We were very happy with Jose Carlos’s hospitality and responsiveness. He was on hand right away to welcome us to the apartment. It was a hot day, and he helped us get our bags up the several steep flights of stairs in the narrow stairwell. He also helpfully went out and bought three new floor fans that worked well to circulate air in the apartment, which doesn’t have I air conditioning.
We were also happy with the location, which allowed us easy access to many of the most beautiful and interesting sights in Porto: the riverfront, the Clérigos Tower, the Se, the Iron Bridge, etc. The Cordoaria Garden is a pleasant spot for strolling and outdoor cafes; several of these are just outside the street-level door to the apartment, including an excellent one operated by the host. Porto is an amazing and wonderful city for wandering and gaping at tile roofs, azulejos, gothic and newer architecture, and the ever-changing water of the Douro River, …. We loved it—and from the windows of the apartment you can even see the tower of the Igreja do Carmo, whose azulejos are beautiful at least on the outside of the building.
We were in a group of four people and made full use of the three separate bedrooms. One of these has a king bed, one has two twins (with en suite bathroom) of which we used only one, and the third has a queen size bed that is pushed against a wall, making it perhaps complicated for two people sharing a bed. I think the sofa in the living room may also have pulled out into another bed, but we didn’t use that one.
This apartment will work best for you if you are a small group of travelers; more than four people would feel crowded—if all the beds were fully occupied and the sofa bed were also used, you would need to be best of friends and usually out and about in Porto. It will also help if you either keep late hours or sleep very soundly. As other guests have commented, there is no air conditioning and when it’s hot out (as it was on the first two or three days or our stay—which was still in late May so not as hot as full summer!) it’s essential to keep the windows open. But cigarette smoke, kitchen smells, and noise from the cafes, promenade, and streets can build steadily into the early hours of the morning, making it a difficult choice between noise and smell on the one side and way too hot on the other. It might seem perfect at first glance for a family because of the large size, but I don’t think most families with small kids would sleep soundly enough here to make it a good choice for you. Also, the beds are not very comfortable, something we have recommended to the host as an investment that would help quite a lot. When we stayed there, we found a number of other small things that could be improved (e.g., a book of directions about the apartment and orientation to the neighborhood; more light bulbs and lamps; better sheets and pillows; power strips) and I hesitated to put them here because these things may by now have been addressed.