** Note: I am already being nagged by some of you out there about posting a trip report of our recent marathon jaunt through Portugal, Spain, France, and the Netherlands. Life being what it is, I haven't been able to do that yet, so I will be posting a few reviews first, while I work on the larger reports.
After our recent Rick Steves Portugal tour, we stayed on a few days to enjoy Porto. We moved from the tour hotel to the smaller Na Travessa Suites, at Travessa São Sebastiano 39. We had booked a deluxe double, with balcony and breakfast; the rate in September for our room was €154 per night. There were less expensive options available, but I really wanted the balcony and extra space the deluxe offered.
Although we booked through booking.com, the owner Mariana and I communicated before and after our arrival through WhatsApp. Both Mariana and her assistant Joana were beyond helpful, going the extra mile at every opportunity.
This is a small, 8 room hotel. It has A/C, but no elevator. Our room, #7, was on the 2nd floor up – our 3rd floor. The room was big enough for us to move around in, with a queen bed, built-in shelves and drawers, a rod for hanging clothes, and an en suite bath with shower, no tub. My notes say “Very pleasant.” Oh, and a small balcony, with a view of the cathedral. Our host Mariana brought up an extra chair from the terrace for us to use on the balcony.
There was plenty of storage space, a coffee maker, and water and fresh fruit waiting for us in the room.
The public space, on the ground floor, included a lounge with book shelves, a pleasant terrace where we waited until our room was ready, and a small breakfast room. The lounge also has a large table where breakfast is served for larger groups. The décor throughout the hotel is sleek and modern. Everything was spotlessly clean.
Breakfast was very good; our breakfast table came with 3 kinds of bread, 4 or 5 fresh fruits, 3 cheeses, ham, sausage, and some sweet pastries. Joana offered to fix us some eggs, as well, but we declined. Hot coffee and tea, freshly squeezed orange juice, and water were also offered. The breads, fruits, cheeses, meats, and pastries were already on our table when we sat down; Joana took our requests for beverages and eggs.
The amount of food was very generous; I don’t think we finished what was on our table. I complimented the fresh white cheese that first morning, saying it tasted homemade, and the next morning a triple portion was on our table!
The location is excellent; it’s on a tiny, quiet, back street just minutes from the train station and the cathedral. It’s close to shopping areas as well, and an easy walk to the river.
This was a delightful stay; should we ever return to Porto, we will definitely book a room here. Highly recommended.