ibis budget Porto Gaia

The room worked for one person, and I liked the Japanese-style setup with the toilet, sink, and bath in separate spaces. The hotel was clean. The breakfast area, though, was too small and got crowded fast, so go early if you want a seat. On my first day, only one coffee machine was working. There weren't many choices, and the selection stayed the same throughout my stay. The location wasn't ideal for me. It's far from everything, with no grocery stores or nearby restaurants. There is a mall, but you need to take the bus to get there. Expect to use Uber for attractions, which adds up if you're on a budget. This was the cheapest place I could find in Porto within my budget, but with the rides to the center, I would've been better off paying more to stay in the city.

The location was quiet and good, and the staff were nice. I enjoyed my stay here. It was conveniently close to two other ALL properties where I could get lunch or dinner à la carte, including at a full restaurant. My planned activities were in central Porto, though, and I couldn't make much use of being in Gaia. I hadn't realized beforehand that it wasn't very close to central Porto.

The hotel puts up lots of stickers about its environmental policy, so I found it frustrating that buying hot water from the vending machine meant wasting a paper cup and wooden stirrer each time. I didn't mind the 5 cents, but I had my own flask and cup. I'd strongly suggest putting a jug kettle in the common area.

I was happy with pretty much everything. Breakfast was the one letdown: it was quite expensive for what they offered, though not enough to spoil the stay. They also sell cheap beers at reception, handy if you just want a random beer when you arrive.