"An outstanding experience in Porto..."

Facts

medium-sized high-end luxury hotel in Porto (Portugal)
member of DESIGN HOTELS with 68 rooms and suites (25 m²– 48 m²)
seafront hotel
signature restaurant Vila Foz for fine dining (chef: Arnaldo Arzevedo) with focus on seafood
Flor de Lis (leisure) restaurant (chef: Arnaldo Arzevedo)
excellent bar
spa: first class treatments; turkish bath, sauna, inside pool (access: 16+)
gym, free bicycles for rent
free shuttle-service to the old-town
parking garage with valet service
turndown service
Check in: 14 a.m.; Check out: 12 noon.

Design

Vila Foz is a smart combination of a carefully restored 19^th century villa in connection with contemporary, straight architecture which conveys the feeling of a small boutique hotel. During the restoration by the architect Miguel Cardoso from Porto, the focus was on preserving the historical substance. The famous artist and designer Nini Andrade Silva used a wide range of pattern, materials and textures for the interior decoration. The context between the new building and the traditional villa has been cleverly created through the use of lush, shimmering and glamorous design elements. The modern decoration communicates with the venerable interior and vice versa. A reference to the sea, the sandy beaches and the rocky coast is created with wave-like structures and shades between sage and tourmaline green and earth colors. The buildings are embedded in a well-arranged mediterranean garden.

Well-being

The excellent champagne breakfast ensures your physical well-being in the morning. Everything your heart desires and more is served.

The Flor de Lis restaurant offers a wide range of delicious local food in a relaxed atmosphere. We highly recommend the risotto.

The fine dining, signature restaurant, with the wonderful, fantastically stocked bar, is a feast for the eyes, which the tasting menu is in no way inferior to. In both restaurants, fantastic sommeliers advice you to local wines. Try a nightcap in the in-house bar.
The spa with the Turkish bath and sauna is a calming retreat after an exciting day. The onyx, carefully laid out according to the grain, creates a calming cave atmosphere. To support the holistic experience, dry fruits, nuts and excellent teas are provided.

If you like a traditional, holistic treatment, products from Maison Codage Paris and Elemental Herbology are used.

In the gym you’ll find everything you need for your personal workout.

Arround

The hotel lies in the suburbs of the vibrant city Porto directly in front of the rough Atlantic sea. The district Foz do Douro is well known for excellent restaurants. We recommend for example Lapa Lapa or Praia da Luz which are located directly on the coastal promenade. In the vicinity you will find some fancy boutiques. The half hour walk to the Serralves Museum is highly recommended. There are some exciting architectural gems (private villas) to discover along the way. The Serralves Museum itself, embedded in an astonishing park, is a must for art and architecture lovers. While changing contemporary artists are shown in the museum, fixed installations by Olafur Eliasson, Ai Weiwei and others can be discovered in the park. The modernist Museum was designed by honorable Álvaro Siza Vieira. Casa de Serralves conceived in 1923 by architect José Marques da Silva on the other hand is an outstanding example of Art Deco architecture. Unfortunately, the villa was being renovated during our visit and could therefore only be admired from the outside.
A bike trip along the coast to Praia do Aterro is a wonderful experience. On the trip you pass the surfing beach Praia de Matosinhos, the lighthouse Farol de Leca, and the large port of Porto. On the way back you will find excellent fish restaurants on Rua Herois de Franca - the street of the sardines. Or you take a walk (20 minutes) to the Felgoueiras Lighthouse and the Forte de Sao Joao Baptista from the 17^th century which lies at the mouth of the Douro River into the sea.

There is of course a lot to discover in the old town of Porto.

Conclusio

This was an unforgettable and romantic stay in Porto - an ideal mix between the pulsating city, the wildness of the Atlantic sea and coast and the Vila Foz with all the amenities as a perfect retreat. The city offers an unforgettable experience with art, architecture, history, surfing, hiking, swimming and excellent Portuguese cuisine. We will come back.