Hotel Torel 1884, an authentic flavour to explore without leaving Oporto

With Oporto I don't just share a beginning. If I were a city, I would become it for its layers of history that show through its nostalgic decadence. Oporto invites you to remain, to lose yourself in its streets and its legacy. Whether you can spend several days or just a short break, I recommend a place to stay where you can travel without leaving its walls:  Hotel Torel 1884.

This hotel achieves a balance between its long history and the freshness of its new opening. The impressive palace that houses this luxurious hotel dates back, as its name suggests, to 1884 and is imbued with the spirit of the Portuguese explorers, when they travelled the world discovering not only foreign lands, but also new species, foods and materials. The three continents, Africa, America and Asia, represented respectively on its three floors, are the connecting line that is reflected in each of its 12 rooms.

Its exotic touch is in each and every detail; from spices, silk to coffee and tea, as well as porcelain and upholstery, which coexist with luxurious and noble materials such as wood, granite or bamboo, earthy colours, between beige, green and brown, natural fibres such as linen, cotton or ceramics, and plants and animals of diverse origins that form part of its decoration and prints. The whole concept also reflects the heritage of Portuguese craftsmanship as a tribute and a testimony to it.

Nano Design has been in charge of developing this project, a studio that has already been awarded by the boutique art hotel Torel Avantgarde. As well as the artist Jorge Curval, who also worked at Torel Avantgarde. He designed the rooms and public spaces through his interpretations based on the discoveries in his artworks. The design maintains the majestic classical style of a historic building. Its high ceilings, large windows and spectacular central staircase highlight the rich and stately Portuguese past.

Art welcomes us at the very entrance thanks to the work of Joao Pedro Rodrigues, who created the installation inspired by Luis Camões' "The Lusiadas", Portugal's national epic, representing the relationship between the material and the immaterial world. He transformed the idea of the muses into the goddess of nature, who represents the anti-material world and all that comes with it: the spirits, how we feel about the world, etc..

 
In Bartolomeu Bistro & Wine, an intimate and elegant place, you can feel the perfect atmosphere to relax and enjoy a glass of good Portuguese wine, served with a sample of the best typical Portuguese specialties. Inspired by the African rainforest, the landscape prints, animal print fabrics, bamboo and palm trees blend naturally with the rest of the colonial décor. Its name, taken from the Portuguese explorer, alludes to the first person to sail the southern tip of Africa, setting the route to Europe and Asia.

If you want more, you can also visit the second building located in the parallel street, the pedestrian Rua das Flores, where you can find 11 flats named after products, food, spices and materials that the explorers brought back from their voyages: sugar cane, cardamom, silk or cinnamon.

All photos in this article viewed on Hotel Torel 1884

As it says on its own website, "a place to dream of the past, a place to celebrate the present". Would you like to feel it in your own home?

1. Nemesis bed, this upholstered birch wood bench stands out for its stately sides that give it a classic presence that stands out in any of your rooms, in the entrance or as a complementary seat in your living room or bedroom. Its noble materials allow you to combine it with natural decoration and textiles.  2. Mundi print, a maritime print that brings the spirit of travel and vintage to any of your walls, thanks to its maritime character and aged finishes. You can combine it with the Quebec print (3), a minimalist nautical print with a technical drawing of a boat and create a beautiful composition with an explorer's touch.  4.  Heimdall candle holder, its metal structure and glass jar have a marked retro and industrial inspiration that transports us to a marine environment.  5.  Velvet table lamp, , its aged gold finish and velvet lampshade add a sophisticated touch, where the structure of its base stands out. 6. Dover rattan chair, its material, its Art Noveau and Thonet style and the design of its backrest and armrests make it a worthy piece to preside over any room.