Menina Colina Guesthouse

Last year I had the most wonderful stay at Menina Colina, and was excited to return. Unfortunately I now wish I had reserved elsewhere, as it has been nothing but a disappointment. Prices are so much higher than a year ago, but I thought I got what was a good deal on the garden room. Turns out it is greatly overpriced for what is offered, as it has none of the exquisite design or attention to detail that the interior rooms have. It also seems to be neglected in terms of maintenance. The coffee machine was leaking, and after reporting it, it was made out to be my fault as I was using it incorrectly. I had to physically show a member of staff the leaked water for them to agree to replace it. I was really annoyed that they felt that they needed to demonstrate to me how it works rather than just replacing it immediately. The next disappointment was that the room was initially not serviced at all, and no explanation was given. When you are paying $165 for a mediocre room (not even including breakfast), one would at the very least expect the bins to be emptied. The bathroom also had a terrible smell that permeated the room, and mosquitoes were a problem too. Management did offer me lunch or attendance of their fado show, but none of these arrangements fitted into my busy programme. I thought a small financial compensation would have made more sense. That did not happen, and nothing further was mentioned or discussed on check-out. The final issue was the online check-out which they require. When I tried to complete it, my bill was for my entire stay, although 3 of the 4 nights had already been paid months in advance. So my conclusion is unfortunately that Menina Colina’s standards have dropped significantly, and that it is overpriced for the lack of attention to detail that is evident in several areas.

We found this as a more affordable place to stay and are thrilled we did. A rescured, rehabilitated building at the top of the hill on the porto side. Unassuming from the outside, you step into old elegance once past the door. Don’t be afraid to unload while double parked (flashers on) , traffic goes around with nary a honk. We stayed in the apartmenton the third floor (no elevator, sorry) as it slept 4. Beds are very comfortable, linens are nice, and the bathoom had everything we needed. The breakfast needs to be ordered at booking, or the day before, but was lovely. The best cinamon french toast i’ve had, OJ, fruit, fresh espresso-made coffes, scrambled egg, and rolls and yogurt. All served with warmth. For us, the clincher is the back yard. It is green, lush, and peaceful. Coffee at one of the tables or breakfast on the (small) balcony is a delight. The quay is down the hill, probably a tem min. walk. Of course it is a 20 min. walk back up (we chose to take a cab having already walked enough hills). Wewould be happy to return.

A former physician's grand residence has been converted into a guesthouse with soaring ceilings and attractive contemporary furniture. Many of the rooms have a balcony and face a long garden. They serve simple vegetarian food and host Fado shows in the evening. I just found this establishment to be a very pleasant place to hang out and felt very taken care of by the staff. I just enjoyed opening up the doors to the balcony to catch the breeze and the city view. One thing to note is that there is no elevator and on the street side it faces a hospital. In July 2025, there was a construction project going on nearby but the hours of operation were fairly limited and I was not in my room that much.