Yotel announces plans for first property in Portugal
Yotel has announced plans to open a new hotel in Porto in 2019. The property will be located on Rua de Gonçalo Cristóvão in the heart of the traditional city centre, adjacent to the business district of Rua de Santa Catarina.
Designed by Nuno Leónidas Architects (NLA), Yotel Porto will offer approximately 147 guestrooms, or cabins, each of which features a signature space-saving adjustable SmartBed with Serta gel mattress, en-suite bathrooms with rain showers, mood lighting and smart TVs.
Elsewhere, technological features include super-fast WiFi, ample access to charging and power points in cabins and public spaces, keyless entry and the ability to self-check in with airline-style kiosks.
“We are thrilled to launch our first hotel in Portugal in Porto, home to many of the largest Portuguese corporations and the gateway to the Douro Valley and the northern Portuguese regions,” says Hubert Viriot, CEO of Yotel. “Having grown in double digits for three successive years, Porto’s hotel market has demonstrated its strength and aptitude to attract an increasingly wide variety of demand. Strong economic growth, new airline routes and numerous international events are expected to continue delivering demand to Porto, driving higher rates and occupancy levels.”
“As a tech-driven brand, Yotel Porto will deliver extraordinary value and innovative design in a market dominated by traditional hotels, far off from modern travellers’ needs and expectation,” Viriot adds.
Driven by a sense of community, Yotel Porto’s multi-functional public spaces encompass a 24/7 gym, smart vending and food on the go as well as several co-working areas. The property will also be home to a sky bar and terrace on the 9th floor, affording generous views over the city for guests and locals alike.
The hotel is situated close to theatres, restaurants, bars and tourist attractions such as the Ribeira quarter (Unesco World Heritage Site), Port Wine Cellars and the docks for Douro Rio cruises, while the Trindade metro station is just 350 metres away, and Porto Airport can be reached in 30 minutes by rail or car.
The project came to fruition following investment from owner United Investments Portugal, a luxury real estate developer known for its work in hotels and resorts across the country.
Carlos Leal, General Director United Investments Portugal, explains: “As a long-term strategic partner of Yotel, we are delighted to bring such a pioneering hotel group to Porto. Yotel’s innovative yet affordable luxury ethos perfectly matches demand in a city that seeks to continuously regenerate. Yotel’s development here in the city will only contribute to the vibrancy and increasing popularity of Porto.”
Yotel Porto will be the first of many properties for the group in the Iberian Peninsula, as they actively look for opportunities in major cities such as Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona. As with other Yotel adaptive reuse and regeneration projects in San Francisco and Edinburgh, the project will inject new life into a vacant office space, thereby contributing to the overall transformation of its location.
