Sunday, March 22

Porto hotels

Getting there might be a pain in the neck, but thankfully, Porto offers a range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets.

Those who went to Lyon last season will identify with Porto's geography, in that there's a river in the middle of it - most of the attractions are immediately north of it, and some are on the south side.

Porto's stadium, Estadio do Dragao, is in the north east of the city centre.

Hotel wise, one of the best bargains on offer anywhere in Europe, let alone Porto is the Residencial Santa Luzia (pictured right) at Rua da Alegria, 147.

It's a three-star hotel in the heart of the city centre. You can get a single room for £23.46, a double for £28.15 and a triple room for £37.54 per night.

It has its own bar and a cash machine next door. And the best part is, if you cancel a day before you're due to check in, you get a full refund. Book here.

Slightly more expensive is the Residencial Aviz (pictured left), at the Av. Rodrigues De Freitas, 451, which also has a brilliant central location and offers comfortable rooms - and it's a brief walk from the stadium.

Single rooms cost £26.28, doubles cost £31.91 and triples £42.23. Again, book through booking.com here.

Another hotel that comes highly recommended is the Hotel Peninsular at rua sa da bandeira, 21, which is right over the road from São Bento Station. It's luxurious but still cheap. You can get a deluxe twin room for £47.86 or a super deluxe double room for £8 more.

The hotel has a restaurant and balcony views of the bustling city centre. It's a winner if you're willing to spend a few extra quid. Book here.

Hostelbookers.com offers a wide range of hostels to those wanting to save even more cash, and our highlight is by far the amazing value Residência Pedra Antiga, in Rua de Santa Catarina, right in the centre.

For a twin room. it costs £29.90 per room per night. All rooms have bathrooms and brand new TVs with Sky. There is also an outside garden where you can relax and eat from the frequent barbecues - and you get your breakfast included in the room price.

Book here. There's a 10-per-cent deposit payable on booking and you pay the rest on arrival. If you cancel, you lose your deposit.

Expedia.co.uk also offers a range of Porto hotels, but the ones above work out cheaper and, unlike with other European cities, you're staying centrally.

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