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Recently opened (2005), the Eurostars das Artes Porto (Eurostars DASH Ar-TESH), is an excellent mid-priced option for stays in Porto. It is comfortable, charming, well-located, and provides excellent service.

Eurostars das Artes Porto is located in the heart of the gallery district (thus the name “das Artes”). This is a relatively low-key part of town, but is safe and quiet at night. It is also within walking distance (15-20 minutes) of the downtown area. (The way back is uphill, so you may want to take a taxi, but you can certainly enjoy the morning walk from the hotel, which is downhill.) It is also relatively close to the Boavista neighborhood.

The nineteenth century building has been totally refurbished. They did an excellent job on the gut-rehab, maintaining charming old elements but updating all the creature comforts. Decor is sober — no boutique design interior architecture here. Rooms are standard size for a four-star, and most have large windows. Comfortable beds and sleek, well-equipped bathrooms.

The staff is very friendly and efficient — typical of the Eurostars chain service standards. The breakfast buffet will not disappoint; it is well worth the extra cost.

Overall, Eurostars das Artes Porto is an excellent option for the budget-conscious traveler. It is close to all the major sightseeing destinations, provides you with a comfortable stay, and even throws in a bit of charm. Quite a good deal for half the price of the top hotels in town.

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Price point: from 80 euros for a double room.

Address: Rua do Rosario 160, Porto.

Website: http://www.eurostarshotels.com/

Reservations: call (+351) 22.207.1250.

Getting there: getting to Eurostars das Artes Porto is tricky by car; we recommend using taxis if you’re going to stay there. If, however, you insist on driving, the hotel has private parking. From downtown Porto, go up Rua de Ceuta. Do not enter the tunnel. Continue going up. At the top, turn left on Rua Jose Falcao. Take a right on Praca dos Leoes, stay straight, pass a church (Igreja do Carmo) on your right and go to the large granite building at the end of the square — the Sto. Antonio hospital. Turn right and go slightly down. Go around the park on your left — Jardim do Carregal. As you start going up, take a right on the first narrow street. This will lead you to Rua do Rosario (one block away). Take a right, and stay straight on Rua do Rosario until you reach the hotel, which is just a few blocks down the street, on your right. If you’re not driving, a taxi should take 5-10 minutes from downtown.

The new (2003) Sheraton Porto hotel is an excellent choice for your stay in town. Personally, we prefer the more charming Porto Pestana Carlton, but there are several reasons to consider the Sheraton Porto option seriously. First, it is very conveniently located, close to the highways for day-trips, to the Casa da Musica for concerts, to the Casa de Serralves contemporary art museum, and to the Foz and the sea. Second, it is a top-notch contemporary hotel with all the amenities and convenience that means — world-class spa, spacious rooms with stylish furniture, several restaurants and bars. Third, although the neighborhood is rather boring, that has its upsides, such as no noise in the evenings — which may be something to consider in comparison with the Carlton’s lively surroundings. Lastly, the Carlton, being rather smaller, is often booked. Overall, we’d recommend staying at the Carlton as a first choice for those without a budget restraint. The Sheraton Porto, however, will not disappoint as a safe second choice.

Sheraton Porto occupies an interesting glass-and-metal building twelve storys tall in the heart of the Boavista neighborhood. Boavista is often described as the business district, but it’s actually more a mix of middle-class residential area with offices, and some restaurants and bars. Don’t expect a lively district, bustling with crackberry addicts. Although pleasant, there is not much to do right around the hotel. You can walk half a mile to Casa da Musica for a concert, or one mile to Casa de Serralves, the national contemporary-art museum designed by architect Alvaro Siza. But there is not much more you can do within walking distance.

The building offers all the comforts and amenities you expect of a luxury hotel in a European cirty. The architecture emphasizes transparency and the whole hotel is filled with light.

Each of the 266 rooms and suites is decorated in chocolate and maroon tones, with velvet sofas and leather headboards. Each room features the flat-panel tv sets and on-demand music systems that are now de rigueur . Sleek bathroom with plush bathrobes and toiletries. Plenty of meeting rooms if you come in business. Beds are superb — we challenge you to find a more comfortable bed anywhere.

The spa is exceptionally good, and there are a couple of restaurants and bars that serve good, though slightly pricey, fare. There is also a juice bar for the vitamin addict in you. The breakfast buffet is excellent and is usually included in the room rate.

Overall, Sheraton Porto is an excellent value and guarantees you a comfortable stay in Porto, with, as the song goes, “no alarms and no surprises”. Though not as memorable as the Porto Pestana Carlton, the Sheraton Porto tries to make up in style and modernity what it lacks in uniqueness and character. A close second and a good all-rounder.

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Price point: from 150 euros for a double room.

Address: Rua Tenente Valadim 146, Porto.

Website: http://www.sheratonporto.com/

Reservations: call (+351) 22.040.4000.

Getting there: Sheraton has an excellent location for those who want to drive in and around Porto. It is two minutes away from the main North-South highway (A1), as well as close to Av. da Boavista, one of the main arteries of Porto, connecting Boavista to Foz and the sea. If you’re driving from downtown, follow the directions to Boavista. Once you get to the Boavista roundabout (known informally as Rotunda da Boavista and formally as Praca Mouzinho de Albuquerque — you can’t miss it; there is a tall column on the center, with a lion crushing an eagle at the top), take Av. da Boavista heading down to the sea (Casa da Musica, an unmistakable building shaped like a quartz crystal, is on the corner). Turn right on the fourth traffic lights to Rua Pedro Hispano, then immediately left to Rua Tenente Valadim. The hotel is 100 yards from Av. da Boavista. There are signs with directions on all major junctures as you’re approaching. If you’re not driving, a taxi should take 30 minutes from the airport; 20-30 minutes from downtown.

No other place comes even close to the Porto Pestana Carlton Hotel (POR-tu Pesh-TA-na) for short stays in Porto.

This boutique hotel consists in six small inter-connected buildings in the heart of the historic Ribeira (ree-BYE-rah) neighborhood, which was declared a World Heritage site by Unesco. On the outside it’s a set of eighteenth century constructions; on the inside, a contemporary luxury accommodation. (The hotel consists on the yellow building in the pictures plus five narrower buildings to its left.)

Since the building is right next to the river, most rooms have splendid views. Across the river, all Port wine cellars have their lights up at night. We can’t imagine a more romantic location for a hotel.

Make sure you ask for a river-view room or, even better, a corner-suite, with a view of the D. Luiz I bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel’s associate Teophile Seyrig. All river-view rooms have balconies (the bottom picture is taken from one). Rooms are comfortable and spacious for a hotel in a medieval neighborhood.

Staying here means you will be in the heart of Porto, within steps of the riverfront and only a short walk from both the Baixa (BYE-sha) neighborhood (downtown) and the Port wine cellars in Gaia (GAH-ya). This is the place to stay if you want to get the feeling of what Porto is.

The neighborhood is a little noisy at night (there are plenty of bars within walking distance of the hotel), so if you demand extra quiet surroundings, you may want to consider staying somewhere else. Overall, we strongly believe the pros of staying in such a unique place more than compensate for the minor cons involved.

The Pestana hotel group is consistently ranked among the best Portuguese hotel groups, ensuring excellent service.

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Price point: from 160 euros for a river-view room and 250 euros for a suite.

Address: Praça da Ribeira 1, Porto.

Website: http://www.pestana.com/

Reservations: call (+351) 22.340.2300.

Getting there: difficult access by car; taxi highly recommended. If you’re staying at the Pestana Carlton, we highly recommend not renting a car. Since the whole neighborhood is pedestrian-only, the parking lot used by the hotel is a 10-minute walk away, making it not very practical. Use taxis and, above all, walk around in the neighborhood.