The Credentials:
Located on a major boulevard in the new business district of Portugal’s second city, Porto, the five-star Tiara Park Atlantic boasts 232 rooms, including 43 suites; 11 multipurpose meeting rooms; a business centre and concierge; a contemporary restaurant; a small gymnasium; a bar and a basement discoteque (it’s the most apt description; funky club it ‘aint). You’ll need to grab a cab or bus for a short trip to the beach or to the historic city centre.
Dine:
We were a little concerned there wouldn’t be any atmosphere in the smart Poivron Rouge restaurant– a lone businessman working on a laptop sat on the table next to us. Fortunately, two large tables soon filled with neatly-dressed (in a monochrome palette) elderly locals. The long menu (sections range from ‘classics’ to ‘slow cooking’) focuses on local produce but with a modern twist. Dishes include foie gras terrine with nougat and chocolate; pear cooked in white port wine and vanilla pod to start (€14) and sea bass with scallop shell, tarragon sauce and chlorophyll, white asparagus, potato cream and crispy smoked ham from Barrancos for main (€25). The veggie options – I had a homely soup followed by pasta – were less adventurous (although better than my following night’s meal of spaghetti and cheese in a restaurant overlooking the river; we learnt the hard way that you need to book the best restaurants in advance). My dessert of vanilla parfait, raspberry ice-cream with hot chocolate and mint and the wine – Kophe Reserva 2008 (€25) – were deliciously rich. ‘You’d have to pay double for the same quality of wine in London,’ my friend said. Although she found her chocolate fondant slightly over cooked.
Sleep:
Our classic, elegantly-furnished deluxe room featured a super-comfy bed, monsoon shower in the marble bathroom stocked with Hermès goodies, two chaise longues in the seating area, flatscreen TV and a whiskey drawer alongside the usual mini bar. Plus, there was water, port, fruit and the odd chocolate to provide a homely touch.
Out & About:
Porto is a looker. Views lurk round nearly every corner due to its undulating topography rising from the banks of the river Douro and its stunning architecture, which ranges from the 13th-century cathedral and the painted tile-adorned São Bento railway station to the 19th-century Stock Exchange Palace and modern two-deck Ponte de Dom Luis bridge. It’s perhaps unsurprising that the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, although many of the ancient buildings have fallen into disrepair. Check out the 400kg-gilded medieval Igreja de São Francisco (19) on Rua Infante D Henrique (00 351 222 062 100); the heavily decorated Livraria Lello bookstore on Rua das Carmelitas (00 351 222 018 170) and the contemporary art galleries of the Rua de Miguel Bombarda.
Of course, white port is the aperitif of choice. You can join a tour at one of the port lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia (famous names include Sandeman, Graham’s and Taylor’s), although during winter months many are closed at weekends.
Forget the newly opened fashion bar, Alfaiate on Rua José Falcão. We found an arty two-floor bar opposite and a dark, smoky, packed bar round the corner (think old cinema seats and tin lamps).
The new recommended restaurant during our visit was bistro Costume on Travessa dos Congregados (00 351 222 015 015).
Who Goes There?:
Our fear that the hotel would be lifeless at weekends after the business crowd leaves was unfounded; we met a couple who had travelled from Naples, Florida (he looked like a Sicilian mafia boss; she was an elegant brunette, 20 years his junior); a Dutch 27-year-old tennis player and his 30-year-old coach. Plus, a group of Portuguese pilots arrived on our last day (damn it!).
The Best Thing:
Joanna and Sofia, the lovely ladies at reception, must have enthusiastically scrawled on five maps for us while recommending the hip and historic places to check out. Plus, they tried their best to get us into one of the top restaurants – we had a fab evening at beautiful sushi restaurant Shis overlooking the sea (with the Dutch boys).
The Worst Thing:
Some people might want to be more central, although we walked up to the Matrix-style concert hall Casa da Música (designed by Rem Koolhaas) at the end of the road and enjoyed drinks while admiring the views of the city on the roof terrace of the pricy but super-luxe Porto Palacio hotel, located opposite Tiara Park Atlantic.
The Details:
Best available rates start from €110 per room, per night (room only).
Tiara Park Atlantic Porto, Av.da Boavista, 1466, 4100-114 Porto, Portugal;
www.tiara-hotels.com; 00351 22 607 25 00; reservations.porto@tiara-hotels.com
The Portuguese national carrier, TAP Portugal (www.flytap.com; 0845 601 0932), flies from Gatwick and Heathrow.
Ryanair (www.ryanair.com; 0871 246 0000) connects Porto with Stansted (as well as Liverpool and Bristol).
