Vilar Oporto Hotel

The hotel and conference centre really need a refurbishment. I wasn’t staying overnight, but some of my colleagues were, and they complained about smelly rooms, worn bathrooms and utilities, and poor noise insulation. The bathrooms I saw were worn out and sometimes broken, and the furniture throughout looked like it was from the 70s or 80s, in a bad way. The meeting rooms are spread over four levels, which makes it inconvenient to move between them. They were worn out too, as were the auditorium’s seats and floor. There’s a huge Jesus statue next to the stage in the main auditorium, which feels out of place for a non-religious conference. The dining area’s AC wasn’t working, so it was unbearably hot at lunch. The outdoor terrace had broken tiles, dangerous holes, and old plastic chairs. Even though it’s by the river, the view is mostly concrete and rundown buildings. There’s a bus to Porto centre, or it’s a 40 minute walk that isn’t especially pleasant. I wouldn’t recommend this hotel or conference centre to anyone.

The breakfast was great, and the hotel was lovely, spacious, and comfortable. You can walk to the city centre. Recommended.

The hotel was good value for the price, with clean, well-kept rooms. The staff were especially friendly and helpful. They even arranged breakfast 30 minutes early because we had an early flight. The hotel could surpass its competitors if it improves its services and facilities.

Our room was spacious, spotless, and cleaned every day. The beds were comfortable, the bedding was good quality, and there was air conditioning. Breakfast had plenty of choice, including breads, pastries, jams, meats, cheese, yoghurts, fruit, eggs, mushrooms, beans, and sausages. The staff were friendly. The hotel felt more like a conference venue than a holiday hotel, and it’s looking tired and in need of renovation. Our room had brown carpet and a brown ceiling, so it was very dark. We’d mistakenly booked one without a balcony, and I would have liked some outdoor space. The bathroom door had water damage, and there were lots of broken tiles on the outside terraces. There was no fridge or safe, and although we got one bottle of water when we arrived, there was no more supplied. There also isn’t really a bar area where you can relax over a nightcap. Getting into town takes some effort. You walk down a huge hill to the river, about 10 minutes, then follow the river for another 30 minutes or so. The hill back up isn’t for the faint hearted. If you’re happy to head out in the morning and come back at bedtime, the location could work. Borboleta is a fantastic restaurant just a few minutes away and well worth a visit.