Vila Galé Porto

Vila Gale Porto is housed in a 19-story building with a distinctive green-and-white facade -- it's the tallest building in central Porto, and that means plenty of excellent city views from the higher vantages in the hotel. Things here are modern and pleasant, if not exactly cutting edge and contemporary. and the lobby includes bold black-and-white checkerboard tiles, fuchsia-colored sofas with throw pillows, and enlarged photographs of movie stars. The lobby bar and restaurant continue the cinematic theme, and their large windows let in ample amounts of natural light. The second bar has a soul and blues music theme, and features live music -- with its brick walls and wood floors, the space is cozy and classic. Given its reasonable rates and solid quality, the hotel draws a good number of budget-minded travelers who don't want to sacrifice modern comforts. This includes vacationing couples and families, and, given the hotel's several meeting rooms, business travelers as well.

Vila Gale Porto is east of central Porto on the Avenida de Fernao de Magalhaes. It's a humble, low-key area that lacks the historic atmosphere of more central neighborhoods, but there are a couple of cafes and restaurants nearby. The 19th-century Igreja do Bonfim church and the Rua da Santa Catarina shopping street are both about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. The area with the 18th-century Baroque Church of Saint Ildefonso, Batalha Square, the Dom Pedro V Monument, Sao Joao National Theater, and Sao Bento train station is about a 15-minute walk away. Otherwise, the metro might come in handy, as it's at least a 20-minute walk to the center of the old town. The 24 de Agosto Metro station is just a two-minute walk from the hotel, and it'll take just under 20 minutes by metro to reach Sao Bento Station, the city's central train terminal. The Estadio do Dragao soccer stadium is a five-minute drive, or about a 15-minute metro trip from the hotel. The Vila Gale is about a 10-minute drive from such historic sights as the Clerigos Tower, Infante D. Henrique Square, Bolsa Palace, Monument Church of St. Francis, Ribeira Square, and the Dom Luis I Bridge. Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport is a 15-minute drive from the hotel, or 45 minutes away by metro. 

The 292 rooms and suites at the Vila Gale are modern and spare, with off-white walls, mid-tone wood furnishings and paneling, and violet-colored curtains, carpets, bed throws, and headboards. A bit of figural art, or abstract modernist pieces hang on the walls, a nod to the city's artsy underpinnings. While some rooms are compact, most measure between 248 square feet (23 square meters) and 355 square feet (33 square meters). All rooms and suites come with air-conditioning, safes (use for a fee), mini-fridges with a limited selection of drinks, free Wi-Fi, and 22-inch flat-screen TVs with a wide range of English-language channels. Hot water kettles and instant coffee and tea are available upon request, but supplies are limited. Suites have sitting areas. Bathrooms are well-lighted and spacious, with ample counter space and bidets. All come with hairdryers and magnifying mirrors, and some include bathrobes and slippers. The look in most bathrooms is a bit dated, with cheap linoleum tiling, and we spotted grout that needs an overhaul in some shower/tub combos. Both smoking and non-smoking rooms are available. Rooms on higher floors have nice views of the city.

The Vila Gale offers an excellent array of leisure amenities, topped by its wellness center with a heated indoor pool. The pool is about 49 feet (15 meters) in length, and has an adjacent deck with hot tub, lounge chairs, and a view of the surrounding area through large windows. The spa offers a large range of massages and other treatments (for a fee), and also has a wood sauna, Turkish bath, and Vichy shower. The fitness center offers a range of cardio and weight machines and free weights, set in a space with big windows and ample natural light. The restaurant serves a breakfast buffet (for a fee) with scrambled and hard-boiled eggs, cold ham, cheeses, cereal, bread, fruit, coffee, tea, and juice. The lunch and dinner menu features Portuguese cuisine and pasta. Room service is available around the clock. The Vila Gale also has a lobby bar, blues and soul-themed bar with live music and billiards table, extensive meeting facilities, a lobby Internet corner, a 24-hour front desk, and parking (for a fee).