Pousada do Porto - Rua das Flores

The Pestana group is responsible for an outsized proportion of Portugal’s hotel trade, and among their specialties is the rehabilitation of historical properties. Pousada do Porto - Rua das Flores is just such a place — an 18th-century structure on a pedestrians-only street in Porto’s historic district, meticulously restored and opened to the public as an 84-room boutique-style luxury hotel.

As carefully preserved as the heritage architecture may be, Pestana’s designers clearly felt no pressure to re-create the interior styles of the 1700s. Stone walls and herringbone floors strike classic notes, but the furnishings and décor are as contemporary as can be, full of saturated colors and rich with subtle references to flowers, in tribute to the famous Rua das Flores outside. Meanwhile the in-room comforts are pure modern luxury, from the stone-clad walk-in showers to the soundproofing and electronics.

There’s space for a sauna, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. And while the location, in one of Porto’s most vibrant corners, means you’re by no means at the mercy of the hotel restaurant, the P Gastro Bar is a worthy option all the same, set on the ground floor and spilling out into the building’s inner courtyard.