Village by Boa

Style

Japandi eye candy

Setting

Rebooted Bolhão bairro

The essence of Village by Boa is perfectly encapsulated by its affable motto, ‘welcome home, please come in.’ This cleverly-converted cluster of self-catering apartments was once the residential neighbourhood known as Bairro do Silva, and much of the ‘at home’ atmosphere still resides within the whitewashed walls. The interiors are a calm, comforting combination of Japanese wabi-sabi and Scandinavian hygge, which promise a restful refuge from the bustle of farmers, fishermen, and florists in the nearby Bolhão market. Take your reusable tote bag (printed with that friendly phrase) to be filled with fresh produce from the traditional stalls, return to the hotel’s sun-soaked courtyard, and tuck in.

Facilities

Rooms

38 studios and apartments.

Checkout

11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

More Details

Rates exclude breakfast, but a hamper of local produce (freshly squeezed orange juice, granola, fruit, yoghurt, jam, and just-baked bread and pastries) can be sent to your apartment for €15 each, with vegan options available.

Also

The hotel has some ground-floor accommodation suitable for guests with mobility issues.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

At the Hotel

Artisan-stocked boutique, digital concierge app, private penthouse event space, charged laundry service, and free WiFi. In rooms: smart TV, air-conditioning, fully-equipped kitchen, herbal tea-making kit, coffee machine, popcorn machine, and Meraki bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

Expect Japandi styling (a soothing combination of Japanese and Scandinavian interiors) throughout each studio and apartment, which have been designed with minimalists and bohemians in mind. To take the home-from-home feeling up a notch, we’d opt for the Superior Duplex – there’s something wonderfully comfortable (and luxurious) about going upstairs to bed in a hotel, or is it just us? You’ve also got the added bonus of a private balcony for secluded sunbathing.

Spa

Although there’s no spa on-site, you can book a selection of treatments through the hotel’s digital app (with miracle-working massages just one minute’s walk away). There’s also a 24-hour gym (accessed using your unique code) with yoga mats and various fitness equipment in a light-filled studio.

Packing Tips

With the Mercado do Bolhão on your doorstep, you’ll want to save room in your suitcase (or just bring an extra bag?) for all the market treasures.

Also

Award-winning metalworker Zadok Ben-David is just one of the many artists whose work is on display around the village – look out for his three-metre-high metal-tree installation in the main courtyard.

Children

A crib or extra bed can be added to some rooms for free (for children under 13 and for an additional cost for over-13s) and there’s plenty of space for families to stretch out in the Deluxe Two Bedroom apartments.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Keep it casual at your kitchen counter, or mingle under the almond tree in the central courtyard for a more sociable setting.

Dress Code

Whatever you’d wear in your own apartment, comfort is king here.

Hotel Restaurant

No restaurant, no problem. Your fully-equipped kitchen will serve all your self-catering needs, with beautifully-crafted Nordic clay crockery to eat your home-cooked meals on. There’s even a hot-pink popcorn machine if you’re planning a movie night, and a Japanese tea set for warming brews. Pick up some supplies from the Market by BOA, a beautifully-curated deli and homeware boutique selling small-batch produce.

Hotel Bar

The generously-sized bottle of local port in your welcome basket should help get you started, but you’ll need to venture out for drinks (check the hotel’s app for the locals’ favourite sundowner spots).

Last Orders

The beauty of self-catering stays is that there’s no set mealtimes. Just whip something up whenever you fancy.

Room Service

There’s no in-room dining menu, but breakfast hampers are delivered to your door each morning.

Planes

Francisco Sá Carneiro is the closest airport, which is just 20 minutes by car from the hotel. You can book private transfers with the hotel for €35 (one-way, for two people) or €55 (one-way, for up to four passengers).

Trains

You couldn’t be closer to Trindade Station if you tried (you can see the trains pulling in from the hotel’s courtyard). This is the city’s main metro hub, with regular, direct 30-minute connections to Porto Airport.

Automobiles

With its colourful, cobbled streets and impressive bridges, Porto is most enjoyably explored on foot (especially when the city’s many wine caves beckon). Though if you’re planning some day-trips across the Douro, there’s parking in nearby Silo Auto starting from €28.80 (for 24 hours).

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

You simply can’t visit Porto without stopping by the Mercado do Bolhão (under five minutes’ walk from Village by Boa), a traditional indoor farmer’s market selling fresh fish, butcher-prepared meat, fruit and vegetables, flowers, and more. You’ll pass the striking blue-and-white façade of Capela das Almas (or ‘Chapel of Souls’), an 18th-century church decorated with azulejo tiles along the Rua Santa Catarina – Porto’s main shopping street. Once a sleepy fishing village, the Ribeira district is now very much on the tourist map for its colourful townhouses, cobbled streets, and riverside eateries. Away from the central hustle and bustle (but with a seaside buzz all of its own), Foz do Douro is an easy day-trip, especially if you hop on one of the city’s much-photographed vintage trams. This oceanfront enclave has been hailed as Portugal’s answer to the French Riviera, where you can stroll along pretty promenades and sip sugar-cane cocktails in trendy beach bars.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .