Renowned for its colourful architecture, exquisite restaurants and burgeoning creative scene, Porto has over the years enchanted travellers with its innumerable charms.
Now, with the opening of Vila Foz Hotel & Spa, Portugal’s second city cements its reputation as a veritable design destination.
Set on one of the finest avenues in the district of Foz, the 68-room hotel embodies an intimate, contemporary boutique experience within the palatial splendour of a 19th-century manor, with a visual concept created by acclaimed Madeiran designer Nini Andrade Silva.
Preserving the historical essence of Vila Foz was key to the overall concept
The historic structure offers a succulent and embracing world of haute cuisine dining and sublime rejuvenation courtesy of a spectacular spa and wellness area.
Porto-based architecture firm Miguel Cardoso Arquitecto was responsible for the painstaking restoration of the grand villa, as well as the creation of the new-build extension.
Preserving the historical essence of the property was key to the overall concept, and the architects have retained original architectural features while offsetting them with fresh details, materials, finishes, and textures that still speak to its refined heritage.
Award-winning artist and visionary Nini Andrade Silva’s innovative interior design features an inspired material selection of technical stone, hydraulic mosaic and bronze that has transformed the grand, austere spaces at Vila Foz into a beacon of warmth and intimacy.
The 68 rooms and suites offer boldly modern spaces that emulate the roiling ocean in undulating shapes and a palette of tourmaline greens and earthy browns.
Tactile materials such as natural wood and stone contrast beautifully with mirror and glass, all highlighted by meticulously placed lighting that lends rooms an air of majesty and luxurious comfort.
And the elegant bathrooms in travertine and gold are a lesson in refined luxury.
Vila Foz’s 68 rooms and suites offer boldly modern spaces
Executive chef Arnaldo Azevedo’s fine dining restaurant serves up expertly crafted seasonal cuisine with a focus on seafood.
Guests wishing for a more informal dining experience will find a cozy and relaxed atmosphere at Flor de Lis, which offers sophisticated regional dishes.
And for nourishment for the soul, Vila Foz’s spa, a peaceful sanctuary of therapy rooms, a Turkish bath and sauna, an indoor pool, and an outdoor relaxation area surrounded by lush, landscaped gardens.
Overlooking the wild Atlantic Ocean, Porto’s affluent Foz do Douro neighbourhood is known for its sublime restaurants and chic boutiques, as well as the magnificent 17th-century Castelo do Queijo fortress.
Culture vultures are well served by the nearby Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, a cultural institution designed by architect Álvaro Siza Vieira.
The country’s largest urban garden, The City Park, is just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel, and boasts 10 miles of trails, lakes, rich and diverse fauna and flora, and direct access to the beach.
