Residencial Bela Star

The building is very old, moisture collects all over the bathroom, and the electrical sockets look dangerous. The cleaning service does a good job, probably the only positive thing I can say. The hosts don’t speak English. They told me, “This is Portugal and we speak Portuguese,” so be prepared. We got by with gestures and Google Translate. You get what you pay for, I guess. If you need a last-minute bed in Porto, it’s okay.

The place looked dirty and unpleasant, so we decided not to stay. The man at reception was incredibly rude and unwelcoming. I walked in without buzzing because the sign was in Portuguese, which I don’t speak, and he accosted me. Then my Portuguese girlfriend came in and was verbally attacked for my “ignorance” and insulted herself because we’d arrived before check-in. I wouldn’t recommend it, especially if you’re foreign and don’t understand what you’re meant to do. I can’t see why anyone would choose it when there’s a cleaner, more modern and more accommodating hotel around the corner for about 10 euros more. You can definitely do better, even at this low price.

PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND DO NOT STAY HERE. We arrived early and said we could leave and come back at check-in time, no problem. The owner was furious anyway and made racist remarks, including, “You Latin Americans are all the same.” He shouted at my girlfriend and treated her with anger and disrespect over a small, insignificant issue. We stayed calm and spoke politely, but every sentence from the hostel owner was full of anger and disrespect. We cancelled the booking and left immediately. The rudest, most aggressive host we’ve ever encountered.

There was no doorknob on the bathroom door, and the floor drain barely took any water away, so the bathroom kept flooding. The room hadn’t been cleaned while we were out. When the two of us arrived, the receptionist said the room was booked for one person, which wasn’t true, and told us we had to pay extra. We did, since it was nighttime. He and the other employees didn’t speak English. Wouldn’t recommend.