Porto Palacio Congress Hotel & Spa

The gym is really great for a hotel that's what brought me to Palacio Hotel in the first place. The saunas and pool are very nice too. The hotel itself is super organized and the view from the rooftop made my afternoon work session a lot more pleasurable. They're located just beside a Pingo de Ouro supermarket which is super convenient too!

Room was excellent

They have excellent and attentive personell, which is a major plus point for a five-star. However, I do have to contend: the breakfast room IS in the basement! The location of the hotel is a bit off from the center of Porto, so you need to take a cab, walk to the next metro station (<5 mins) or take the bus to get wherever you want to go to. I walked to the beach, but that was a very long walk. Sadly, good restaurants are all a bit further away from this location. It is however quite close to Porto University. Room was clean, had a comfy bed and was slightly excessive, as you would expect from a five-star. It had a good view over the city, probably because the hotel is one of the highest buildings around.

The major caveat is the location: it is difficult to hail cabs because it is so off-center. In the evening, it is also possible to take a walk to the crystal gardens, but any further may be difficult.