Porto hotels

Perched on a hill with glorious views of the Douro River, Torel Avantgarde is one of the best hotels in Porto for lovers of Portuguese art and design. Each room is dedicated to a painter, writer, designer or musician, with décor that references each artist’s work.

Many of the 39 guestrooms and 21 suites feature balconies with river views. The infinity pool, which overlooks the river, is inviting despite being unheated, and a hot tub is conveniently located next to it. Guests can also enjoy a small indoor pool, gym, steam room and spa that offers massages and facials.

Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, you can enjoy the views and modern Portuguese cuisine at restaurant Digby. Try the delicious gazpacho with prawns and the rice with clams, coriander and garlic.

Located near Campo Martires da Patria in the hip Bombardo neighbourhood, this bijoux hotel is owned by brother and sister architects Patrícia and Emanuel de Sousa. Featuring just seven individually designed suites, they’ve done a fine job furnishing the 18th-century townhouse with vintage and modern pieces.

Wooden floors, subtle lighting, free-standing tubs, original decorative ceilings and contemporary art create a lovely blend of the old and new. With its gorgeous top suites, this is one of the best hotels in Porto for couples looking for a romantic getaway.

My favourite, the King Grand Deluxe Garden Suite in the attic, has a double-height ceiling with exposed wooden beams and a spacious balcony. Breakfast, lunch and dinner (with port) are served in the lovely dining room or in the pretty garden. A tasting menu for dinner is available on request. Locals come for the Sunday brunch, so you know it’s good.

A 10-minute walk from the striking Beaux Arts Sao Bento Railway Station, this converted 18th-century townhouse is one of the best hotels in Porto.

Lovely Portuguese design features include original azulejos, ornate plasterwork and wrought iron window frames. Each of the 10 suites is uniquely decorated with French antiques, while deluxe rooms have balconies with city or courtyard views.

Room rates include a continental breakfast with delicious homemade pastries. Nouvelle Vague is their Parisian-style bistro serving classic French dishes like terrine de foie gras, snails, crepes suzette and profiteroles, as well as a good selection of port wines. There’s also weekly live music.

Only a minute away is the beautiful São Jão National Theatre, where you can take a guided tour and enjoy a play (some with English subtitles). Or check out the historic food market, Mercado do Bolhão, a five-minute stroll away.

This converted 16th-century manor house with its pink exterior, expansive gardens and guestrooms inspired by fashion houses, is one of the best hotels in Porto. Fashion lovers will find it difficult to choose a room, designed as an homage to the likes of Kenzo, Ralph Lauren, Missoni and Christian Lacroix.

The two master suites are the most lavish, with one created by illustrator Nigel Peake for Hermès and the other inspired by Etro. Two bars and a fine dining restaurant and brasserie are led by chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, of two Michelin-starred Alma in Lisbon. Meanwhile, the spa, one of the best in the city, is by Sisley Paris and houses extensive facilities including an indoor pool and hammam.

If you can bear to leave, there’s a courtesy water taxi from the hotel’s private pier going to the UNESCO neighbourhood of Ribeira.

Of the three Torel properties in the city, this is my favourite. The palace, built in 1861 for a wealthy family of cloth and wine exporters, opened as a hotel in 2020 after a meticulous restoration and is now one of the best hotels in Porto. The architectural and decorative elements are incredible.

It’s worth staying here just to see the stunning skylight at the top of the hotel, featuring eight panels with floral motifs and Roman gods, including Mercury, god of commerce, and Minerva, goddess of arts and science. The rooms are named after Portuguese writers and poets, whose portraits were painted by Jorge Curval and hang in each room.

The bathrooms are an interesting modern design feature in themselves, housed in mirrored, marble-lined cubes, some in the centre of the room. Meanwhile, guests and locals alike rave about the hotel’s restaurant, Blind.

With all the key features you’d expect from a 5-star hotel brand in the city centre, it’s no surprise this is among the best hotels in Porto. Located on Praça da Liberdade, it has a spa and wellness centre, as well as extremely spacious guestrooms. There’s even a two-level suite with a generous outdoor terrace overlooking Avenida dos Aliados.

Crystal chandeliers, wooden and marble floors and high ceilings remind you that this was once an 18th-century palace. The on-site restaurant Astoria offers modern Portuguese cuisine – try the delicious rice dish with mountain mushrooms and crispy pork cheek.

Nearby, Torre dos Clérigos, Porto’s tallest building, provides spectacular city views if you can manage the 240 steps to the top of this 76-metre bell tower. And visitors looking for Porto’s best nightlife should head to Rua da Galeria de Paris, which is packed with clubs and bars – and conveniently located on the hotel’s doorstep.

You’ll find memorabilia from one of the world’s oldest stationery shops, Papelaria Araújo & Sobrinho, at the modern Porto A.S. 1829 Hotel. This 4-star lodging has 41 characterful guestrooms and a popular restaurant, Galeria do Largo. Once an art gallery, it serves hearty Portuguese stews of seafood, wild boar, lamb or duck. For dessert lovers, I recommend The Roses (white chocolate brûlée with raspberries and rose ice cream).

A must-visit attraction nearby is Palácio da Bolsa, the chamber of commerce. There, a guided tour reveals Portuguese paintings and sculptures, the office of Gustav Eiffel (where he planned his numerous Porto projects) and the Arab Room, used today to receive foreign heads of state.

Also close by is the city’s best viewpoint, Miradouro da Vitória, overlooking the Ribeira, the Dom Luis bridge, the Se and Bishop's Palace and Porto’s classic terracotta roofs.

Part of the Relais & Châteaux collection and home to a restaurant with two Michelin Stars, The Yeatman is one of the best hotels in Porto. As a fan of port, I love the location on a hill among the Port wine lodges.

Spanning 28,000 square metres, the hotel features both outdoor and indoor infinity pools, as well as a Wine Spa. The 82 guestrooms each have a balcony or terrace with décor inspired by various Portuguese wine producers. The Bacchus suite has a round copper bathtub, a freestanding fireplace and a rotating bed that you can position to see the view or the television. The presidential suite is even more opulent with one bed inside a port wine barrel and its own private pool.

Award-winning Portuguese chef Ricardo Costa’s outstanding tasting menu, which changes regularly, is seafood-focused with local prawns, red mullet and turbot.

Set within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this hotel is spread over 18 buildings, some dating back to the 16th century, and the city’s old medieval walls run through it. It’s undoubtedly one of the best hotels in Porto for history lovers. Located on the banks of the Douro, the two restaurants and bars are excellent for al fresco drinks and dining. As the name suggests, Rib Beef & Wine specializes in steak and the Chateaubriand is particularly good.

For lighter bites, the Heritage Bar & Bistro offers charcuterie and burgers. You’ll find stylish modern touches like black-and-white photographs in the halls and contemporary wallpaper, while guestroom décor is in a chic, neutral palette.

The Vintage River View Balcony rooms have large French windows that open onto a private terrace, where you’ll enjoy expansive views of the river, the Dom Luis I Bridge and the Gaia Port Wine Cellars.

If you’re keen on being super central, this is one of the best hotels in Porto. It faces the majestic Avenida dos Aliados, with its grand neoclassical buildings, and buzzy Rua do Almada, home to trendy shops and galleries. Wacky design by studio Ding Dong offers a riot of bold colours, textures and clashing wallpapers in the 68 guestrooms. The bar, meanwhile, features circus-themed murals by Porto artist Sofia Torres, including monkeys, horses and tigers.

My favourite suite overlooking Avenida dos Aliados has a cherry-red, free-standing bathtub, while toiletries by Portuguese brands Castlebel and Claus are a bonus. The heated pool on the roof terrace is petite but long enough for laps and there’s a chic terrace on one side with loungers. Ilícito restaurant features a creative menu by chef André Silva, with interesting pairings like lobster and barbecue chicken with popcorn, truffle and foie gras sauce.