Crowne Plaza Porto by IHG

Crowne Plaza Porto by IHG is a substantial five-star city hotel with 232 rooms across 15 floors, suited to travellers who want a dependable base rather than a small guesthouse with character in every cupboard. You get air conditioning, free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and the choice of a restaurant, lounge, spa and fitness facilities under one roof.

English, Spanish, French and Portuguese are spoken by the hotel team, so practical conversations at reception, over breakfast or when arranging your onward plans should be straightforward. The atmosphere is geared towards city stays, business trips and evenings when you would rather eat at the hotel than go hunting for somewhere decent while tired.

There is also a garden, terrace and sun terrace for a change of scene. Not revolutionary, perhaps, but useful when your legs have had enough of Porto's pavements.

You are in Porto, Portugal, on Avenida da Boavista, in the western part of the city. The hotel sits around 3 km from Porto city centre, giving you access to the city without putting you directly in its busiest lanes.

Bessa Stadium, Porto Botanical Garden and Vila Nova de Gaia are among the nearby points of interest. The surrounding area also suits a stay with a car: parking is available at the hotel, electric vehicle charging is available, and car hire can be arranged.

Porto Airport is about 9 miles away. An airport transfer is available to arrange with the hotel, while the concierge and excursion assistance can help you make sense of the city once you have arrived.

The choice is unusually broad, from single rooms to family-sized accommodation and suites. For two people, you can choose between a double bed or twin beds in several categories; some rooms and suites also offer city, river, sea, pool or garden views. A room with two separate beds is the sensible call when you are travelling with a friend and neither of you fancies negotiating the duvet at 2 a.m.

The better-equipped standard and premium rooms cover the useful post-dive basics: air conditioning, soundproofing, blackout blinds, a minibar, bottled water, tea and coffee facilities, a safe, television, Wi-Fi, bathrobes and slippers. Private bathrooms are standard across the main room categories, with showers or baths depending on the room. Some categories also include a desk, which is handy for sorting photographs or travel plans without turning the bed into an office.

Suites add more breathing room, and selected suites include a dining area. Junior suites and full suites are available for guests who want separate space rather than simply a larger bed. If the view matters, choose the category carefully: the room range includes city, garden, river, pool and sea-facing options, but the view belongs to the category, not to every room in the building.

soMos Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a relaxed, leafy setting. That gives you a proper in-house option for the evening, rather than relying on room service or making another expedition into the city when you have already spent the day on your feet.

Breakfast is included in the rate and is served as a buffet from 7.00 am to 10.30 am. Breakfast can also be taken in your room. Early risers should note the opening time; it is not an all-night affair, which is perfectly reasonable unless your departure has other ideas.

For a drink, soMos Lounge specialises in Port wine. The hotel also has a bar, a snack bar and tea or coffee available for guests. Bottled water and kettles are available, while the restaurant is accessible to wheelchair users.

Porto Urban SPA offers massage treatments, with a sauna for the simpler version of recovery: sit down, stop moving and let the day drain away. The hotel also has a gym and fitness equipment, so you can keep things gentle or make a more deliberate attempt to undo the effects of a long journey.

For time outside, there is a garden, terrace and sun terrace. A tennis court is available, and hiking is listed among the hotel's leisure options. The concierge and excursion assistance can also help organise time away from the building, including city outings and other excursions.

There is no need to turn every afternoon into a programme. A massage, a drink in the lounge and a quiet hour in the garden may be enough before dinner. The hotel is also family-friendly in its room offering and accepts pets, which broadens the practical appeal beyond the usual business traveller.

Check-in runs from 2.00 pm and check-out is by noon. The front desk is open around the clock, with express check-in and check-out available. Early arrival and late departure can be arranged for an additional charge, subject to the hotel's arrangements.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. Parking is available, including valet parking, and electric vehicle charging is available subject to availability. Airport transfers and car hire are also available to arrange with the hotel. The building has lifts, wheelchair-accessible facilities and an accessible restaurant.

You can use the concierge, luggage storage, laundry, dry-cleaning and ironing services during your stay. There is also a business centre, 11 meeting rooms and event facilities, although the main practical benefit for a leisure guest is having the useful bureaucracy handled in one place. The hotel is non-smoking, and pets are accepted.

The hotel is certified by Green Key. That gives you a named environmental standard to look for when choosing a city base, rather than a vague promise about being green printed in very large letters.