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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.

Artemisia (r-teh-MEE-zee-ah) focuses on spices — “artemisia” is both the name of a herb and that of a Greek goddess, so we guess the point is that the chef strives to become the god of spicy food (by which we mean aromatic, not hot).

The menu is eclectic, drawing on different continents. Cold appetizers include a nordic gravad lox with wasabi and apple puree; a Portuguese contemporary crab salad with beans, sichuan pepper, and ginger; and excellent shots — one of gaspacho, the other of red pepper pesto with avocado and parmigiano cheese. Among the hot appetizers, we recommend the goat cheese souffle with tomato sauce. Several good fish entrees include a top-notch fish massele (a herb and spice mix) from the seychelles archipelago as well as a snapper with chermoula (a herb-based marinade used in the Maghreb to flavor fish and seafood) and celery puree. Highlights in the meat section include a turkey loaf with chestnuts, apricots, and prunes; and a duck breast with three different fruit chutneys. There is also a good pasta and risotto section, where a Malabar risotto with spices from that coastal region of Southern India (where the Portuguese traded heavily since the XVI century) stands out. The green tea ice cream with caramel sauce and peanut praline is not to be missed.

The wine list is not long, but features several great selections of Portuguese wines, especially from the nearby Douro region.

The lunch menu has several good daily specials, like the white sea bass with spring onions and coconut sauce on Wednesdays. We’re told specials vary with the seasons, so check in advance.

If you’re visiting the gallery district, go there for coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and indulge in the fig scones.

Comfortable setting and an lively clientele of art dealers — the restaurant is close to Rua Miguel Bombarda, where most art galleries are located. Which also explains why it’s open till so late — 1:30am.

Service is professional and attentive. Though we didn’t try anything that was too hot, don’t hesitate to ask about spice levels.

Price point: expect to spend 30 euros plus drinks; half that at lunch-time.

Address: Rua Adolfo Casais Monteiro 135, Porto.

Website: http://www.restauranteartemisia.com/

Opening hours: open daily for lunch (12:30 to 3:00pm) and dinner (8:00pm to 1:30am); the coffeeshop section is open from 12:30pm to 1:30am.

Reservations: recommended; call (+351) 22.606.2286.

Getting there: difficult access by car; taxi recommended. If you’re driving 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 Rua do Breyner. Turn left. Park when you reach a small square — Largo da Maternidade. The restaurant is in the beginning of Rua Adolfo Casais Monteiro, to your left as you enter the park.. If you’re not driving, a taxi from downtown will take ten minutes to get there.