Hostwise Reviews 

Charming Flat with balcony in Portimao by Hostwise
Oct 2026
Property located at Portimão, portugal
Sep 23, 2026 - Oct 7, 2026
EXTREMELY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT FROM HOSTWISE
Very poor communication by both VRBO and Hostwise with absolutely no way to contact a live body at VRBO or Hostwise. Only way to communicate with HOSTWISE via text they are very slow to respond. When they responded information was either completely not applicable to the property or insufficient to be of of any use. No parking access code provided by host 24 hrs after check-in and even then still unable to park car as all of the access info not disclosed or wrong so we had to park offsite. Access was achieved only with aid of other tenants. Daily parking cost on street is 7.60 euros.In regard to the unit itself pictures make unit appear much larger than it is. Bed size is "double" not queen or king. Drinking glasses included 1 wine glass, 2 mugs, 1 tumbler, 1 small juice glass and 2 coffee mugs. No instructions were left for use of any of the appliances. Coffee maker is an espresso machine and NOT a coffee machine. Balcony view is street views only of a very busy street which remains very busy with noisy motorcycles until the early morning hours. No instructions re garbage disposal. One day there was no water or elevators and Hostwise was unable to provide any info. There is no onsite manager and no way to contact.Our first three days were not pleasant. It took 2 hours to actually get in to unit once we arrived. We will never again use either Hostwise or VRBO.

Everything was better than expected! The whole process was simple and seamless, the conditions were great, and everyone was always willing to help and make everything as easy as possible. Will definitely be back, really recommend.

Title: Ruined holiday, deceptive marketing, and shocking double standards
We paid £673 for a 3-night stay at the "Bright Flat w/ terrace in Cabanas de Tavira" managed by HostWise, and it completely ruined our first family trip to Portugal.
The Check-In Disaster: We arrived at the arranged 15:00 check-in time in stifling 30°C+ heat. We were forced to sit outside in the sun with our luggage for over 40 minutes because the cleaning crew were still inside the apartment . They were running late because HostWise had allowed the previous guests a late check-out.
HostWise’s Double Standards: When I requested a late check-out for my elderly husband who has a medical condition, HostWise flatly refused. Instead of showing basic human empathy, they tried to extort a ridiculous £200 fee for a few hours of extra shelter. There is no reception or luggage storage on-site.
Deceptive Listings: The "accessible terrace" is unusable because it houses a massive, roaring, heat-blasting commercial AC unit right next to the seats. The pool is not next to the apartment as the photos imply; you have to cross a busy public road with a key fob to reach it.
Appalling Customer Service: HostWise staff were actively hostile, at one point emailing me the words: "we don’t want to help you."
I have officially escalated this management company to the Portuguese Electronic Complaints Portal (Livro de Reclamações Eletrónico). Avoid HostWise at all costs if you value your money, your holiday, and your dignity.Images / timeline of events captured. The possibility of a late check- out was made clear on the sale of contract of which I have a screen shot.
**It should be noted that HostWise contacted me on 16 August via email whilst I was travelling to Portugal and when I did not have access to my emails.The email covered general accommodation issues. I did not have access to my emails until I returned home. The air conditioning unit was very large and permanently fixed to a wall on the balcony / terrace ,directly facing and blowing hot air onto the seating area . There would be no possibility of removing the unit or making the area more comfortable as the unit serviced the entire apartment. I have NOT requested a full refund, but politely requested a more than fair 30% reduction of the total price paid. It is noted HostWise’s response of the 4 September to my review is in Portuguese which I have since translated.HostWise initially raised concerns with Trust Pilot that my honest review of their accommodation was “ defamatory”. Trust Pilot found this to be unfounded.

Absolute Scam – Do Not Book This Place
I had to cancel my reservation less than 24 hours after booking due to an unforeseen emergency. The host refused to issue a refund, hiding behind an uncompromising "strict" cancellation policy to keep 100% of my money for a stay that was still weeks away.
Zero Flexibility: The host had plenty of time to rebook the dates, but chose instead to pocket hundreds of dollars for zero work.
Terrible Communication: When I reached out to explain the situation, I was met with cold, canned responses and complete indifference.
Unethical Practice: Taking full payment when a guest cancels almost immediately is nothing short of predatory.
Save yourself the headache and book with a host who actually values customer service and basic decency. I will never stay here, and I strongly recommend everyone else steer clear.

The main reason that I booked the place was there's 4 little steps to get all the way into the unit it's on the 1st floor and they claim that there's parking rate outside the door. We pulled in at the property location looked at our email and seen that there was a message that there is limited parking around the area because of an event going on. Asked if they could help us with that of finding parking that I did not have to try to walk and their answer was there's a garage about blocks away Go park there and pay whatever they want or cancel your reservation with no refund. Good luck to understanding any of these people for the english that they speak is very poor. "I will talk to the team and get back to you" then they blow you off.

ótima experiência, a acomodação era limpa e bem cheirosa

Very professional - thank you so much for the experience!

Gostei muito.
Tudo tratado com muito profissionalismo.

Estadia fantástica na Casa Noronha de Lima. Um alojamento muito acolhedor, perfeito para relaxar e desfrutar da tranquilidade da natureza. A equipa foi extremamente simpática e atenciosa, tornando a experiência ainda mais especial. Recomendo vivamente e espero voltar em breve.

Uma excelente estadia.
Sentimo-nos verdadeiramente bem-vindos durante a estadia. Recomendo o alojamento e o serviço da Hostwise sem qualquer hesitação e voltaria a ficar aqui numa próxima visita. Muito obrigada por toda a hospitalidade.

Truly amazing experience. Booking process was easy and user friendly and everything went perfect during the stay. Will recommend.

I asked hostwise for help because i booked a vacation last min… they offered me 3 places really fast… thank you. Me and my family appreciate it

Gostamos imenso. Podem melhorar um bocado na comunicação para não ser tão automática.

Grupo de 9 pessoas ficamos numa casa com piscina foi incrível!

Equipa profissional. Obrigada pelo carinho!

Excelente localização, acomodação fantástica, superou todas as espectativas.

Estadia maravilhosa! Apartamento limpo e cheiroso, com certeza voltarei a me hospedar nos apartamentos da Host Wise.
#Recomendo!

Great apartments and customer support experience. We had a small trouble with the check-in due to our fault and the customer support helped us immediately

Fui com a minha mulher correu tudo as mil maravilhas obrigada pela experiencia

I booked a house with HostWise and me and my husband liked it a lot! Thanks for the experience