We stayed at Fluvial for 2 weeks, myself my husband and two teenage children. A wonderful place to stay, very safe and secure area. Location is perfect to get around Gaia and Porto is just a 7 minute walk away which was easy to get to by walking across Luis Bridge. The view is one of the best in the city without a doubt. We felt like we hit the jackpot with the view and location. Large apartment with lots of space for family or groups. The patio overlooking the city of Porto and with live entertainment and day/nightlife all around its a great spot to get the true feel of the area. Things quiet down just after 11-12 pm each night. You do have to be willing to climb 3 flights of stairs to get to the apartment. Very private and although you have to go through the Fluvial Club building to get to the apartment, the people were all friendly and kept to themselves and focused on their training. It was nice to watch them prepare for races, cleaning the boats and practising up and down the Douro river which is right out front from the Fluvial Club. The communication was easy with the host and when I asked for fans, as we were in a heat wave, three brand new fans were dropped off at our door the next day. They also brought us other items we felt were needed to make our stay more comfortable. There is a musty smell (like an old cottage) coming from the closets as the wood is old and has possibly faced some moisture issues, but its a small price to pay for the location, accommodations and size of the place. There are plenty of windows to open to let fresh air flow through the house with a nice breeze always. The outdoor area was perfect, huge balcony, quite comfortable with a large table for enjoying morning breakfasts or late dinners and drinks and there is fake grass on the ground on the balcony which made it really comfortable, we sat on the grass to play cards or just lie down in the sunshine. The laundry machine worked well and there is a hanging wrack to put out on the balcony to make drying things easy. The kitchen had minimal tools but certainly enough to get by with for cooking and there was a good pot set. Lots of cleaning supplies were also left so I could clean the areas that were needed to my level of comfort. Great places to get small basic groceries as needed, coffee shops with Portugal's famous Natas are all within a few minutes walk.
If we are ever back in Porto, we would definitely stay at Fluvial again and we would recommend it to friends.