Rua do Almada, 131 4050-037
Buzz Trips View
We were smitten by the Hotel Internacional the moment we set eyes on it. Like the city of Porto it exuded a charm that harked back to another age and I could imagine myself sitting at one of its wrought iron balconies overlooking narrow streets creating works of literary genius…yes, it’s that sort of place.
It’s hard to beat its location for exploring Porto’s old streets. The bars of Rua Galeria de Paris are a couple of streets behind the hotel and Plaça de Liberdade is a minute’s walk away… if you stroll slowly.
Inside it is as atmospheric as the façade promises which is no surprise given in a past life it was a Pilgrim’s House on the Camino Portuguesa route taken by pilgrims heading to the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.
You have to sit in the reception or , even better, the bar to access the hotel’s wi-fi. But sitting in a cosy bar nursing a port whilst typing seems somehow appropriate. This is a great Porto city centre hotel and we highly recommend it.
Stone pillars, antique tiles, arched doorways, stained glass windows and quirky modern art in the dining room, the Hotel Internacional in Porto has an attractively individualistic style. It is cosily intimate with staff who are chatty and informative as well as professional. In short, it is relaxing and welcoming. Combine that with a restaurant that is in the Michelin Guide and a city centre location that seems to be minutes from a lot of Porto’s highlights and you’ve got the consummate city centre hotel.
Rooms at Hotel Internacional
Rooms are a decent size and simply furnished with large comfortable beds and, importantly, pillows which is an area some hotels can fall down on. The bathroom is on the basic side but everything else in the hotel compensates for a lack of flair in that department. There is a TV but no fridge…but the small balcony is perfect for chilling the wine or beer (in winter anyway). Rooms look out over narrow atmospheric old streets. The street the hotel is located on is relatively quiet but if you’re a light sleeper it’s worth checking if there are any festivals taking place in the main square a few strides away.
Facilities at the Hotel Internacional
The dining room is as cosy as the rest of the hotel with an equally attractive décor. Breakfast is of the continental variety and the various cold meats, cheese and pastries are kept replenished by attentive staff – it’s an agreeable setting in which to come round in the morning with a coffee or two. The hotel boasts an excellent restaurant serving immaculate cooked and presented traditional Portuguese dishes; it’s worth a visit even if you’re not staying there. There’s a comfortable TV lounge for anyone who wants to watch TV on a big screen (Portuguese TV shows programmes in their original language) but spending any time watching TV whilst you’re in Porto would be a crime – there’s too much to explore and experience right outside the door of the hotel.
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