Caldeira Guest House

I slept really well in my room at the back, though I imagine the front rooms may be noisier, so it's worth asking for one facing the rear. The rooms were clean and roomy, and the owners were friendly. Breakfast was straightforward but tasty, with juice, coffee, tea, fruit, bread, eggs, cheese, cold cuts and more. For such a central spot, it's lovely value for money.

The room had problems too: the AC wasn't working, and the shower door looked ready to come off. But the noise was the worst part. Bar music went on until 3 a.m., then another group kept thumping away until 5. I went to the front desk and found nobody there. I got maybe two hours of sleep before it started again. At checkout the owner just shrugged, as if it wasn't his problem. The noise was unbearable wherever you were in the hotel. Stay away if you value your sanity.

I had a good stay, and I'm puzzled by the bad reviews. It's a no-frills place, but the staff were welcoming and my room was clean and tidy. At that price, it's hard to find another option in the historic center. Booking.com has lots of reviews and an average rating well above 8, so maybe some people mixed it up with somewhere else?

The owners were helpful and friendly, and the breakfast was simple. It's a basic, family-run guesthouse, with no fancy extras and no lift, which isn't surprising in Porto. My room was small but clean. The location put me right among the places I was visiting, though the area is busy, especially with the university nearby. At the back, nights were quiet, but the window faced a wall, so there was no view. Depends what matters more to you.