Thomaz Palace

We spent five days here while visiting Porto. It’s in a quiet spot, with downtown and the river easy to reach. The apartment was spotless, and the local team were easy to contact and deal with. We’d consider staying here again if we return.

The apartment itself was spacious, nicely decorated and fully equipped, and we had a peaceful night there. The parking was useful, though getting into it was tight with our car. Anyone driving a larger vehicle should be careful, since the street is narrow and maneuvering is difficult. We arrived around 10 p.m. with the kids asleep in the car. As expected at that hour, nobody was at reception, but we’d been sent instructions for opening the doors and getting the apartment key from a safe. The safe assigned to me was empty. I called the number sent by WhatsApp, and after apologizing, they quickly told me about a master key in another safe. We followed the instructions, went up to the second floor and tried apartment 23. My wife and I spent at least ten minutes trying to open it while the kids waited on the floor, but the key wouldn’t work. After another call, we were directed to apartment 25, which was the same type and available. Its door opened on the first try. The following morning, after breakfast, we were getting ready to leave for an 11 a.m. appointment when a WhatsApp message asked me to return the master key to reception and pick up the key for apartment 25. I said that was fine since we were about to go. At reception, Mr. Hélder Costa exchanged the keys and then asked me to sit down. I told him I was in a hurry, but he insisted that the key did open apartment 23. I explained that my wife and I had both tried for ten minutes without success, while apartment 25 opened immediately, so there had to be a problem. Mr. Hélder said he understood we were tired and that was why we couldn’t open the door. He kept arguing until I asked what the point of the conversation was and said he was being unpleasant. He even took a lock cylinder from a drawer and put a key into it to show me “that’s how it works.” I told him I wanted to open the door more than anyone, but couldn’t. Since he wouldn’t let it go, I offered to go with him to apartment 23 and try the key together, as this seemed so important to him. He refused, saying he couldn’t leave reception. I ended the conversation and again said I needed to leave because I was already running late. Then Mr. Hélder suddenly became visibly agitated, gestured at us and shouted, “If you leave the reception, you leave the hotel and I'll change your locks!” My wife and I couldn’t believe it. Faced with this bizarre scene, she immediately decided we should collect our bags and leave. Our children had seen everything and, confused, asked why we were being expelled. When we came back with the bags, I asked for the complaints book. Mr. Hélder was still worked up and replied, “Don't call me colleague, I’m not your colleague.” His tone and words stunned us. He seemed clearly unbalanced. The only explanation I can think of is that he was upset over the initial mistake with the wrong key in the safe, but I can’t say for certain. I filled out the complaints book and we left. I was given an envelope with the superior’s contact details and part of the booking amount. Later, the superior was equally surprised when I contacted them, and refunded the rest, so the entire reservation was reimbursed. I deeply regret how this turned out. We travel to Porto regularly and really liked the location and apartment, but after such a serious experience we would never consider returning. Unbelievable.

We appreciated having off-street parking, though getting our mid-size SUV into the building was difficult. A friendly staff member welcomed us and marked places to see on a map. The apartment was pleasant and well equipped, but the bedroom and bathroom were small. A few minor maintenance issues and better sound insulation would help. Even so, we enjoyed our stay.

We felt safe in the area, with a busy market nearby and plenty of places to grab snacks. The riverfront is about a mile away. Our room, number 15, was a good size and had all the amenities we wanted, and the beds were comfortable. It was also very quiet, and the place was spotless. Communication with the team was quick, easy and courteous, both in writing and in person. I’d recommend it and would stay again.