Casas do Porto - Ribeira Apartments

It’s a modern, lovely apartment just a few minutes from Ribeira and the Douro River, and the hosts were welcoming and quick to respond. There’s no housekeeping unless you stay at least five nights. The elevator was out of order sometimes, and at first the apartment door can be fiddly to lock or unlock if you’re not used to double-security doors.

Hot water was the biggest drawback. The tank is small, so the host asked everyone to keep showers to about 10 minutes, then wait 10-15 minutes for the water to heat again. Even though there were two showers, only one person could use one at a time. With six people, getting a 10-minute hot shower each could take around two hours. We stayed in the Panoramic 3 Bedroom Apartment, which had plenty of room for six, nice city views, and a great view of the New Year’s Eve fireworks. The host left little New Year’s Day gifts, and the location was great. Just remember this is a private sublet, not a hotel, so hotel amenities aren’t included. The apartment was sparsely stocked: we had to ask for a small tissue box, which ran out after two days of our four-day stay, and one bathroom had no hand soap. The shower/bath product was all-in-one rather than separate shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

We were on the first floor, with the bedrooms facing the street, so there was some noise, especially since it was the weekend. Still, it wasn’t too bad, and the location is so good that we’d happily recommend this place. We traveled with three children, two in pushchairs, and didn’t need public transport at all. The apartment was clean and comfortable. They provided a cot, baby bath, highchair, playmat, and soft toy, plus Easter chocolates. There’s a lift, though you need to manage a few steps at the entrance to reach it. The team communicated really well, and they helped us arrange a great airport transfer.

Barbara brought us a homemade orange cake that was out of this world. Our group still talks about it! The beds were super comfortable, and Olivia’s place was beautifully decorated, well cared for, and right in the center. There’s an elevator, and from there you can walk to Old Town, the bridge, and the waterfront. Olivia and her team were quick to respond and helpful with local suggestions. Everything matched the listing. We had a wonderful stay and would definitely recommend this Airbnb.