Intercontinental Hotel, Porto, Portugal
What do you expect in a hotel? I know, I know, everyone is different and
expectations grow with age. The younger
you are, the less amenities on your wish list.
Bet you know what I mean: Youth begs for a swimming pool, but spa? Who needs it? Corner bar that has the feel and
aroma of last weekend’s beer blast? No
prob. Breakfast room with more spills than thrills? Hell, if I care. No
bed? Dusty floor? When you’re young and the world is fresh,
your accommodations don’t have to be.
Well, I’m telling you I need more. A lot more.
Hasn’t always been like that. Wayyyyy
back in a nearly forgotten corner of my misspent youth, I took a date to
Paris. Cost me 25 bucks for the
weekend. Rickety stairs. Shower down the
hall and you had to plunk coins in a machine to get hot water. Toilet in the room, surrounded by a thin
curtain. Breakfast of a café au lait and a fresh croissant. But, the location was perfect, near the Place
de l’Opera, right down the street from Fauchon. We had another 50 bucks between
us and that was enough for a Paris weekend.
The downside? My date
fixed me with a heart-stopping stare. “Never bring me here again. I’ll pay for a nicer hotel.” No merriment in her smile because she didn’t
have one.
As a very young man, I stayed in a big city’s YMCA. Looked and felt like a halfway house. I took my shower in an open bay at midnight.
Took me five seconds or less of terror before I scurried back to my rat hole of
a room. Yes, I locked and barricaded the
door. Stayed one night. Made no unexpected friends, thank god.
Now things are better, at least in Europe. I hear hostels can be very nice, clean, and
pleasant. As soon as I figure out how to
be 22 again, I’ll give them a try.
But, now I like comfort and plenty of it. Front lobby that could be a dead ringer for
the cloakroom at Buckingham Palace.
Smiles from a group of liveried doormen and a dedicated concierge
desk. Check-in as easy as “Here’s your
key, sir, and the bar is right over there.”
You find your room so large as to be suitable for two people
or fourteen teenagers. Bathroom that
emptied a quarry of marble. Glistening
fixtures. Bright lights. Towels as thick
and fluffy as Flokatis. Shower large
enough to invite three friends, who will see each other only rarely, through a
billowing mist. A tub so deep there’s a
lifeguard on duty. Soaps, shampoos and
other necessities from very exclusive shops.
Makes you ditch your toilet articles and start over. Yes, I did. “Front desk?
Could I have 45 bars of body purifying soap delivered to my room,
please? Throw in some shampoo and hand
lotion. Gift wrapped, please.”
Gents' Room on the ground floor |
But, let’s get back to the main event. Ok, you’ve checked into the Intercontinental
Hotel, made your appointment for a full body massage and manicure later in the
day.
Time to hit the bar. First up, an outstanding, full-bodied red
wine. Portuguese of course. Terras do Grifo, Douro. So, let’s deconstruct this title….see how
easily I slip into pseudo intellectualism?
Deconstruct my ass! Tell me what
it means! Ok. The Land of the Griffin. Now, Mr. Smarty, what is a griffin? A mythical beast that has the head and wings
of an eagle and the hindquarters of a lion.
So, does it roar or scream? I
already told you it was mythical. You
decide.
But, the wine, whether you sip or swill, is perfect. I enjoy a full-bodied wine, but without the
raw tannins at the finish. Terras do
Grifo is smooth and mellow, with not so subtle hints of I-need-another-one.
Later on, we would adventure into the heady land of gin and
tonic. A Gin No. 3 from London’s famous
Fortnum & Mason’s cellar, along with a Fever Tree Indian tonic. Yep, if the tonic is good enough for a
sub-continent, it’s good enough for me.
And, it was good enough for me and anybody else. The next table over followed our lead and we
quickly made friends.
See, bars at nice hotels are congenial, not like in the U.S.
where they’re either body swap lounges, or biker bars where if you chat with
someone’s girlfriend you suddenly qualify for reconstructive surgery.
The bar at the Intercontinental is so congenial you may never
want to leave. The bar staff is swift and sure, but sadly, it’s time for my
full body massage and manicure.
The Intercontinental is like that. After the massage, we’ll get directions from
the coterie at the concierge desk and enjoy the delights of the city. But, I could sure use some more of that Grifo
slosh…
View from our room |
A nearby cafe |
On the Water Front |
Link to the Intercontinental:
https://www.intercontinental.com/hotels/gb/en/porto/prtha/hoteldetail?qAdlt=1&qBrs=6c.hi.ex.rs.ic.cp.in.sb.cw.cv.ul.vn.ki.sp.nd.ct&qChld=0&qFRA=1&qGRM=0&qIta=99603195&qPSt=0&qRRSrt=rt&qRef=df&qRms=1&qRpn=1&qRpp=20&qSHp=1&qSmP=3&qSrt=sBR&qWch=0&srb_u=1&icdv=99603195&cid=2814&dp=true&glat=SEAR&setPMCookies=true
Great ambience & location with walk to all attractions spots nearby, the main reason why I choose to stay as it is renovated in a former monastery. Rooms were old fashioned but very clean with good bathroom facilities. Moring breakfast was awesome the front desk staff who held room key when I left hotel premises were friendly & professional, I will plan my trip with my family & friends to visit this 19 century building by applying for Portugal Tourist Visa
ReplyDeleteThe amenities are gaining my attention, beautiful view, the attraction point is just amazing whenever I visit Portugal I would surely search for some Hotels in Portugal but for sure will be staying In Intercontinental Hotel.
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