte" as they call it in Portuguese) is magnificent but when you have seen it, that's enough! There are numerous other hotels right in the town itself (this Pousada is 6 or 7 Kms up the hill, out of town) and restaurants of all descriptions abound so there is plenty to choose from to suit all budgets.

Pousada de Viana do Castelo (#18) and Pousada Monte de Santa Luzia (#4) are the same hotel (check the picture). We have stayed there several times and enjoyed our stay.

The service was excellent . We had reserved a twin room, and paid a little extra for a panoramic sea view, and it was certainly worth the few extra Euros. The view from our room was superb. The room itself was a normal twin-bedded room , nicely decorated. The location was at the top of a twisting narrow cobblestone road , high above the city and the Santuario de Santa Luzia basilica, perched on the wooded hill of the same name.
There is a funicular that takes you to the city , which operates until 6PM.
We dined at the hotel restaurant, the food was excellent and all the staff at the hotel , and restaurant that we encountered were helpful , friendly , and very attentive.
I would describe this hotel as elegant.