One Shot Palácio Cedofeita

It felt special staying in such an old palace, and the whole city and hotel felt safe. The shopping street is right outside, and we enjoyed a good Thai massage, visited nice authentic restaurants, and bought souvenirs. Of all the hotels we stayed at in Portugal, this one was the best. The dining room is beautifully grand, breakfast was rich, and I loved that they had champagne. We’d paid for breakfast in advance, but that hadn’t been clearly communicated to the breakfast staff. We weren’t on the list, were repeatedly accused of not paying, and were nearly thrown out in front of the other guests. The unpleasant feeling soon eased once we had some bubbly champagne. We also enjoyed the infinity pool in the garden. The sauna wasn’t hot enough, and despite raising it with reception more than five times over several days, they couldn’t fix it. It also has no sand timer. The soft piano background music was a nice choice, though sometimes quiet would be even better. Less is more.

The sauna is large and gets very hot, a great way to unwind after being out. The gym is small, but has everything needed for a full body workout. The rooms were neat and clean, and the staff were friendly and helpful throughout. With restaurants, coffee shops, and stores all within walking distance, the location was ideal for a weekend. We loved the hotel and will definitely be back.

Because it’s a little outside Porto city centre, it was possible to relax by the small private pool without crowds fighting for sunbeds or loud music and noise. The hotel itself is a lovely old palace that’s been beautifully refurbished, with excellent rooms and staff who were helpful and friendly all day. If we return to Porto, we’d almost certainly stay here again for the location, facilities, pool area, and great staff.

Someone came into my room while I was having breakfast and stole my backpack. It held my personal documents, money, and important work materials. This incident made the hotel feel completely lacking in security. The reception staff’s response made things worse. They weren’t ready to deal with something this serious. At first they tried to make me feel responsible, and there was no real help, empathy, or professional follow-up. I strongly advise people considering a stay to think twice. I found the hotel unsafe and the staff unable to manage an emergency properly. I wouldn’t recommend it or return.