Hotel Cristal. Those who walk trough Travessa Antero de Quental, in Porto, are far from imagining the preciousness that is hidden in n.º 360. The facade, simple and deceptive, does not reveal what is hidden there at all. But as soon as we enter Hotel Cristal, it’s easy to realize we’re in an amazing place.

The decor of the lobby is all about showy beautiful blue. And the bedroom hid the biggest surprise: a king size bed in shades of blue and white in full aesthetic communion with a Victorian style bathtub that invites to lingering bubble baths.

Truth is we get inebriated by such an ode to idleness where even the bathroom lazily compacts: two washbasins, and in addition to the usual shampoo and body lotion, there is toothpaste, brush, conditioner, and cap.

To make it even more beautiful, the room decor has Portuguese tiles in white and blue, making the experience of being in the bathtub even better. How can one resist a bubble bath while emptying the head of thoughts?

After a long relaxing bath and a nap, it’s time to discover the hotel downstairs, where we find the bar and a small garden, delicately decorated, where one wants to stay soaking up the sun while reading a new book. So pretty and nice.

So, if you don’t know this urban retreat yet, i totally recommend you to stay there. It’s amazing.