PortoBay Flores, Porto

Portugal

★★★★★5 star

Located in the historic centre of Porto and within a five minute walk of the landmark Ferreira Borges Market building and the former Stock Exchange, Palacio da Bolsa, the brand new PortoBay Flores is a stylish conversion of a 16th century palace where the additional, contemporary wing creates a fusion of past and present.

Contemporary styled, the comfortable guest accommodation ranges from cosy, intimate classic rooms and duplex top floor suites in the new building to a further rooms and luxurious suites in the palace wing.

A buffet breakfast is served each morning at Bistro Flores, where at lunch and dinner bistro fare with a touch of haute cuisine is on the menu. The hotel bar gives access to the street, Rua das Flores.

The hotel's Mandalay Spa Flores provides a serene setting for a range of tailored treatments and in addition features a steam bath and sauna, and guests also have use of an indoor heated pool and fitness room.

Further facilities include an 18th century chapel, a reading room with comfortable sofas, and a charming interior courtyard offering a tranquil space in which to relax after a day taking in the city sights.