Grande Hotel Do Porto, Porto

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money	Excellent
Standard of Service	Excellent
Quality of Food & Drink	Excellent
Cleanliness	Excellent
Quality of Facilities	Excellent

Advantages:	Those Public Rooms
Disadvantages:	Standard Rooms small, but hay that was our choice and your all the same at breakfast

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

We have just returned from a Week-end in Porto.

We were looking for a Hotel that had good location and some olde world charm, so this one seemed to tick the boxes.

We booked it thru Octopustravel.com for £165 that being for a Double Room with Buffet Breakfast for three nights (About £27 per person per night B&B).

Getting to the Hotel from the Airport can not be easier. You get the Metro from the Airport, you can not get on the wrong one as that is the start of the line, no changes necessary just stay on unti the BOLHAO stop (approx 25 mins) cost 1 Euro 85 Cents (purchase ticket from Tourist Info Booth in arrival hall, or if braver from the Ticket Machines in the Metro (Do have an English Button) for instructions.

At the Bolhao stop come up into the Street Opposite a large Church With Blue Tiles, turn corner about 90 yards later the Hotel Entrance on the right.

The Hotel has a revolving Door, but there is a small door on the left if you do not like revolving ones, or have a large case.
You then are in a large lobby with the Reception Desk on your right, the staff are very friendly and check in very quick, you are given two Door Keys (Electronic Card type) and your TV remote control.

There are Lifts but as only on first floor and hand luggage we used the Stairs.

Along the Ground floor corridor it is first flanked either side with two large very comfortable lounges with Chairs tables and News Papers available. Both lounges have Bar Press Bells to summon the Staff from the bar, very efficent.

There are then Ladies/Gents Loos further along the Corridor. Also the Bar although pleasant could do with a bit more decortaion, perhaps some pictures. It has seating and chairs, but these chairs have low backs, so we preferred the Lounges for our night caps. There is also a TV in the Bar.

Drinks like any Hotel are dearer than when you are out, but could not resist a nightcap, and it certainly does not break the bank.

At the end of the Corridor is the Restaurant, this is the Star Room of the Hotel, also serves as the Breakfast room.
A beautiful room sorry no pictures, I do not feel it is right to snap away when the room is being used, but there are some on Hotel Web Site.

As I said we were on the first floor, as we have quite a few outings we do go for the cheapest option, so had booked the basic Room, there are superior rooms available.
I must say it is prob the smallest double we have had, but that being so once we had initiated a traffic light system for moving about it was very Ok for a short say.
On entry there is a very large Wardrobe on the right with the Bathroom on the other side (again small but everything was there, very clean and very good.
Fresh Towels were supplied every day even thoug we followed instructions to indicate we were happy to have them another day, to be green and conserve water.
It had a very good hair Dryer and Satchets of Shampoo and Bath Gel replenished each day.
The remainder of the room was nearly filled with a very Comfortable Standard Double Bed, extra pillows were in the wardrobe.
There was a Small Dressing table with a small mini bar underneath.
A TV to use with the Remote control.
An Air Condition unit giving Heat or Cool air as required.

Very good two way opening windows with intregal blinds and very secure locking.

Breakfast was served from 07:00 to 10:30 in that beautiful room.

There were a selection of cartoned Fruit or Plain Yogurts.
Three types of Cerial, Corn Flakes (Good Brand) All Bran and Choc-o-nuts.

A plate of Sliced Cheese, Some Goats Cheese and a plate of Sliced Ham.
About 5 different types of small bread rolls.
Sliced bread with two toasters available.
Sweet Bread Rolls and cake.
Bowls or Jam and other speads,

The Coffee was very Good. And for the Tea lovers the hot water jug was on a Hot Plate so was always very hot (necessary for a real cup of tea)

There were also two hot servers, which had Scrambled egg (very good) and small Sausages,

So a very adequate Breakfast before exploring.

I can not comment on the food at Lunch and Dinner, but the evening Menu looked very interesting and fairly priced, but we like to adventure out, but would have been happy to go there if we had had problems (which we did not have) finding a nice local restaurant.

So to sum up I would certainly use this Hotel again and would recommend it. And the Staff and service were excellent, as we found it to be where ever we went in Porto.

Hotel Web Site WWW.GRANDEHOTELPORTO.COM

TEl 00-351-22-2076690

197 Rua Santa Catarina 4000-450 Porto.