This hotel is outside the historic section of Porto. It is the tallest building and easy to find from anywhere in Porto. The walk down to the main area of Porto is about 10 minutes. Breakfast was O.K. but very crowded. There were 5 bus groups at the hotel when we were there. The room was large with a view of the courtyard which was either not finished or abandoned. We couldn't tell which. Staff was very helpful at reception.

When we arrived at the Hotel we found the agent had not notified them of our booking. The situation was quickly resolved however by the polite and efficient staff. The hotel is situated a little outside the tourist area but within easy reach of the shops / metro etc. Easy to find as it is the tallest building in the area. Very clean and comfortable accommodation great choice at breakfast, all in all you couldn't ask for more. Would definately stay here again.

We visited this hotel in October last year for 4 days, bed and breakfast. On arrival in Porto we followed the directions we had found previous to our visit and made our way by metro to the hotel. The journey took about half hour in total, the metro is incredibly easy to use, cheap and efficient. The metro stop nearest our hotel was so surprisingly close, we got out and saw the hotel straight away. Luckily with it being a large modern building it is not hard to spot. The area itself in which the hotel is located is very deserted and run down, there is not much but a few cafes and random shops. Opposite the hotel is a supermarket (dolce pingo) which is deceptive as looks like a cafe from outside. There is also a really nice quaint restaurant opposite the hotel which is very cheap but the food was lovely. A 3 course meal for 2 with wine came to about ?30 which is very good. Even though the surrounding area is a bit run down the metro can take you in about 10 mins to Sao Bento by the river which is a highly recommended visit and the city center with cafes and shops and a large shopping centre is a 10 min walk away, we found it so easy to get about in Porto using the maps and signposts. The hotel looks very business like from outside and we were a little aprehensive on arrival that we might feel a little out of place. Due to our flight being so early we actually arrived at the hotel at 10am even though our check in was not until 2pm. We were greeted by a very friendly hotel porter who spoke excellent english, we asked if our bags could be stored while we waited till our check in time and he happily took them to a secure room which we were issued a ticket for. We were offered assistance and maps for our day, he really went out of his way to help. The reception staff were very friendly and chatty, they gave us lots of tour guides and various maps for our stay, and they spoke very good english. When we did check in, the room was actually quite nice, we were only on the 6th floor so the view wasnt great as it has 18 floors, I imagine if at the top the views could be amazing. The room itself was medium sized with a double bed, table and chairs, dressing table, double wardrobe and T.V. And an ample bathroom with bath and shower. The decor was nice and the room was cosy but not cramped. We did a lot of walking over our 3 days during the day so it was nice to relax in the evening and the room was nice enough to stay in and order room service which had a wide choice of food and drink, there was also a mini bar in the room. The T.V had a good range of channels too. We had breakfast included and it was well worth it, there was a huge range of cooked breakfast, cereals, toast and pastries with jams, fruit and juices etc. It was a really nice place to start the day. The lifts, there are 4 altogether on each floor I think were a bit rubbish, they just didnt arrive! And the stairs from the restaurant are actually staff stairs if you use them. There is a gym and swimming pool but the pool is ?7 a day each which we thought a bit expensive. Overall this hotel is a must, I recommended it to a friend and she went and loved it too. The location of the hotel is ideal as the area itself is very quiet but so close to everything you need. We would definatley go here again and would look out for Vila Gale in other Portugese cities.

Had a 2 night break at the hotel arriving too early to check in the staff were very helpful and the concierge stored our bags until we returned. Having used the metro from the airport the hotel was a couple of minutes walk from the station and as it opened at 0600 even on a sunday provided a cheap and speedy return to the airport having bought a bus and rail pass at the aiport on arrival for about E9. The hotel room was neat and adequate for a short stopover with pleny hanging space, though the shower was not very strong. The breakfast provided a good selection of hot and cold items and well stocked. I did not use any other facilities but found the hotel quiet and comfortable. The surrounding area looks a bit dodgy but was in fact very safe and very quiet at night, Access to Porto was easy either on foot or metro or bus. We found it a very convenient location and would stay again.