ibis Porto Centro São Bento

The staff gave us such a warm welcome, and the whole place had a relaxed, friendly feel. The room's modern, interesting design made the stay more enjoyable. It's one of the nicest Ibis hotels I've stayed at, and I'd definitely return.

My room at the back was quiet, apart from rain dripping onto the window sill. The bed was comfortable, and I liked that the sheets stayed put when I got in. The rooms are fairly basic, with no tea or coffee facilities and no fridge or minibar, but the staff were pleasant and breakfast was good. The hotel is well located on the edge of the historic centre, though the approach to the entrance wasn't the most salubrious. One small annoyance was the loose shower head bracket. The water pressure was all that held the head in place, and I had to catch it when I turned off the shower.

The rooms are basic but clean, and our towels were changed every day. Staff were friendly. This hotel sits just outside the main tourist areas, and most places are within a 20 minute walk, though there are plenty of steep hills. There was no fridge or kettle in our room, but we could buy hot drinks at the bar. We paid for breakfast on our last morning, rather than pre-booking. There was a good selection for around €10. There's also a cafe in the supermarket below. We found just one power point, by the window and across the room from the mirror, so bring a long extension lead for straighteners. The bathroom hairdryer was very good.

For €143 per night, this stay was very disappointing. The hotel was basic and in a rather run down part of Porto. The restaurant menu was mostly unavailable, and what they did serve seemed like ready meals reheated to order. My chicken curry tasted okay, but it was lukewarm. The room was minimalist, and I had to ask reception for a kettle and borrow cups from the restaurant.