Telmo was great with everything: initial communications, questions, and arrangements. Our arrival was delayed because of airplane trouble, but Telmo still was able to let us in right when we got there. He made sure we understood details about the apartment and building, and he spent a good amount of time to tell us about a city he clearly loves and wants the world to enjoy (although maybe not all at once). When we left, Telmo was proactive about arranging a taxi.
Porto is one of the prettiest cities I have visited. The apartment overlooks the western side of Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto. From the balcony you can see several of the port houses and you can see the Duoro to the next bridge.
The city streets are filled with shops, residences, and restaurants. Food prices are relatively low compared to the rest of Western Europe, especially in the markets and restaurants close to the apartment. We had some outstanding food and some average food. (Some our issues were with expectations, eg, salad dressing is predominately olive oil instead of oil/vinegar mix.) Using English presented no problems, although we had to employ some sign language and broken Spanish with some of the riverside street vendors. (By the way, GREAT prices for pashminas.)
Be sure to visit one or more of the port caves. This has long been a predominant industry for Porto, and the tours and samples are very fun.
Remember to bring good walking shoes. Unless you spend all your time on the riverside, your vertical distance traveled will come close to your horizontal distance.