Hotel da Bolsa

Situated in the heart of Porto's historic district, Hotel da Bolsa is housed in a historic 19th-century building of six floors. In a city packed with trendy boutique hotels, the style here won't win any awards, though it does make for a fine jumping off point for exploring the city. The small lobby is homey, and has a sitting area and a big-screen TV, with a rack of tourist brochures. The well-lighted breakfast room has dark-wood tables and chairs, and the warm, colorful bar, with wood ceilings and paneling, and red-and-green upholstered chairs, is a gathering spot for guests. Still, most guests won't be found hanging out at the hotel, given the lack of interesting features. Despite it's simple style, the hotel is popular with all manner of leisure travelers, especially couples.

Hotel da Bolsa has an outstanding central location in the heart of Porto's historic district, within walking distance of nearly all of Porto's major attractions. Numerous cafes, restaurants, wine bars, bars, and shops are in the immediate vicinity. The hotel is a two-minute walk to the Igreja da Misericordia, a 16th-century Baroque church, and Teatro Marionetas do Porto (Marionette Theater). It's a three-minute walk to the Igreja Paroquial da Vitoria church and Miradouro da Vitoria, with its sweeping views over the city and Douro River. It's a two-minute walk down the hill to Infante D. Henrique Square, the 19th-century neoclassical Bolsa Palace, and the 14th-century Gothic Monument Church of St. Francis. Porto Cathedral is perched on a rock formation overlooking the city -- about a five-minute walk from the hotel. Expect a five-minute walk to Sao Bento Metro and train stations as well. About a minute's walk north of the station is Praca da Liberdade (Liberty Square), Porto's main square dating from the Belle Epoque era. The oldest part of the city, the UNESCO World Heritage-protected Ribeira Square, sits along the River Douro -- about a five-minute walk down the hill from the hotel. Just east of the square are Dom Luis I Bridge and Guindais funicular to Batalha. The hotel is a 20-minute drive to Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport.

The 34 rooms at Hotel da Bolsa are simple and traditional, with mid-tone wood floors, basic furniture, and headboards, plus white bedding with earth-tone throws. The color palette is a warm brown, beige, and cream. A lone black-and-white photo of historic Porto hangs above the beds in most rooms, though otherwise the decor is about as plain as can be, a bit disappointing in a city that has so many stylish boutique properties. Rooms are clean and well maintained, though some lower-level rooms might pick up street noise. Additionally, some rooms -- like the Standard Room and Big Room that we visited -- have only half-windows that limit the amount of natural light. Rooms range from 183 square feet (17 square meters) to 258 square feet (24 square meters), so some are compact, but not unreasonably so for Europe. All 34 rooms come with air-conditioning, safes, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with English-language and satellite channels. Rooms lack coffeemakers, minibars, and mini-fridges. Some rooms offer good city and river views. Modern bathrooms are well lit, and all come with hairdryers, magnifying mirrors, bidets, and rainfall showers, but some have limited space around the sink and most lack bathtubs. 

As a relatively small hotel in the middle of Porto's densely packed historic district, features here are predictably limited. Hotel da Bolsa serves a good continental breakfast (for a fee) with cold cuts, cheeses, croissants, cakes, pastries, breads, fruit, fresh juices, coffee, and tea. The cocktail bar serves light fare and cocktails, with local ports and wines on hand. The hotel has an an arrangement with a nearby port house for guests to receive free tours and tastings. There's also a business corner, 24-hour front desk, tourist assistance, child care (for a fee), and airport transfers (for a fee). Nearby parking is available for a fee and Wi-Fi is free throughout.