Crowne Plaza Porto

"We booked two rooms for a three-night stay at Crowne Plaza Porto and came away with mixed feelings. On the positive side, the rooms were spacious, comfortable and very clean. Breakfast was good with plenty of choices and overall the hotel itself is well maintained. However, the location was not ideal for us. There was very little within walking distance in terms of cafés, shopping, or sightseeing which made it less convenient than we had expected. What truly spoiled our experience, though, was the attitude of the reception staff. As vegetarians, we occasionally ordered food from outside and requested something as basic as two plates and two spoons for each room. We were informed that cutlery and plates were chargeable. In all our years of travel and after staying in excellent hotels around the world, this is the first time we have encountered a hotel charging guests for a couple of empty plates and spoons. At checkout, I raised this concern, expecting at least some acknowledgment that the policy might seem unreasonable to guests. Instead, it was defended as though it were perfectly normal. It certainly is not The Industry Norm. Hospitality is about more than attractive rooms and good breakfasts. Small gestures and a willingness to help guests matter just as much. Unfortunately, the reception team’s lack of warmth and their rigid approach left a very poor impression and overshadowed many of the hotel’s positive qualities. Based on our experience, management would do well to focus less on policies and more on the fundamentals of hospitality."

"Irrespective of the building of the people are not nice, it ruins the entire stay! Either the people at the reception were racist or don’t think much of women. As we checked in they offered the standard glass of port wine but only to my husband. I was waiting for the lady to offer me also but she totally ignored me. Had to ask if I was getting a glass too and she said, Oh ok, not even I’m sorry or something. Then they said we could either drink it in the lobby or take it to our room. As if this wasn’t bad enough, later went down to ask for a plate and knife and were told we’ll be charged 8 euros for an empty plate and a knife. We were also warned not to go and get one from the dining room!!! So, because it suited their purpose we were told we could take their glasses to the room but not an empty plate, which we asked for as we wanted to cut a small cake to celebrate. I’m never, ever setting foot again in this IHG hotel. We were paying guests, not staying there out of their charity and refuse to accept such behaviors. We left within two days"

"I was impressed. Very clean, comfortable, modern hotel. The standout, though, was the staff. Every person at the front desk was exceptional---professional, proactive, welcoming. I loved the complimentary glass of porto! We enjoyed drinks and food in the bar. It was easy to order an Uber to get to the train station when we left and to go back and forth to downtown (although we also walked--it's about 1.5-2 miles). The area is safe, there is a market across the street, and a wonderful restaurant (Rosa) just a few blocks away."