Mouco Hotel review: A quirky, music-themed base for creatives in Porto

Stay, listen and play in Porto city’s hideaway for musicians and creative souls

Each room can be catered with a record player and musical instruments for guest use (Luis Ferraz)

In a nutshell: Astylish and hip location from which to explore Porto, this Bonfim base has a kooky musical twist and retro feel to match the vibrant city.

The neighbourhood

Mouco is right in the middle of the Bonfim area, and most of Porto’s sights are within walking distance from here as the city is relatively small. The hotel sits on a cobblestone residential street, just off from a main road where you can catch a bus into the centre of town. You are also a five-minute walk from Heroísmo metro stop or Campanhã railway station. The location is peaceful, with only the occasional rumble of passing traffic. It’s a quieter and residential area with a very authentic Porto atmosphere. Nearby there are bars and coffee shops which look like they cater to the local community, rather than tourists, but are very welcoming.

The centre of town is just a 15-minute walk, where you can find bars, cafes and restaurants. It’s also where you can find some of Porto’s most popular tourist sites, including the Luís I Bridge, the Palacio da Bolsa and Cais da Ribeira where you can enjoy one of the city’s famous wine tasting experiences. It’s a perfect location to sit at a restaurant table people watching or gazing at the iconic Rabelo Boats pass by on the Douro River. Don’t forget to cross the Luís I Bridge to find the Jardim do Morro, where Porto residents and tourists gather at the end of the day with beer or a glass of wine to clap and cheer sunset as it dramatically dips below the horizon. It has amazing panoramic views of the city, too.

Guests can peruse and listen to vinyl in the hotel’s record library (Luis Ferraz)

The vibe

Everything about this hotel is geared towards music. The hotel has its own concert hall and a music library with records which guests can take to their rooms to play and musical instruments for hire. You get the sense that this is a place where you can rub shoulders with artists and musicians in the bar or lounge areas. At any moment you expect someone to spontaneously start a sing-along in one of the public areas with an acoustic guitar. The interior design is unmistakably vintage in feel and the hotel’s designers filled it with furniture which was either bought from one of Porto’s second-hand stores or commissioned locally to reflect a vintage look. It’s clear that this place was designed to also be a welcoming cultural space as well as a comfortable hotel.

Bed and bath

The overall look is smooth and contemporary with a hint of retro: wood panelling and concrete architecture also gives interiors an earthy, textured feel. Its minimalist style gives the impression that nothing has been put here without a purpose. Everything from the kitchenette to the bathroom’s shower feels as seamless and considered as whichever record you might pick to play on the room’s turntable. The rooms’ stripped-back look and peaceful vibe give present the idea that you could compose music with one of the instruments for hire from the lobby; for those of us not rocking out on the regular, they’re a relaxing base to decompress in.

The restaurant offers a tasty twist on traditional Portuguese dining (Luis Ferraz)

Food and drink

Restaurants here are polished and focus on traditional Portuguese cuisine. The hotel’s B&B-rate breakfast includes a cooked breakfast as well as a continental spread, with tasty local cheeses and ham. Also on offer are scrumptious pastries, including the well-known Portuguese custard tart or pastéis de nata. Come dinnertime you can eat in the restaurant or in the slightly livelier bar area where the Portuguese francesinha sandwich (think pork, cheese and gravy in one indulgent creation) is not to be missed by meat-lovers. There is also a comparably large vegetarian menu serving options such as tofu stuffed raviolis and spinach risotto. The bar is open until late and seemingly always buzzing with activity; it’s a perfect place to enjoy a cocktail after a day sightseeing.

Public areas

This hotel’s communal areas are more interesting than most, with a record library and concert hall with a capacity of 180 seated or 300 standing guests. The hotel has an interesting range of acts that perform at the concert hall throughout the year - think a samba-funk Brazilian girlband or a queer, anti-racist duo performing Portuguese fado music - and guests can buy tickets for these shows at the front desk - it’s an enjoyable way to start an evening. Every public area has songs playing softly in the background giving the hotel a fun ambience and a relaxed musical vibe. The brutalist structures of the building allow for both mingling with the other guests or finding solitude in one of the hotel’s quieter corners. Don’t miss the small outdoor pool, which can be found by taking a walk through the garden and onto a raised platform. It’s a great little suntrap on a fine day.

The pool can be accessed through the hotel garden (Luis Ferraz)

Nuts and bolts

Room count: 62

Freebies: Around 600 vinyl records for guest use in bedrooms or music library.

Wifi: Free.

Extra charges: Music venue tickets from £8.79.

Disability access: Full wheelchair access to hotel and selected bedrooms.

Bottom line

Best thing: The proximity to the city centre and historical sites.

Worst thing: Bonfim is one of the sleepier but authentic residential areas of Porto.

Perfect for: Hip, music-loving city visitors.

Not right for: Young children - there won’t be much to entertain them.

Instagram from: The hotel pool and garden.

Room rate: Doubles from £69 a night, B&B. Bedrooms with a kitchenette from £97 a night.

Book here

moucohotel.pt