Hilton Porto Gaia

"Let's start with the positive things: This is a charming hotel with beautiful spacious rooms and bathrooms. It might sound strange but when you enter the whole place smells gorgeous - not sure what it is but in my opinion the scent could be described as floral and it is very pleasant indeed. The location is great (close to wine cellars) and not so great at the same time (for those that are not fans of walking) as it is located in Nova Gaia so if you want to go to Porto bring some comfy shoes as it is approx. 1.5k to the centre. There is a coffee machine and a kettle (two types of tea available, some milk and sugar, too) in the room plus some still water - free of charge. Thanks, Hilton. We booked a room only so I am not sure what the food is like. There is a mini fridge in case you want to do some food shopping. My husband and I celebrated our 20th anniversary whilst being in Porto and the staff surprised us with a bottle of bubbly, lovely message and a cake. What a thoughtful gesture - thank you 😊 The bed is comfy, great bathroom amenities: shampoo, conditioner, hand wash and body lotion (Crabtree and Evelyn I believe). The gym is massive, we used it three times only though as we were exhausted from all the walking, sight seeing, eating and drinking port (all in a good way!) There are bathrobes, slippers, iron (+ ironing board) and a safe in the room. I'd definitely come back as the hotel has great vibes, however let's talk about the not so good things.. We previously stayed at Hilton in April 2024 and I have to mention that the hotel was in a better condition then. There are some signs of wear and tear (logical, I agree) but they should not be overlooked. I'm not saying that walls need to be re-painted but little things like tiles that are peeling off in the swimming pool, holes in the ceiling (again, spa area), the metal cover at the bottom of our toilet door was broken and some other minor things. It surprised me that the spa was not free only because it was in April 2024 (unless they forgot to charge us). Again, in 2024 there were apples that guests could enjoy in the relaxing area, we were given spa flip flops, there was plenty of infused and normal water available - not this time though. No apples, no flip flops and after spending an hour in the spa I had to go and ask the spa staff to refill the water carafe. We only used the spa once - the fee is 15 euros per person and you can stay up to three hours. It was disappointing for us as we booked this hotel with certain expections and they weren't met. So, Hilton, if you want to charge your guests who have already paid quite a lot of money for the stay, you need to put your game up."

"We loved this new Hilton in the Gaia area across the river from Porto. The hotel is really spacious with large public areas, restaurants and club. Our room and bathroom were modern - the bathroom had a lovely rain shower and separate toilet/bidet. Service was superb throughout the hotel. Walkability is great. This area is where the famous Port lodges and many restaurants are located so a very walkable area."

"We stayed at the hotel after disembarking from a river cruise as its located close to the port. It’s a bit of an uphill climb to the hotel but my wife and I made it ok. Our king room (246) was actually ready when we arrived at 11 AM. It was huge by European standards; were fairly certain that the shower could accommodate a small group! The bed and the pillows were super comfortable. It’s about a 20 min walk across the lower level of the bridge to reach the Porto side of the Douro. But there are a lot of small cafés and restaurants nearby. Staying at this hotel enabled us to spend more time enjoying Porto."