Palace Museum - Espaço Palmeiras

This is a one off very special location. I couldn't believe we we staying in a room in a historic house.

really nice well kept suite of rooms. location is fantastic- lots of cool chic restaurants and bars in the immediate area (a lot of Porto is tourist trap, this was more authentic), but no sound disruption. easy access to bus and metro. Maria’s kindness and hospitality reminded me of a high end Japanese hotel experience! nothing problematic,

Optimal location in the heat of Porto and walk to many key historical sites. The family greeting guests is so charming and welcoming . They featured a wine tasting among other perks. Stunningly preserved hotel with murals from the late 1800’s! Impeccably kept and felt like a walk back in time. There was nothing I didn’t like.

This is a unique place to stay. It is a former grand home that is now a museum. The rooms are huge and it is very quiet. The location is very close to everything, but is also a beautiful respite with frescoes and anitque furniture. The hostess is very nice and greated us with a chat about Porto and a some port. This was a great place to stay.

Maria, the owner and her assistant are very kind and welcoming.

It is in an ideal location. Close to many unique things to tour such as the Lello Library, several ancient buildings and about a 30 minute walk to the river boat tours. The non-assuming more understated outside appearance keeps a secret gem of Porto’s history with its winding wood staircase, murals from the 1890’s and elegant suites with architectural wood carved insets in the ceilings and old world charm. Its pictures online aren’t as captivating as being there! I was proud to have gifted my in-laws this experience! It was a cherished stay for me as well. Nothing to report.

Maria was a fabulous host and the palace is a unique place to stay

Beautiful and historic. Hostess was lovely. Interesting neighborhood. Many restaurants nearby.

Wonderful

We had an amazing weekend stay at Palacete Museu (Espaço Palmeiras) in Porto. The room was beautiful and very comfortable, the setting absolutely stunning, and the warm welcome made us feel right at home. The location is perfect — close to everything yet peaceful and full of charm. Maria and Júlia were incredibly kind and attentive, making our stay truly memorable. We loved every moment and would definitely come back!

It was my first trip to Porto and I wanted to experience it by staying somewhere other than a traditional hotel. This lovely and interesting property provided me with that experience. I had a lovely suite with very tall ceilings, a balcony onto the street, handpainted murals and furnishings, and incredible ceiling reliefs. Maria and Ricardo were very hospitable and kind. Ricardo recommended many sites to see, as well as bakeries and cafes. Maria was so gracious, and she oversaw the “comings and goings” for the property (which was in her family). I grew to like them very much. In hindsight, I’m so happy they were a part of my Porto experience. When I had a minor medical issue, they helped me tremendously, which I truly appreciated as I was a solo traveler.

A beautiful historic home with spacious accommodations. The owner and her staff were extremely helpful and gracious

What a beautiful place. You are in museum. The rooms are so large and luxurious and fully appointed. We loved the location near many great places to drink and eat. We liked everything about the property

Very comfortable bed. Great location. Maria is a warm and gracious host.

The proprietor Maria was simply wonderful! Her property was so beautiful and unique. We were very happy with every aspect of our stay. Nothing.

Nothing

Breakfast was over-the-top. Superb!

beautiful building with stunning architecture

Here are the pros and cons of our stay, based upon the description of the Palace: - The Palace is in the “heart” of Porto -- no. Although it is close to the “heart” it certainly isn’t in the center of the city. And btw ... traffic can get really bad to get to the “heart”, in which case it does not feel very close at all. - There are facilities for disabled guests -- no.  We did not see any We recently stayed at the Palace Museum in early May 2023.  The Palace is run by Maria, the owner of the Palace, and Riccardo, who is her employee and wears many hats.  Maria is very good at marketing ... she advertises the Palace on her website in such wonderful terms.  She indicates that the venue has many amenities.  Unfortunately, many of the things in the description of the venue are either false or embellished. First ... the venue is really a Bed and Breakfast.  It is not a hotel.  It does not have an elevator.  It does not offer any services.  She markets the Palace as a historic building in the heart of Porto. Although it is close to the “heart” it isn’t in the 'heart'.  The building is basically an old house (170 years old), operating as a bed and breakfast, filled with old furniture (not antiques).  The place smells of mildew, mold and moth balls.  In fact, the other couple in my party actually had mold in their closet. BTW ... being a B&B is fine.  Many times when I travel I want a B&B.  But for this cost, I certainly did not.  I wanted a European hotel.  And to make matters a bit worse ... I feel that this venue was not honestly described on their website. Upon arriving to the facility, the Palace lacked signage or anything indicating we were at the correct address. The door blends into the rest of the street. You would think a lodging facility and a “museum” would have something outside to indicate what it is. When we entered the facility we were greeted by Ricardo, who proved to be the concierge, reception person, tour guide and a really helpful and nice man.

The concierge person was very helpful and attentive When we first pulled up to this “hotel” in the taxi we told the driver that he must have taken us to the wrong address. He insisted it was the right address and basically laughed at us thinking we were stupid Americans. The exterior of this house is dirty and rundown and looks nothing like a hotel. First let me say that this is not a hotel and should not be advertised as such. It is a B&B, a very expensive B&B. My husband and I found mold in the armoire when we first arrived. They dealt with cleaning it up quickly but since I’m highly allergic I was not comfortable putting my clothes in it. The “hotel” is advertised as a museum but I’m not really sure that it qualifies as one. The house is 170 years old which is relatively young as far as houses in Europe go. The furnishings were nice but nothing museum quality as far as I can tell. The location was far from town, no parking available so definitely not ideal. Many of the services advertised in the listing were misleading in my opinion. There is no spa, there’s a balcony but no seating on the balcony and the garden can hardly be called a garden. It was more of a outside area littered with cat food bowls and dirty run down lawn furniture. We spent 3 weeks traveling through Spain and Portugal. This was the worst place we stayed in and it was by far the most expensive. Unfortunately they charge you for full payment prior to arriving so you’re left we little recourse. I left feeling taken advantage.