Everything about the Guest House Douro was excellent! The location was beautiful looking out on the Douro River watching all the activity, the room was beautifully appointed and spotless, the breakfast was amazing with fresh fruit and bread every morning but beyond all that were the gracious hosts that gave us our first impression of Portugal by giving us ideas of what to see, making dinner reservations for us and just being awesome.
We had a ten night stay at Guest House Douro. These are our observations:
* It is located on a lovely cobblestoned street. The street is filled with cafes, wine bars, tapas bars and restaurants.
* There are only 8 rooms. Four face the river and four face the street. We were in room 402 with a gorgeous river view. We could see the port lodges of Gaia, the Dom Luis bridge and the many cafes on the cais.
* Our room was immaculately clean. The windows are double glazed insuring a sound nights sleep. The bed and linens are of high quality. Two bathrobes are available.The bathroom is tiny but has a shower with good pressure. Toiletries and towels are ample. The room is rather small but heck, we only used it for sleeping.
* Housekeeping keeps the whole place sparkling clean.
* There is a lift/elevator to all floors.
* A special shout out to Luisa & Catarina on the front desk. They were personable, funny and extremely helpful with our restaurant bookings and tourist inquiries. A bit of advice: it is wise to make dining reservations. Porto can be very busy. They booked every night for us.
* The location of the guest house is extremely convenient. On only four occasions over ten nights did we need to take an UBER. Within one km. there is a copious amount of restaurants. Within 150 m of special note are Jimao Tapas e Vinho, Terreiro and Adega de Sao Nicolau.
* And making all this magic happen are the gracious owners Hugo & Luisa. They are in their early thirties and purchased the property six months ago. They personify Portuguese hospitality. They know the city, the customs, the etiquette and do everything in their power to make your stay enjoyable.
* The breakfast they offer is spectacular. They provide an virtual "inuksuk" of fruit. Twelve different types of fruit (dragon fruit, passion fruit, mango, kiwi, etc) carved into a tower masterfully. This is accompanied by a bread basket, pastries, cured meats, cheese, yogurt, hot beverages and juice. We seldom required lunch. In the intimate breakfast room it is nice to compare travel notes with other guests.
* Being such a tiny property there are a couple quirks that you should be aware of:
* You must book the time at which you wish to have breakfast. The breakfast room can only accommodate six or seven people.
* Generally speaking the outside door is locked at 1:00 AM. It is not a problem if you plan to be out late, you just have to let Hugo know ahead of time. He is contemplating alleviating this issue by having a night manager at the front desk.
* Since the guest house is on a narrow lane taxis and UBER cannot easily access it. It is very simple however to walk a few metres up the hill to get your ride.
As you can see by the other reviews this is more than a five star property. What they may lack in size they more than make up for it in charm, hospitality and comfort. Sure you can stay at flashier properties with bigger rooms and more bells and whistles. What you would be missing is the essential Porto experience that this property can provide you. Travel is about connecting with people and the folks at Guest House Douro will make you feel like you're being treated like family.
Used for an annual family get together of 10 people. Everyone throughly enjoyed the stay and hugely apperciated the facilities, amenities, location and the care and attention that Hugo and Louisa and their staff put into looking after the house and their guests.
We loved our time at Guest House Douro! You can tell the hosts really care about their guests experience. The room was very clean, the bed was comfortable, and the view of the river and port houses can't be beat. The location was a perfect base to walk around Porto and explore.
The breakfasts, served by Hugo and Luisa, was amazing in both presentation and quality. Reception was very helpful in securing dinner reservations and offering tips/insights on what to do and see around town.
They truly make you feel like a guest in their home, and we will definitely stay here again on our next visit to Porto.
Hugo is the owner of this hotel. He does everything possible to make your stay memorable. He provides the most amazing breakfast with home grown fruits, fresh breads with homemade jam and the most delicious coffee you have ever had. He also provides the best restaurant recommendations! The location right on the bank of the river is ideal. We hope we can go back one day.
This is one gem of a guest house! The rooms may be small, but it is huge with hospitality. Hugo and Luisa go out of there way to make you feel welcomed and comfortable. We were lucky enough to have room #202 with a small terrace overlooking the river front. I believe it to be the best room in Porto! We were greeted every morning with Luisa’s beautiful fruit sculptures which were almost too beautiful to eat! Hugo is always eager to provide information, directions, make dinner reservations or any need you may have. Truly one of our most memorable stays.
