Torel Avantgarde is the Torel group's modern, art-minded hotel, and it takes full advantage of its position on the western edge of the old town. The page lists it as a five-star luxury property in Miragaia, built in 2017 and renovated in May 2022, with avant-garde design and Portuguese craftsmanship and an art-focused atmosphere. The water is the centrepiece: an indoor pool and a heated outdoor pool with river-view pool areas, a swim-up bar and a poolside bar. The Calla Wellness and Spa offers treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room and a Turkish bath, and there is a twenty-four-hour gym and a garden. Dining centres on Digby Restaurant and Bar, which serves contemporary Portuguese cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner and weekend brunch, with a river-view terrace. Daily tea is served in the Flower Room. The fifteen room types range from classic and executive rooms to suites, a maisonette and a Royal Suite with a jacuzzi, and many of the higher categories have balconies or river views. Distances are short: the Crystal Palace gardens are two minutes on foot, the Alfândega Congress Centre three, the Historic Centre five, and Livraria Lello and Clérigos Tower about eight. Guests rate the hotel 9.6 out of 10 from about 650 reviews.
Why choose it
Because it gives you a resort-like stay inside the city. Few places in central Porto combine two pools, a full spa and a garden with a walk to the main sights. Miragaia is quieter than the Ribeira, and the Crystal Palace gardens on your doorstep are a pleasant place for a morning stroll. Choosing a river-view room turns the hotel into a place to watch the Douro, with the water in front of you.
Living in it
The pool is open from 10:00 to 20:00 according to the booking page, so plan swims accordingly. Breakfast is a buffet at an additional charge, parking is by valet for a nightly fee, and there is an electric vehicle charging station. Pets are allowed for a fee, up to two.
The location scores a little lower than other categories in guest ratings, because the hotel is at the edge of the old town and some walks, such as to São Bento Station, take around fourteen minutes and run uphill on the way back. A taxi solves that easily.
Who it suits
Couples looking for a special-occasion stay, design lovers and families with older children who will enjoy the pools. It is the best choice in this batch for a hotel that you want to spend time in, not merely sleep in. Combine it with a river cruise from the Ribeira, a visit to the nearby Crystal Palace gardens and a sunset at one of the viewpoints. Reserve the spa in advance, and book early for summer weekends.
Why stay here
- ✓Indoor and heated outdoor pools
- ✓Calla Wellness and Spa
- ✓Sauna, steam room and Turkish bath
- ✓Digby Restaurant and Bar with river terrace
- ✓Swim-up and poolside bars
- ✓24-hour gym and garden
- ✓River-view rooms and suites
- ✓Free WiFi and EV charging
Good questions
Does Torel Avantgarde have a pool?+
Yes, both an indoor pool and a heated outdoor pool, with river-view pool areas, a swim-up bar and a poolside bar. The booking page gives pool hours of 10 AM to 8 PM.
How far is it from the Crystal Palace gardens?+
The hotel lists a two-minute walk to the Crystal Palace gardens and about five minutes to the Historic Centre.
Is there a spa?+
Yes, the Calla Wellness and Spa has treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room and a Turkish bath, and there is a 24-hour gym.
