Rating
Mariana was great, very accommodating, super helpful and friendly. The space was lovely, with its own bathroom, and shared kitchen facilities. The room is big, with a comfortable bed and a big desk for working with a view outside for regular screen breaks! The location is in a lovely part of Porto very close to the river and the sea! Will certainly visit again when I am in Porto!
Neighborhood
The area is lovely - very close to Ouro and Foz, near the river and the sea. Close by there is a mini supermarket where you can buy many foods, as well as a restaurant. Within a short walk there are more shops restaurants and cafes and a launderette.
Recommended places nearby
TASCOMIGO cafe - very nice.
Walk down to Foz (area near sea-front) you can see a Fort here and walk along the sea-wall to the lighthouse. This area is very nice too.
Thomas J.
Mariana was so warm and welcoming, she texted me before I arrived by plane and made suggestions for transport. Upon arrival she offered me a tall glass of water, house slippers, and the right plugs and chargers I did not bring. I felt so welcomed and peaceful in her place. My very large room had a balcony (it's one floor above ground level) where in the afternoon I could suntan. Shortly after I arrived I walked 5 minutes downhill and was at the famous Douro river, with miles of interesting walks in either direction. Within 20 minutes of walking I found a lovely beach and swam briefly. The water is always cold. From her apartment-- a supermarket with everything including a health food section is 2 blocks away. Also two blocks away is an indoor pool, and a lovely large peaceful park with tall trees. Adjacent to that is a museum.
Right outside her place are 4 bus lines taking you anywhere; downtown is only 20 minutes and €2.50 away.
Mariana was so thoughtful and easy to interact with. I highly recommend staying with her and in her neighborhood!
Neighborhood
Very safe, family neighborhood, not a tourist or trendy place.
Adonata P.
We are yoga practitioners and travelers! We stayed with Mariana for July.
Mariana is a wonderful and good-natured person, open and sociable, it was very pleasant and valuable for us.
Thanks for that!
The room is large, but we moved some furniture, as we needed more free space for yoga practice. The room is half light, one panoramic window and a beautiful balcony with flowers give light, but the second part of the room was dark... in general, everything is as in the photo.
The kitchen is small with a lot of kitchen utensils, but it has everything you need. It was a bit like India with the smells of curry and various herbs.
When we arrived, Marianna's guests were in the apartment and there were 5 of us in the apartment for a while (all very pleasant people), it was a little crowded in the kitchen (it was often busy), but then everyone left and we were left alone for 15 days. Therefore, we had enough space and time to prepare food ;)
The shower and toilet are together, but at our complete disposal, but the shower must be taken hastily, as water accumulates on the floor.. But it's 20-25 minutes to the ocean, and we swam in the morning in the invigorating ocean water, too. Nearby (20 minutes on foot) there are many large shops (Lidl, Mercadona, pingo dos), which is convenient for those who cook at home.
We work online and the internet was super fast and didn't let us down.
Among the disadvantages for us was a fairly high rent, because in our opinion, it was overstated in the price-quality ratio. Maybe because of the season.
Also, we did not notice heating, so we can assume that it may be cold in winter, but this is just an assumption.
To sum up, we are glad that we stayed with Mariana.
Neighborhood
The neighborhood was quite nice and friendly but near Mercadona shop there are strange guys with camps but never troubled us
Recommended places nearby
The beach, embankment and the beacon
Evgenii S.
One of the most uncomfortable places I've ever lived. The room is large, but dark and cold. There are a lot of mosquitoes at night, so buy a fumigator. It is also uncomfortable to use the shared kitchen, so I had to eat semi-finished products for 3 weeks. The shower and toilet are very small. The shower just pours on the floor and tries to flood the whole apartment. I had a feeling that I was back in India. But if you like this, then welcome.
Nikita T.
I had a lovely stay at Mariana's place. It's a really spacious room and has all the comfort you need. It's in a quiet area and 3 minutes walk to the water. It's a great place if you don't want to be in the Centre but still connected to the city. Spending time with Mariana, who is always sharing her food, kindness and wisdom, is just lovely!
Pleun Elsa A.
Mariana is a really kind person, who seems always ready to help people around us and with which you can have a nice conversation easily if you want to.
About the place, the room was really big with a lot of space and colorful. However, when it cold outside, it really is inside too and there is no heather or anything to warm the place. Also, there is not a lot of cooking equipments (there is no microwave or oven), only a hob. Concerning the private bathroom, it is not what you imagine when you think about a bathroom. Indeed, the toilet and the small sink are inside the shower. Furthermore, the pipes are a bit clogged and there is nothing to preclude the water to flood the kitchen when you take your shower so you need to take it really fast.
For all those reasons I am really sorry to rate the place so poorly, but I really think that you can find a better place cheaper and that some things need to be fixed. I tried to be as honest as I could and I am sorry Mariana because you were a really sweet person.
Neighborhood
It is just near the Douro which is very nice ! You can easily access to the ocean with the bus and if you're going to catolica university it is also very easy. To go in the center it is not complicated either. Furthermore, there is a supermarket 2 minutes away from the accomodation.
Raphaël M.
I was in Mariana’s flat for almost the entire month of November and I felt very comfortable during my stay. The room is just like it is described. A balcony, own toilet and own entrance to the apartment is a big plus. The location is good: bus stops, markets, restaurants and gym are all close by. Porto with its magnificent river is really beautiful and worthwhile to visit. I recommend it.
Celal C.