The first hotel of the group in Porto was also a milestone in the redevelopment of what is now one of the city's most important attractions: Ribeira.
When the then Pestana Carlton Porto first opened its doors onto Praça do Cubo in early summer 2000, there was chaotic traffic by day, and unsafe streets by night, keeping most tourists away.
The block that the hotel had started to occupy was one of the first to be renovated in the Ribeira district. Previous archaeological work and lengthy negotiations safeguarding the 18th-century architecture designed by architect and British consul, John Whitehead, not to mention unesco’s World Heritage specifications, meant the redevelopment was slow to start.
However, this administrative tangle didn’t stop the hotel from eventually expanding into six neighbouring buildings, changing its name to Pestana Vintage Porto in the process. Ribeira also became unrecognisable, and much for the better.
Pestana Vintage Porto
Pestana Vintage Porto: a hotel in the Ribeira district, UNESCO World Heritage, with views of the Douro River.
