Porto’s Most Exciting New Independent Luxury Hotel
• With a revolving art gallery, Michelin dining, outdoor pool and spa
• Located in the heart of Porto’s creative neighbourhood Cedofeita
• Portugal’s second city is justifiably celebrated for its art, culture, food and wine
You might think you have walked into a living art gallery. Abstract canvases and ceramics are discreetly dotted around the hotel’s high-ceilinged rooms, wood-panelled library, and beautifully manicured gardens.
But then the elegant 20-room Palacete Severo, an exciting new hotel launch in the heart of Porto, is a work of art itself. Surrounded by ancient camellia trees, the yellow-walled “palacete” (or small palace) was built by the celebrated Portuguese architect, Ricardo Severo. This feels more like a private residence than a hotel, with polished wood floors, ochre walls and stained-glass windows.
Located in the city’s creative neighbourhood Cedofeita, famous for its art galleries, craft boutiques and independent restaurants and bars, the mansion also serves as a revolving exhibition space for artists.
The hotel exudes art, history and discreet luxury. Éon, the fine dining restaurant at the hotel, has just been awarded a 2026 Michelin Star (for its magnificent tasting menu created by chef Tiago Bonito), while the more informal Bistrô Severo, achieved ‘Michelin Recommended’ status in the 2026 guide.
And art is the beating heart of Palacete Severo. Hotel owner Géraldine Banier, also a gallerist, invites Portuguese and international artists to showcase at the Porto gallery – Perspective Galerie – located inside the hotel. The programme changes every three months and artworks are available to purchase, as a homage to Ricardo Severo’s love of art.
The house was Severo’s first work in Porto, displaying different stylistic elements from all over Portugal, which is why it’s often called a “museum of details”. He built it in 1904 for his Brazilian wife Francisca Santos Dumont. It’s not often you get to stay in an architect’s dream house. And the couple’s love story is at the heart of the building. Key architectural elements have been preserved with black and white mosaic floors, hand-painted tiles (azulejos) and stuccoed ceilings.
There are just 20 bedrooms and suites. Eleven are in the original 20th-century building, with oak floors, thick wicker bedheads and stuccoed ceilings; while nine are in the new-build extension in the grounds. They all have their own character, from the former maid’s room, half way up the stairs under a sloping ceiling, to the original enclosed wooden balcony room and a garden suite apartment with separate sitting room area with a veranda overlooking the garden.
The decor is luxurious but understated. Modern comforts include high-thread-count linens and all marble-clad bathrooms come with showers and are stocked with amenities from Portuguese brand 8950, a fragrant blend of fig, almond and fennel.
There are two on-site restaurants. On 10th March 2026 at the Michelin Portugal gala event, Éon Restaurant at Palacete Severo was awarded a Michelin Star for the imaginative dishes, the presentation of the food and the setting. The Michelin-starred chef Tiago Bonito reimagines Portuguese and Mediterranean classics with seasonal local Portuguese ingredients. Dishes on his tasting menu are inspired by his own memories of his childhood, such as Caviar & Onion – Squid, Miso, Browned Butter; Bluefin Tuna – Oyster, Cucumber & Apple, Wasabi; Hook-Caught Hake – Parsley, Mushrooms, Pil-Pil; Scarlet Prawn (Algarve) – Harissa, Pumpkin, Bísaro Pork. And for dessert: Childhood Memories – Popcorn, Caramel, Cotton Candy.
The tasting menus include either 9 (priced €100) or 14 (priced €150) dishes and a wine pairing is also available from €50. The restaurant is open between Wednesday and Saturday for dinner only.
Bistrô Severo achieved Michelin Recommended status. Located in the lovely internal tiled courtyard, it offers dishes such as Duck breast, sweet potato, pack chow and spices or Marinated Asparagus, poached egg, hollandaise sauce and tarragon. Bistrô Severo offers lunch daily with a weekly changing set menu featuring local produce with the choice of two starters, three mains and two desserts and dinner daily with a wider A La Carte menu.
The hotel bar offers delicious cocktails including a tonka bean sour, and there is a stunning library on the first floor ideal to hide away in with a book or magazine, a small gym and an elegant events room. In the hotel garden, you’ll find water fountains, formal and informal planting, and unique pieces of art, as well as the heated outdoor pool set with sleek sun loungers.
The wonderfully relaxing Spa Severo has a Turkish bath and Himalayan salt room. Treatments use French, plant-based Olivier Claire products (the first Portuguese hotel to offer the brand). Try the signature cellular-renewing facial, which includes a relaxing massage. Couples can enjoy a treatment room designed for two. And the candlelit massage is superb.
Porto is a vibrant coastal city, known for its grand bridges and port wine production. Since its founding in the 12th century, it has played a crucial role in Portugal’s development. More recently, the unique balance of tradition and contemporary energy has transformed Portugal’s second city. It is justifiably celebrated as a cultural and food and wine destination, shaped by years of history, creativity, seasonal ingredients, local grape varieties and craftsmanship.
The Michelin team of inspectors travelled the length and breadth of Portugal in search of the country’s best restaurants. The result is clear: the Portuguese culinary scene is undergoing a rapid evolution towards the highest levels of excellence and Porto now boasts 10 Michelin-starred restaurants.
Of course the north of Portugal has always been a powerhouse. Today Invest Porto summarises that ‘the Porto metropolitan area has long been known as Portugal’s industrial powerhouse, with many of the country’s best industries based around its perimeter. At its core lies the bustling city of Porto’. ‘The regional economy comprises a balanced mix of industry and services, with a robust export sector, which has become a key driver of the Portuguese economy, accounting for 36% of the country’s total GDP. NW Portugal is also the primary source of Portuguese products sold globally, representing 44% of the country’s exports of goods’.
Arrivals at Porto’s international airport continue to break records drawing visitors with direct flights from across Europe, North America, Brazil and Africa. Palacete Severo’s arrival on the hotel scene offers curious cultural and leisure travellers to Portugal’s second largest city, a new unique setting to discover this magic. The hotel has easy proximity to the many beaches on Porto’s Foz coast facing the Atlantic Ocean, ideal for a summer escape without the usual crowds.
The joy of Palacete Severo is it’s a destination, rather than merely a base. Located on a quiet residential street, now named after Severo himself (Rua de Ricardo Severo), it is so central you can also walk to many of Porto’s famous cultural attractions including the Serralves – Museum of Contemporary Art, the Casa da Música, Dom Luís I Bridge, the Bolsa Palace and the Livraria Lello Book Store. The airport and main railway station are both a 20-minute drive away – as is the medieval waterfront of the Douro River and Avenida dos Aliados, with its designer shops.
The city has pulled off the trick of attracting visitors from all over the world while retaining the lifeblood of a real, living town. And in the summer there are many alfresco spots to discover, most with stunning river or Atlantic ocean views. In the city centre head to Bosco for sunset drinks in a garden with no sound pollution. Close to the hotel, the RCA – Radioclube Agramonte offers a secluded garden and DJs at weekends until late. Also in the historic centre head to Mirajazz for wine, jazz and river views. In the more hipster neighbourhood of Bonfim, sit outside at Fiasco Bar with the sound of local and international DJs playing vinyls which you can also buy here. In Foz head to Praia da Luz for cocktails and wine and enjoy front row beach and sunset views.
A tribute to a modern vibrant city, Palacete Severo is a very special addition to the Porto landscape, combining the bold lines of Severo’s original architecture, with luxury, warmth and hospitality.
palacetesevero.com
Rua de Ricardo Severo 21, 4050-460 Porto, Portugal
B&B is priced from €300.00 per room per night
Room categories:
Heritage Room and Garden Room – 28m2 – from €300.00 per room per night
Heritage Honour Room and Garden Honour Room – 33m2 – from €350.00 per room per night
Heritage Honour Suite and Garden Honour Suite – 38m2 – from €420.00 per room per night
Media: Peter da Silva Communications peter@peterdasilvacommunications.com
+44( 0) 7727084058
Getting there: From the UK Porto airport is served by five airlines: BA, TAP Air Portugal, easyJet, Ryanair and Jet2, from around 11 airports nationwide including London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Belfast. From Ireland Porto airport is served by Ryanair. Porto is three hours by train from Lisbon.
From the airport: Taxi, Uber, Bolt or Metro (Line E Purple) to Carolina Michaelis directly then a 10 minute walk. The Porto Metro runs from around 06.30am to 00.40am.
