Rosa Et Al Townhouse

Arriving at the subtle, whitewashed, door of Rosa Et Al Townhouse feels like coming home.

Welcomed with smile, and the smell of that morning’s pastries still lingering, check-in is a pleasant, informal breeze. We sip on espressos and marvel at the display of local wines and modern crafts as our host, Claudia, shares her favourite cultural spots and local restaurants like a friend whose good taste you trust.

But what resonates the most is her passing comment as we climb the winding staircase to our room: ‘Don’t worry if you get lost in the city – just ask someone. Porto is the kind of place where people like to help…’

It turns out such sentiments of warmth, generosity and hospitality are the things that will come to shape the nature of our stay…

With its six perfectly formed rooms, Rosa Et Al artfully balances the traditional with impeccable, modern design features. We hole up in room two (The King Grand Deluxe Garden Suite) which is painted simply in white to make the most of the original wooden floorboards, contemporary grey sofa and intricate cornicing that wraps itself around the ceiling.

But it’s the two full-length doors draped in white linen that make the biggest impression as they flood our room with winter light. They lead out to a balcony (all rooms come complete with a little outside space) wrapped in ivy and overlooking the length of the garden, next door’s persimmon tree and a workshop. The sound of wood being worked, of people making something with their hands, is comforting; a nod to the a bohemian, creative spirit of the city.

The bed is something of a temptress – every time we try and get out of it, we end up getting back in. It must be its luxuriously soft sheets and dreamy pillows, we decide. To avert our thirst, we turn to the bottle of port and two glasses at the side of the bed – which we finish whilst lingering in the claw-foot bath tub.

We decided to throw caution – and potential embarrassment to the wind – and treat ourselves to an in-room couples massage, organised happily by the hotel. Our masseurs are expert and friendly. They use only natural products and are dressed in elegant grey Grecian-wrap dresses – a pleasant change to the all-in-white get up that feels more like you’re being wheeled into surgery than for a restorative massage.

We’re brought a pot of wild rose tea afterwards, which sends me into some kind of blissful, hypnotic state. In fact, the tea selection here is probably the best we’ve ever sampled on our travels. Each night we’d disappear upstairs after too much wine and baccalau with a pot (we’re still daydreaming about the Egyptian camomile and mint) and spend a good 10 minutes extolling its virtues. It always arrives perfectly brewed in a cast-iron teapot atop a contemporary, Portuguese-made cork tray.

The next day, Claudia tells me some of the teas are made by drying plants and herbs from the garden which makes me swoon further and leads wonderfully onto the subject of breakfast.

I am, in every sense, a breakfast person. It is where the joy of the day begins and something that Rosa Et Al understands perfectly. The breakfast room overlooks the garden and is beautiful, bright and airy – like the dining room of your dreams. The menu is thoughtfully organised – the home-baked pastries arrive warm from the oven accompanied by home-churned butter and preserves, such as kiwi and wild strawberry, juices of the day, granola, and eggs every-which-way.

We push the boat out and try it all, alongside a latte and flat white. Cooking classes, with their cook Sonia, are on offer on Thursday and Sundays but they can also, in advance, create a bespoke dinner menu of local produce based on your whims and desires.

The beauty of being here is that while everything is curated, nothing is forced. It marries nicely with the relaxed, hospitable nature of the city. You feel a genuine warmth and familiarity from that moment you walk through the door.

As people who shy away from formal hotel experiences, we love Rosa Et Al’s calm, easy nature. But it’s the quiet, effortless attention to detail that turns a stay here into a little slice of something wonderful.