Longer stays, fewer rules, and a desire for more freedom are fueling today’s serviced apartment trend. And just as it is in Lisbon, that trend is going strong in Porto. The “aparthotel” format, which combines residential-style accommodations (multiple bedrooms, kitchens, washers and dryers) with hotel-style conveniences like housekeeping and concierges, fits the way people travel now. That’s especially true for families, grown-up digital nomads (35+), remote-working professionals, and research-minded visitors on their moving-to-Portugal scouting trips.
Porto’s version of the genre reflects the city’s signature style: granite townhouses, azulejo-clad facades, and steep streets that tumble down to the Douro. Booking one of these properties gets you the design standards and accountability of a proper hotel but without the formality and rigmarole.
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
Wilde Porto
Location: Clérigos
Best for cultural life
The newly opened Wilde Porto—part of the upscale sister brand to the Dublin-based Staycity aparthotel group, which manages thousands of design-led apartments across Europe—benefits from its location beside Rua Galeria de Paris, one of the city’s liveliest stretches for dining, music, and nightlife. The city’s oldest public garden, Jardim da Cordoaria, is across the street, while the famous Livraria Lello, Clérigos Tower, and the azulejo-clad Igreja do Carmo are all a short walk away. Inside, the expected Wilde details are there, including fully fitted kitchens in the 78 apartments and a plant-filled communal lounge. The rooftop bar, O’s Above, presents cocktails, wine, and seasonal sharing plates with sweeping views of the city.
Praça de Guilherme Gomes Fernandes 2-18 | +351 220 600 543 | porto.info@wilde.com | Website | Check availability
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
Village by Boa
Location: Bolhão
Best for design lovers
Village by Boa’s 40 apartments occupy five restored houses in Bairro do Silva, one of Porto’s old ilhas (“islands”), the tightly arranged housing complexes that were built for mill and factory families in the 19th century. Rather than erase that history, architects Pablo Pita and Heim Balp Architekten preserved the neighborhood’s bones. Bacana Studio dressed the interiors in a calm, Japandi-inspired palette of natural materials and custom Portuguese furniture. Natural wood, rope, and rattan create warm, tactile spaces that feel eminently livable. There’s a shared inner garden with an almond tree for communal breakfasts, and for other meals, guests can pick up provisions from an on-site specialty grocery shop or from the nearby Bolhão Market. (See our story.)
Rua do Bonjardim 541 | +351 910 985 706 | hello@villagebyboa.com | Website | Check availability
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
Gran Cruz Apartments
Location: Vila Nova de Gaia
Best for wine lovers
The new Gran Cruz Apartments sit across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia, the historic home of Porto’s port wine production. The owners, still one of the most important port producers in the Douro Valley, lean fully into that heritage: The complimentary bottle of port in each apartment is only the beginning. While the place follows the hands-off approach of an apartment hotel, it’s also set up to show off the wine and the Douro. It’s an easy walk to Gaia’s wine lodges and tasting rooms, or to the group’s Espaço Porto Cruz, which hosts exhibitions and has a rooftop terrace with 360-degree views. The studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments have a traditional homey feel, with dark woods and floral prints, and the best units have balconies looking across the river to Porto’s Ribeira district.
Rua Guilherme Gomes Fernandes 120, Vila Nova de Gaia | +351 227 662 270 | info@grancruzapartments.pt | Website | Check availability
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
Condes de Azevedo Palace
Location: Historic center
Best for a palatial, pet-friendly stay
Condes de Azevedo Palace occupies a gorgeously restored neoclassical building just off Avenida dos Aliados at a sort of crossroads between Porto’s main historic neighborhoods such as Ribeira, Clérigos, and Sé. The famous Dom Luís I bridge and São Bento station are also within a few minutes’ walk. Its 19 apartments and studios have a bright and airy sensibility, thanks to big windows and a thoughtful design that blends heritage details (hardwood floors, granite window frames) and contemporary colors. The larger duplexes have sleek staircases that add to their sense of spaciousness. The accommodations are arranged around a private garden and parking, both rarities in Porto’s old center. Even better, the palace is dog-friendly, which is unusual for a heritage property of this style.
Rua de Saraiva de Carvalho 93 | +351 220 137 654 | info@condesdeazevedopalace.com |
Website | Check availability
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
Arc Carrís Apartments
Location: Ribeira
Best for families near the river
The Arc Carrís Apartments are just a few steps from the Douro River and Porto’s main sights, and some of them have stunning views of the river and the Dom Luís I bridge. The apartments are handsome and comfortable, with bold color palettes and residential-style amenities. Many are duplexes with well-separated bedrooms and sofa beds that allow for up to six people, making it a sensible base for families who want the space of an apartment with hotel-style support. Along with their own housekeeping and concierge services, they have access to the facilities of the nearby Hotel Carrís Porto Ribeira, a four-star superior property from the Spanish Carrís group.
Rua de São João 48 | +351 222 082 762 | arcapartments@carrishoteles.com | Website | Check availability
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
Flattered to Be in Porto
Location: Foz do Douro
Best for beach lovers
Not every long stay needs to be in the city center. Flattered is in one of the city’s posh suburbs, a residential neighborhood full of local cafés, independent boutiques, and a slower pace of life that offers a different perspective on Porto. It also offers the beach, which is only about 50 meters away. Several of the five apartments have ocean views, while all have distinctive decoration and a breezy seaside feel with vintage furniture and bespoke bookcases. This location is part of the Flattered collection of serviced apartments around Portugal, which was founded by three friends who traded veterinary medicine for hospitality and believe both worlds are rooted in care. As for their seaside, off-center location here, they say their guests “appreciate the opportunity to experience the city through a more local and authentic lens.” At the same time, central Porto is only about 15 minutes away by tram or bus.
Rua Senhora da Luz 145, Foz do Douro | +351 939 146 262 | info@flatteredapartments.com | Website | Check availability
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
Ando Living
Locations: Bolhão and Ribeira
Best for remote working and digital nomad-ing in style
Ando Living made its name in Lisbon with a network of “Houses” built around shared clubhouses. While the brand’s more recent foray into Porto is less social for now, the aim is still to offer something beyond a simple accommodation. Guests staying in any of its three Porto houses get earth-toned, design-forward interiors, premium linens, and organic bath products from the Portuguese Oliófora line, plus excellent locations. They can also tap into the growing Friends of Ando program to enjoy discounts on tours and experiences, invitations to unique local happenings and monthly events, and concierge support.
São Miguel House: Rua de São Miguel 55 | Flores 200 House: Rua das Flores 200 | Santa Catarina House: Rua de Santa Catarina 190 | Website | Check availability
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
B28 Apartments
Location: Historic center
Best for history lovers
The B stands for Belomonte, the name of the street where this 16th-century bourgeois townhouse sits. It’s part of Porto’s old Jewish quarter, near the historic Synagogue Stairs. The granite building was in ruins when owner Alida Jamal found it, and she spent six years restoring it (with architect José Bernardo Távora) as a way to offer what she calls a “small gift to the city that gave us so much when we were growing up.” She still feels that memories have “left their imprint on every single angle” in the seven apartments and original, curvaceous central staircase. Overall, the aesthetic blends heritage details with minimalist furnishings and photos by noted Porto School documentarian Luís Ferreira Alves, and the feeling is intimate and personal.
Rua de Belomonte 28 | +351 960 179 212 | hello@b28apartments.com | Website | Check availability
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
Vila Catarina Luxury Apartments
Location: Rua de Santa Catarina
Best for pool and wellness amenities
Most serviced apartments in central Porto don’t have space for a swimming pool, let alone a wellness space with a sauna and a Turkish bath. But Vila Catarina does, and that’s what sets it apart—along with its excellent location just a short walk from the main pedestrian zone of Rua de Santa Catarina, one of Porto’s best shopping streets. The studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments are cheerful and well-equipped, with balconies overlooking the pool in some cases, and a hearty breakfast delivered every day. The location is a little further from the historic city center than some competitors, but for guests who want resort-style amenities alongside their apartment independence, it’s worth it.
Rua de Santa Catarina 1305 | +351 932 603 202 | reservations@vila-catarina.com |
Website | Check availability
BEST SERVICED APARTMENTS IN PORTO
Trait House
Location: Bonfim
Best for a residential neighborhood feel
There’s a welcome midcentury jauntiness to Trait House, a family-run conversion of a 19th-century Art Nouveau building in residential Bonfim. The six apartments keep original details like the building’s wooden handrail, hardwood floors, and gorgeous arched windows. They share a small back garden and a narrow terrace overlooking the avenue. The hosts’ warm hospitality earns strong reviews, and they’re eager to share their favorite local recommendations with their guests, which gives a stay here the feeling of visiting well-connected friends.
Avenida Rodrigues de Freitas 215 | +351 963 829 190 | hi@traithouse.pt | Website | Check availability