Casa Branca Beach-golf Hotel - Vila Nova de Gaia

We wanted to stay on the beach yet be close to Porto and this was the perfect location. Just steps from the beach, and a lovely hour stroll on the boardwalk (or 5-10 min. taxi) to the port lodges of Porto, Casa Branca was a fine choice. The staff was welcoming and curteous-- they even smiled-- an unusual gesture by European hotel staff. Of note, before entering the pool, all patrons must wear swim caps (avail. for purchase), so if you have one, bring it. The friendliness and approachability of the people was not isolated to the hotel. We encountered one after another of kind, helpful locals, and fully enjoyed the hospitality of the city. Relaxing, beautiful and approachable, Porto is not to be missed. Bear in mind that the best food in Porto can be found off the beaten track. Look to the quieter side streets.

We arrived at Porto airport in the morning and had an horrible person from information try to tell us where hotel was located at. they said "take a cab". i am about adventure and having a good time. My wife and I finally found our way there about 3 hrs after we arrived. Its pretty simple from city center. theres local bus #10 or you can take the metro to casa da musicia and take the #402 i belive to valades. Its not so hard. Its nice because its aways from the city center and such a beautiful place and ocean is so lovely. it only rained twice in five days. we got very lucky and just had a blast and shopped. save space for shopping it is cheap. alot of nice churches. Hotel beds were not comfortable at all. I almost wanted to sleep on the floor because they were so hard. other than that the staff were awesome and free continental breakfeast was a plus!!! thanks hotels.com

The hotel is on Lavadores beach a 30 minute bus or 15 minute taxi ride from Porto city centre. We bought a 3 day Andante travel card (11 euros) at the airport, caught the metro to Casa de Musica and took the 902 bus which drops you outside the hotel at the end of its journey. Check in was quick and efficient; the receptionist was helpful and gave good advice about sightseeing. The other staff were friendly and service was of a high standard. Bedrooms could do with a bit of minor refurbishment, but were great value. The beds were comfortable, the bathroom had a separate toilet and a decent bath/shower, all spotlessly clean. Good breakfast selection of cold meat, fruit, cheese, baked goods, and some scrambled egg and bacon, which they re-filled if asked - don't be shy! We ate a very good dinner in the restaurant, probably the best meal of our stay in Porto. The bar snacks we ate one night weren't up to much, on the other hand. Walk along the ocean for great sunsets. Some beach bars to the south, but a 10 minute walk north brings you to a lovely beach with dramatic breakers, a great view of Porto and the Duoro estuary and some Neolithic carvings on the rocks. The main disadvantage with the Casa Branca is that it's a bit away from the city centre and there's not a lot going on around it in October, but I'd say that the positives outweigh this negative and the taxis are cheap and speedy, sometimes scarily so! I'd recommend it to friends visiting Porto.

It was a little far from town, but we were able to take one of two buses to easily get downtown. But because downtown is quite hectic, it was really nice to come back to our quiet hotel right next to the beach. We were actually able to walk back from the port cellars to the hotel, it took about 1,5 hours if you want some exercise. Lots of restaurants to choose from within walking disctance of the hotel. Great running on the street next to the beach. The workout facility of the hotel was not good, though. The beds were a little hard, but they were like that at all hotels we stayed at. The breakfast was wonderful! Overall, it was definitely worth it, especially for what we paid.

The bedroom and bathroom in the hotel were very attractive and the beds were extremely comfortable. The breakfast was excellent. If you choos this hotel for the gym and pool don't expect too much. The gym has 4 bikes, and about 4 weight machines and free weights. All the equipment is dated and needs updating. The pool is very nice indoors, but you need to buy a swimming cap for 6 euros. The loungers in the garden are all broken so you can only put them into a horizontal position. Some of the reception staff were very helpful whereas others were quite abrupt and rude. The hotel had its own restaurant on the beach which looked very nice but quite expensive and you need to dress up for dinner. If you don't have a car then there is quite a walk to other restaurants as the hotel is quite isolated. You really need a car here. You can get a bus into the port but we found out that they dont run at night and had to get a taxi back.

The man at the desk knew nothing of the area and how to get into town. We were forced to sleep on separate beds and room was cold. Beautiful location on the beach, great for long walks and relaxing, and great breakfast. A little way out of town but bus comes regularly. Some great cafes and restaurants a short walk up the beach

The hair dryer tubing was split looked quite old. I am sure other guests had reported it to the repair man on the form left. The bus to town was about a ten minute walk again due to the roadworks which is good in one way for the development of the area. Staff at the desk and entry were all friendly. Breakfast was good too lots of fresh fruit juices hot and cold buffet. Would stay again there if I went back to Porto.

real nice hotel for the price we paid....nice views of the ocean....i was impressed...

Difficile à trouver mais hotel agréable et bien situé à 10mn de Porto centre en voiture

Casa Branca is een ouder hotel. De kamers zijn ruim en de meeste kamers hebben een balkon. Het hotel ligt direct aan het strand. Om naar het centrum van Porto te komen kan gebruik gemaakt worden van een stuk of drie buslijnen die zeer frequent net om de hoek van het hotel vertrekken. Het ontbijt is inclusief en goed voorzien. Er is een groot indoor zwembad. Minpunt is dat een badmuts verplicht is.

Mooie locatie, niet ver van Porto, bereidwillig personeel, goed restaurant, met uitstekende bediening. Goed eten voor een goede prijs/kwaliteitverhouding.

pas mal, pas le grand grand luxe, mais bon service