Caléway Hotel ★★★★

Nothing emblemises Porto’s global legacy in the way that Port does. The first shipments of a wine called ‘Port’ were made in 1678, after Charles II had pettily banned wine imports from France the previous year. English merchants in Portugal seized the opportunity, heading to the Douro valley in search of thick, heavy wines that would go down well with the Brits. Later, Porto became the port from which they were shipped, lending its name not just to the wine, but to the country at large: it was the world’s port. In 1756, Douro became the first legally defined and regulated wine region in the world, essentially starting the modern system of wine production and distribution adhered to today.

The Caléway Hotel **** is just a short stroll from the banks of the River Duoro, where the major wine cellars, including Sandeman, are located. This attractive hotel creates a curious relationship between old and new, by combining a carefully renovated period building with an ultra-contemporary extension. In marrying the two technically polar-opposite styles, a curious symbiosis emerges that gestures towards the city’s future. The rooms are designed with an elegant, minimal approach, so that they feel mature and relaxing and exceptionally bright. Rooms in the vintage building lean ever so slightly towards a more classic style, with quaint patterned rugs and the original shuttered windows.

You’ll no doubt be rather busy during your time in Porto, even if you aren’t venturing all that far from the hotel. You’re already right at the city’s heart, after all. Indeed, the Ponte Luis I, a 19th century engineering masterpiece, leads you to the beautiful UNESCO-protected Ribeira neighbourhood in just a few moments. Whatever you decide to do, do it on a full stomach, with tasty breakfast buffets featuring hot dishes and Portuguese delicacies served every morning in the hotel’s breakfast room. And, come evening, have a moment of relaxation in the hotel’s beautiful landscaped gardens - the perfect place for a drink of an evening before heading out to discover Porto’s vibrant nightlife.