The best boutique hotels in Porto
In Porto they work, in Braga they pray, in Coimbra they study and in Lisbon they play, goes the old adage. But these days the inhabitants of Porto, commonly known as ‘tripe eaters’ (due to a moment in the 15th century when the people gave their meat supplies to feed their army, leaving only tripe for themselves) seem to play as hard as they work. And what a playground Porto has become.
Seriously good restaurants have popped up all over the city and historical houses are opening as sleek boutique hotels, gentrifying the city’s granite landscape as they do. A handful of new museums are keeping visitors another day or two, allowing them to really get under the skin of this city which gave its name to the country from its Roman days as Portus Cale. Read on to discover the best boutique hotels in Porto for your stay.
How we review
Every hotel in this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis. They stay for a minimum of one night, test at least one meal and trial other experiences that the hotel might have to offer.
The impressive Torel Palace takes over the 1861-built Palacete Campos Navarro, which is considered one of the finest examples of Porto’s period of romantic architecture. This heritage site turned boutique hotel lies at the heart of the city, close to Batalha Square, São João National Theatre and Santo Ildefonso Church. A focal point of the heritage merchant-built building is its remarkable skylight featuring eight decorative panels. Ceilings are then covered in rich stucco while other period details like the central staircase remain. The small hotel’s 24 rooms are joined by a restaurant, lap pool and wellness suite.
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The Porto A.S. 1829 Hotel sees the reimagination of one of Europe’s oldest stationery shops into a boutique hotel. The modern but cosy hideaway reflects its roots with artefacts from the 1829-opened stationery store. Typewriters, antique cabinets and photographs of the old store feature throughout the red-carpeted corridors while light timber floors and sage coloured panelling distinguish the lobby. The hotel’s 41 rooms are decorated in slate grey and olive with vintage details like rotary dial telephones included. Its warm and inviting restaurant, Galeria do Largo, is ideal for people watching with its floor to ceiling windows and outdoor terrace.
Porto’s long-established connection to wine provides the leading inspiration for this boutique hotel high up on the south slope of the Douro River. A decanter-shaped pool and 33,000-bottle cellar are central to this overriding theme, with the spa also offering treatments utilising grapes. Ten storeys set across a seven-acre hillside site house 89 rooms and 20 suites, the gastronomic and orangerie restaurants, a bar and bistro as well as the spa. Public spaces fill the upper floors and spill out onto terraces with panoramic city and river views. From here it’s a 10-minute walk down to the riverside.
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Centrally located Torel 1884 succeeds in retaining the glamour of the 19th-century palace it calls home. Expect high ceilings, vast windows and heritage details like the original staircase and crowning skylight. Decorated in natural hues such as olive green, deep blue, terracotta and sand, the common areas and expansive rooms pair these decorative heritage details with contemporary elements. In addition to its 12 rooms and suites, the intimate hotel has a 32-seat restaurant and wine bar where everything revolves around wine, a guest-only lounge and library as well as an honesty bar.
Porto’s five-star InterContinental hotel takes over a converted monastery-cum-palace at the heart of this city’s historic centre. The hotel is neoclassical in design with chandeliers illuminating the marbled foyer featuring velvet seating and a high-end shopping arcade. Old photography of Porto decorates the walls and contemporary artworks hang in the restaurant and bar. The guest rooms, designed to represent the authenticity of Porto, are both spacious and elegant. The shared guest amenities here range from a fine dining restaurant and sophisticated bar to leisure facilities including a wellness centre with treatment rooms, a gym and sauna.
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Vila Foz transforms a 19th-century villa facing the ocean in the upmarket district of Foz. This charming heritage site, which retains many of its original elements, lies alongside a modern extension offering a more contemporary aesthetic. Views take in the ocean and surrounding gardens. While the original villa has just seven rooms and a gastronomic restaurant, the extension houses another 61 rooms, along with a spa, indoor swimming pool and restaurant. Bikes are available for guest use and there’s a daily shuttle into the city centre. A vintage Rolls-Royce transports guests to and from the airport.
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This characterful boutique property sits above the famed 1903-opened Café A Brasileira in Porto’s city centre. The hotel spans six floors and is distinguished inside by interiors that are designed by Brazilian designer Jaime Morais to celebrate the spices the Portuguese brought back during their Golden Age of Discovery. Each floor provides a sensory immersion in line with this theme. Downstairs, the lobby and restaurant feature turn-of-the-century décor including marble, gilding and mosaics. The hotel has 90 rooms, some of which have balconies overlooking the city, and there’s an interior courtyard for soaking up the sun.
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Art Deco elegance shines through at Le Monumental Palace, which is housed within a 1923-built Gothic site on Avenida dos Aliados, within easy walking distance of the cathedral district. The interiors, designed by a local design duo, combine the building’s Art Deco elements with 21st-century luxury, black and white photographs and a palette of turquoise and muted gold. Bespoke furnishings decorate the hotel’s 76 rooms and suites and some of these rooms come with balconies. The hotel is also home to two gastronomic restaurants, a mezzanine and spa with indoor pool.
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Intriguingly, this inviting boutique hotel in Porto’s Freixo suburb spans an 18th-century baroque-style palace and its neighbouring flour mill. A frescoed lobby leads to the baroque-style palace’s restaurant and bar and a covered walkway then guides guests to the rooms and spa, which occupy the former mill. An infinity pool, heated indoor pool, sauna and steam room count among the site’s inviting amenities, with a riverfront promenade for soaking up the hotel’s setting right on the bank of the Douro River. The hotel is two miles from the city centre but a free shuttle transports guests each way every 30 minutes.
Vinha Boutique Hotel occupies a renovated 16th-century manor, which sits on the banks of the Douro River in a quiet part of Vila Nova de Gaia. You can walk to a nearby river beach in just five minutes. Within this reimagined manor house and its new adjoining wing, common areas fuse the historic and contemporary, echoes of Mid-Century Modern and touches of inspiration from East Asia. Abundant in amenities, the hotel has two restaurants, two bars and a Sisley Paris spa with an indoor pool and thermal facilities. The hotel’s 38 rooms draw inspiration from international fashion houses.
Contributions by Yolanda Carslaw, Katie Monk, Trish Lorenz & Emily McAuliffe
