Best Chain Hotels in Porto

Immerse yourself in Porto’s history by bunking down in the city’s old post office. Once you know this small detail about the bright red building’s past, the stamp printed carpet, postcards in the corridors and rubber stamp wall features all make sense. Moreover, rewind back to the 18th century when the building lived the high life as a palace, and you’ll understand the NH’s rather stately appearance. 

The five-star Porto Palácio is a schmick hotel with elegant rooms, marble bathrooms and a splendid spa. It’s geared towards business travellers, but if you’re a fan of getting your zen on in a mood-lit underground pool with steam, spray and bubble jets galore, you might just fancy this hotel too. . The location towards Porto’s seaside means the Palácio has some pleasant ocean views, and the hotel’s swish rooftop lounge mimics the feel of the Park Hyatt Tokyo’s New York Bar (ok, so at 19 stories, maybe it’s not quite as tall, but it’s a good effort for Porto). 

The Crowne Plaza is located in Porto’s commercial district of Boavista and is geared towards business travellers. The 232-room hotel has a few stories to tell though, with big names like Bob Dylan, Liza Minnelli, Prince Charles and Princess Diana walking through its doors since the building’s opening in 1984. (The hotel has changed names over the years and became the Crowne Plaza in 2014). Guest comfort is a priority at the Crowne, with double-glazed windows blocking out traffic noise from the busy Avenida da Boavista, and nice extras like lavender pillow spray are offered to facilitate a revitalising snooze.