When it comes to luxury hotels in Porto, they are few and far between. The Torel Avantgarde is one of them and part of the Torel hotel group, which now has three five-star hotels in Porto. Torel Avantgarde has a bit of a different vibe to the other two; it’s still luxe but has more of a modern, contemporary style to it.
Location-wise, the Torel Avantgarde sits right on the Douro river in one of the quieter areas of Porto. It’s only a short walk into the centre and there are still plenty of sights to see surrounding the hotel. We’d recommend taking a stroll in the sunshine at the park Jardins do Palacio de Cristal or doing a spot of shopping in the cool arty district Bombarda.
Each of the rooms at Torel Avantgarde is named after a famous person, or someone iconic who’s deemed to be ‘Avantgarde’, with a nod to the chosen person reflected in the art or decor. During our stay, we stopped in the Pablo Picasso room, which had Pablo-esque paintings inside.
Our favourite part of the room had to be the balcony that overlooked the river – it was the ideal spot to pop open a bottle of Portuguese fizz and enjoy the sunset. It was spacious too, including a separate lounge area, a huge king-size bed, a TV and double shower. Being on the outskirts of the old town also meant that it was very quiet at night, guaranteeing a good night’s sleep.
When morning comes you can tuck into their breakfast buffet, which is filled with everything you could need (including lots of pastel de natas) to set you up for a day of exploring. Porto has plenty to see, and if you’re looking for some R&R after all the sightseeing and hill walking (beware of Porto’s steep hills) then you can book a treatment at their Calla Spa, where you can get a range of treatments using organic and sustainable Portuguese skincare brands. They also have two pools, including a big infinity pool, and jacuzzi that overlooks the river, aka the perfect spot for soaking up the sun in summer.
We’d recommend checking out Torel Avantgarde if you’re looking to visit Porto on a romantic weekend getaway or simply just looking for the best of both worlds, combining a city break with time switching off and lounging around the pool or spa. There are few hotels in Porto that can give you both and especially not with such banging view of the Douro river.
Rua da Restauração 336, 4050-501 Porto, Portugal
torelavantgarde.com