We bring you a detailed review of NH Collection Porto Batalha, a stylish hotel set in a historic building in the heart of Porto, Portugal. The hotel embraces a postal theme, paying homage to its past as the former Central Post Office of Porto. In this review, we cover its prime location, room features, dining and bar experience, and service quality. Whether you’re considering this hotel for its heritage charm, modern comforts, or convenience, we provide a thorough look at what to expect during your stay in Porto.
Table of Contents
Price Category
For prices of hotels in Porto, NH Porto Batalha falls in the premium category. Prices change drastically depending on the demand/time of the year.
| Category | Range | Description | Example Features | Icons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Up to €100 | Basic amenities | Free Wi-Fi, Private bathroom | 🛏️📶 |
| Moderate | €100 - €175 | Comfortable, mid-range hotels | Basic food services, 24-hour lobby | 🛏️📶🍽️ |
| Premium | €175 - €250 | High-end, full-service hotels | Room service, Spa/Gym access, Full restaurant on premises, Attractive lobby | 🛏️📶🍽️🛎️🏋️♂️ |
| Luxury | Over €250 | Luxury, 5-star hotels | Superior amenities, Upscale concierge, Gourmet dining, Lavish lobby | 🛏️📶🍽️🛎️🏋️♂️✨ |
Data and Online Reviews
| Address: | Praça da Batalha 60, 4000-101 Porto, Portugal | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| We Paid: | US$ 200 a night (*) | We stayed in: April 2024 | |
| Google Maps: | 4.6 ★★★★★ | 1551 reviews | |
| Tripadvisor: | 4.5 ★★★★☆ | 2620 reviews | |
| Hotels.com: | 9.4 Exceptional | 1000 reviews | |
(*) We used American Express Travel which is more expensive than the price in the hotel website. For us it was advantageous to use our Platinum yearly US$200 rebate (not calculated in the above rate)
Location | ★★★★★ |
NH Collection Porto Batalha boasts a prime location in the heart of Porto, making it an ideal starting point for exploring the city. You can easily begin our walking guide tours from our 2 days in Porto blog right from the hotel.
The hotel in itself is a beautiful traditional building that used to house Porto’s post office. The hotel has a postal theme with room numbers posted as postcards and carpets with stamp motives.
Major attractions like Sé do Porto and Torre dos Clérigos are just a 10-minute walk away. Mass transit options such as São Bento Station and the Metro are also nearby, providing convenient access to other parts of the city.
For lunch, we loved Gazela restaurant, where we enjoy its delicious cachorinhos, close by. If you prefer to enjoy breakfast outside the hotel, Café Lobito, half a block away, offers an authentic Portuguese traditional breakfast experience. Additionally, there are a couple of cafes across the plaza where you can enjoy breakfast al fresco, perfect for people-watching, though the food quality may not match that of Café Lobito.
Room | ★★★★★ |
The rooms at NH Collection Porto Batalha are designed to offer maximum comfort and modern amenities. The bed is exceptionally comfortable, featuring three pillows of different sizes and firmness for each guest, ensuring a personalized sleep experience. The decor is contemporary, with a nice-sized closet and a large safe for secure storage. A wall-mounted TV offers entertainment and a view of Porto Batalha Square that brings in plenty of natural light.
The bathroom is well-appointed with porcelain tiles and includes a rain shower, toilet, and bidet. Complimentary bottled water is provided, along with an electric kettle and an espresso maker stocked with capsules for the duration of your stay. Overall, the room exudes a blend of comfort and modern elegance, making it a perfect retreat after a day of exploring Porto.
Amenities | ★★★★☆ |
In-room Amenities
While we were happy with the complimentary coffee and water in the room as mentioned above, we would have expected a hotel in this price range to provide bathrobes and slippers (not present in the closet). The Wi-Fi speed was 18 Mbps, which is decent for a hotel and should meet the needs of most travelers. The laundry service was good and reasonably priced, and my polo shirt came back impeccable.
Gym and Pool
The gym has the essentials for a light workout, but it is rather small and feels a little cramped. The two treadmills were somewhat outdated. The pool looked nice, but unfortunately, the open hours are not conducive for someone who will be touring the whole day, as it was closed when I was working out.
Parking
While you do not need a car in Porto, in our case, we needed to pick up the car a day early for the rest of our trip (the most convenient Europcar location closes on weekends). The hotel doesn’t have parking, but you can park a couple of blocks away at another NH Collection hotel. This was the steepest ramp of any parking I’ve ever used, even the car started giving warning signals and almost refused to go down. As usual in Europe, the parking spaces were rather small. Parking has an extra cost. I would recommend trying another parking spot.
Restaurant and Bar
The restaurant, Tabu Fine Cousine and Restro Bar, was top-notch. Both the service and the quality of the meals were truly impressive. Both the cod and the steak were superb. The bar offers an exceptional variety of drinks in an attractive and modern setting with a live DJ. The master mixologist, Mr. Romain, was outstanding. It was the best Russian Mule I have ever had. The breakfast buffet offered a variety and everything was delicious. It included tasty pastries, a variety of cheeses, cold cuts, and a nice atmosphere in a room full of natural light. Espresso and lattes were available, and eggs were made to order.
Service | ★★★★★ |
We arrived before check-in, and the luggage was taken care of promptly by the cordial personnel. The staff, particularly those in the restaurant during breakfast and dinner, were exceptionally friendly and attentive. The room was always sparkling clean, reflecting the high standards of housekeeping maintained throughout our stay. The overall service experience at NH Collection Porto Batalha was outstanding, contributing significantly to the enjoyment of our visit.
Additionally, by the reception, there was always cold fruit-flavored water, pastries, and cookies available, which was a delightful touch and added to the welcoming atmosphere of the hotel.
Rating |
NH Collection Porto Batalha’s central location makes it a perfect starting point for exploring the city’s major attractions, and the staff’s attentive service adds to the overall pleasant experience. The rooms are comfortable and well-appointed, with modern decor and thoughtful in-room amenities, although the absence of bathrobes and slippers was noted. The hotel offers high-end dining, with a vibrant bar and top-notch mixology. It’s nice to have access to a gym, but it could benefit from some updates and more accommodating hours for its pool. Overall, we truly enjoyed our stay and it is a solid choice for a pleasant stay in Porto.
Our review is completely unbiased—we received no compensation or special treatment from the hotel. If you’re considering booking a stay at the NH Porto Batalha Hotel, we would greatly appreciate it if you used our affiliate link below. This allows us to earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, helping us support our blog and continue providing honest, independent hotel reviews.
Methodology
We follow a thorough methodology to ensure fair and consistent hotel comparisons, considering pricing, location, service, and market standards. Our reviews maintain transparency and independence to provide useful insights for travelers.
👉 More information below
How We Evaluate Hotels
To help you align your expectations, we categorize hotels into four groups: budget, moderate, premium, and luxury, from the least expensive to the most expensive in each market.
This way, we ensure that we’re comparing apples to apples. A budget hotel we rate five-stars is not necessarily a better choice than a luxury hotel that we rate four-stars; it’s all about managing expectations within each price category.
Different markets have different expectations, and we take these into account by comparing properties within the same price category for each market. For example, for a moderately priced hotel in Bangkok, I expect a pool on the premises; this is not the case in most American and European big cities.
Our star ratings reflect these expectations on each aspect of our hotel experience:
5 stars – Exceeds expectations
4 stars – Meets expectations
3 stars – Missing key features
2 stars – Below expectations
1 star – Not acceptable
For the overall rating: We recommend hotels rated 4–5 stars. Consider but not ideal, on the 3 star range. We do not recommend hotels rated below 3. Medal-awarded hotels are standouts within their price category and offer an exceptional experience considering the category.
In those cases where we find a hotel that we rate with a perfect five stars, we award the following medals according to each category:
- Budget: Good, Nice, and Affordable.
- Moderate: Exceptional Value.
- Premium: Premium Excellence.
- Luxury: Unforgettable Experience.
We believe that by following this methodology, we help our readers make more informed and satisfying travel choices.
Feel free to leave comments with your experience if you stayed at the NH Collection Porto Batalha. Hope you find this review helpful and happy travels!