Beta Porto / Residencial

( 4 stars , Porto , Portugal )

Website pictures give a false impression. Hotel needs remodeling and to improve its appearance

Helpful staff, clean and comfortable hotel. few minutes from city center is not true, but there is a direct bus connection.

I should have done a little more research about hotels before booking this one. It is too far away from downtown Porto and the beaches but the bus system is really easy to navigate. The rooms were clean and the people behind the desk were nice enough. The first problem we had is that when we would return from the bars and discos at 3-4 am the hotel was locked and we would have to wait about 25 minutes for the desk attendent to open the door for us. It looked as if he had been sleeping. Then checking out was another issue. We prepaid our hotel online and I brought the receipt with me in check-in. When we checked out they had not received proof that we paid and I had already thrown away the receipt. So I had to take a bus to downtown Porto to find an internet cafe to print out a receipt. It took about an hour an a half. We also didn't receive any of our telephone messages when we were away. I even went to call and leave a message for myself to check and we still didn't get it.

If you are expecting this hotel to be up to the 4* standard it is advertised as, you will be very disappointed. It is more like a 2*. Negatives: Very dated furnishings and the whole hotel (apart from the reception area) is in need of modernisation. Stairwell areas are really grim - plaster off the walls and ugly fire doors etc. Pool area is very small and very hot, and quite run-down. Rooms are not very well sound-proofed and our mattress had a big dip in the middle of it which was a little annoying. No hairdryer / iron / tea or coffee making facilities in the room (which you would expect in a 4* hotel). Not very close to the city centre (although bus stops nearby). Positives: Modern double glazing. Bathrooms are ok. Staff are friendly and happy to be of service and the continental breakfast is OK - fresh bread, cereal, cold meat and cheese etc. Only 10-15 min bus ride to city centre, only Euro 1,35 for one-way trip. Overall, i wouldn't choose this hotel again when visiting Porto.

This place was pretty scruffy, very old inside, the "health club" was a hot crowded mini-pool which was very out of date. The car park across the street for the Hotel was so potholed we bottomed out the car driving in and out, plus were bombarded by beggars. The area is a 45 minute walk to down town through some really scruffy areas. The rooms stank of smoke and the breakfast was stale bread and packaged jam and nothing was freshened up. Save yourself and dont stay here!

Good value all be it that the hotel in places is a little tired and outdated, that said the hotel is comfortable and everything works The staff are friendly and go out of their way to be helpful The food (both dinner and Breakfast ) was good The pool was ok but required a 7 Euro swimming cap to be allowed to use it Car parking was Free but the hotel a problem to locate from the airport – the good news is that the locals went out of their way to help The hotel is located a twenty minute bus ride from centre of Porto (Euro 1,30) bus is best way to get into town To summarise will recommend and use when needing a hotel in Porto

We booked the Hotel through D-Reizen in Amersfoort and stayed from 15/05/2007 till 19/05/2007 People in the Hotel are indeed very friendly and apologetic and when you speak the language then that surely helps. The Hotel room was noisy at night by street traffic and some other visitors had to talk loudly at night. In the evening the room was hot and damp, the airco did not function well. There was a big group visiting the hotel and simultaneous there was water leakage from the 1st floor in the area/ room where we had breakfast. Breakfast was disorganised and there was not enough staff available to properly prepare/ clean tables and have all in place as need be. This was certainly the responsibility of the hotel to make sure this is done well no matter what. The orange juice was not real orange juice. The variety of breakfast food was limited. The glasses and plates ect were wet and not clean and dried. This is not a 4 star hotel and I would not recommend it.

The staff were friendly and breakfast was acceptable. Having said that, the rooms are noisy mainly from the cars out in the streets east and south of the hotel. The central heating system was very very noisy. The bed covers, furniture and curtains are very worn, old and tatty, and in desperate need of replacement. Had to move rooms three times, the first was noisy, the second had no heating, no TV and one of the wooden boards in the ceiling was moved.. The worst thing was that the staff although apologetic, thought nothing of the noise from the street or the noisy heating system. This place needs major changes. Try other places in Porto.

This hotel is not located at the city center, but the transportation to and from the center is excellent. It takes only about 10 minutes to the centre ( with traffic jam ). There is a busstop right in front of the hotel, and the buses work until midnight. The hotel personels were friendly. Our room was okay, not so big but clean. We stayed here in February, so outside was cold but our room was comfortably warm. There were enough space to put our luggage, but the 2-persons bed was a little bit small. The breakfast was enough, from breads, cereals, fruits, juices, and warm scrambled eggs and sausages. This hotel has also a health club with swimming pool, whirlpool and sauna, only they close at 9.p.m, so we ussualy swam before breakfast.

As we were arriving on an evening flight and hiring a car, we booked this hotel as it was "near the airport". How would you define near? It took us 40 minutes in the dark, driving aroud in road systems that bear no relation to those given either by the hotel or internet direction sites. Also Portugese drivers like to drive up to your bumper, sit for a time before moving to overtake you. Threatening driving like this, whilst bad enough in the day time is even worse in the dark. We came off the road systems in the end, thoroughly lost to find - by chance - a roundabout indicating that the hotel was a right turn away. Again, no street signs and after about 3 blocks, the hotel appeared in the right. Parking was at the side of the hotel. Our room was spacious and clean but the bath was rusty on the inside so a shower was all that was available. The restaruant closed at 9pm and we arrived at 9.30pm and with no room service, went to bed hungry. Breakfast buffet was plentiful and fresh. We only wanted a room for the night as we were heading off to Fatima - 1 hour 45 minutes away - but on our return for our homeward flight, enjoyed the beaches in Porto. It's clean and OK but falls down on location - neither close to the beach or to the airport.