THE Severo Palace was three times inspired by love.
Ricardo Severo, a Portuguese mathematician – architect, engineer, republican politician and writer – designed the Palacete Severo in 1902 as a home for his Brazilian wife Francisca. On the wooden panels of the library, their initials are intertwined.
Returning to Portugal after his political exile in Brazil, the design of the Little Palace also paid homage to Severo’s love of the architecture of his native country: azulejo tiles, carved wooden staircases, a loggia, black and white mosaic floors, and ceiling frescoes. La Palacette Severo was a hymn to Severo’s love for Portugal.
Now restored, renovated and relaunched as a 20-room 5* boutique hotel, after decades of neglect, Palacette Severo is loved again. For the new owner, Géraldine Banier, the Palacette is the satellite of her Parisian gallery. Throughout the Palacette and in the gardens, art is everywhere, present in every room. Most are for sale.
Above the tourist bustle of the banks of the Ribeiro River, Palacette Severo is a secluded sanctuary, exuding discreet luxury, in the heart of Porto’s creative Cedofeita district. It’s an oasis of calm. Yet within walking distance of most of Porto’s charms.
The reception As our taxi stops on Rua de Ricardo Severo, a porter appears to take our suitcases along a path through ancient camellias, past roses still in bloom in December.
In our room, we are greeted with a colorful selection of strawberries and petit fours, as well as a brochure for the current art exhibition at the Palacete.
The room Severo’s optimism for Porto, as it enters the 20th century, can be seen in the rooms with high ceilings and oak floors. A sturdy wicker headboard tops a wide bed dressed in high-thread-count linens, creating a subtle sense of understated grandeur.
Next to the bedroom, a small vestibule serves as an office, with desk, for planning Porto explorations. The detail-oriented Severo would have approved of the contemporary touches of air conditioning, coffee maker and television with many international channels. Nine other rooms are available in the extension.
The bathroom The marble bathroom, with cozy underfloor heating, has a large shower cubicle amid mirrors and gleaming brass fittings.
The invigorating and refreshing toiletries, from the Portuguese brand 8950, provide aromas of fig, almond and fennel.
Everything you need to plan your trip in 2025 The facilities Aspiring young chef Tiago Bonito creates menus for both the fine-dining restaurant Eon and the more casual bistro creatively set in an interior courtyard.
Locals come for lunch at the intimate bistro, seating just 20 people, where a snake-shaped S on an internal water feature represents Severo’s design heritage.
Alongside the full Bistro menu, a daily menu offers two or three dishes. The soups are beyond superlatives, especially the fish which is decadently similar to a lobster bisque. While the fish of the day is accompanied by fried potatoes, seasonal vegetables and a butter and white wine sauce.
Suckling lamb shoulder (for two) with baked sausage and sautéed greens is perhaps one of Bonito’s signature dishes. Servers are always available with suitable wine suggestions.
More on Eon’s tasting menus later. They definitely belong in “best piece” territory.
Thelma manages the small spa of the new construction, using her experience to soothe and relax clients, mixing local balms and lotions with Olivier Claire products. Couples frequently reserve a treatment room designed for two.
Next to the spa is a small gym, a Himalayan salt room and a steam room. Outside is a heated saltwater swimming pool with sumptuous lounge chairs.
The location A ten-minute walk brings you to Praça Mouzinho de Albuquerque de Boavista, which is as much a park as it is a roundabout. From there you can take a City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off bus to explore all of Porto.
The Red Line heads to surfers riding towering Atlantic rollers on the white sand beaches of Foz before following the Douro to the sloping, winding cobbled streets of Riberia.
There you can switch to the Blue Line, crossing the river to explore Gaia on the south bank of the Douro, taking part in a tasting at one of the harbor houses.
Returning to the north bank, the Red Line stops near the Urban Market for a huge selection of stalls selling everything Portuguese, from cork handbags to vintage olive oil to salted cod. Then head to the magnificent Belle Epoque atmosphere of the Majestic Café for a coffee. This is where the disillusioned people of Porto gathered to discuss revolution and where JK Rowling is said to have written parts of Harry Potter. From here you can access even more churches and museums.
Other Nice Touches Pedro, an inventive mixologist, wanders the Palacette gardens in search of plants to give a different touch to his cocktails.
“I’ve had too many bad mojitos. Now I substitute Granny Smith apple puree for the sugar syrup and use ginger ale instead of soda water.”
The staff’s enthusiasm is contagious. Gabriel tells us about a Rabanada dessert – made of stale bread fried with cinnamon, sugar and milk – which won’t be on the menu until after we leave Porto.
Everywhere there are stories to tell. After my massage, Thelma prepares a cup of floral tea and talks about the Englishman who grows flowers watered by the Atlantic sea spray on the northern coast of Portugal.
The cost Bed and breakfast starts from 300 euros per night. The nine-course tasting menu is currently 100 euros.
The best piece More than a meal, more than a dinner, Eon’s nine-course tasting menu is an adventure. A culinary journey through memory, taste, time and Portugal.
Young budding chef, Tiago Bonito, surely destined for Michelin recognition, seeks to revive “the essence of portugalidade”. Eon’s tasting menu is made up of moments.
In Bonito’s words, a meal must “despertar sentimentoes”, awaken feelings, evoke memory and place. Moments from Bonito’s childhood and travels are creatively captured. A Portuguese mac and cheese is topped with chestnuts, the two hemispheres bound together with chestnuts and Madeira wine.
A small ceviche shrimp skewer rests on a mini-mini cup of hot juice, “Best in one,” advises our server. Bonito, like Blumenthal, pushes the parameters. Could barnacles – always battered by waves, always swept by the ocean – be the new oysters?
Spending time learning his trade along the Algarve, Bonito loves seafood. Crab, hake, tuna and those barnacles all predate the Portuguese steer. Supreme beef, patiently raised on rugged pasture land, is served with tender, twice-cooked, dollhouse-sized vegetables.
The finale, about childhood memories, is spectacular. A nebula of cotton candy almost floating on a bonsai tree above popcorn, caramel and popcorn ice cream, accompanied by sweet churros.
The final verdict When you are warmly greeted by the friendly staff of this architect’s dream home, luxuriously reimagined for the 21st century, Palacette Severo feels more like a private family home than a hotel.
Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by Severo Palace. Our explorations of Porto were assisted by Porto city tour And Visit Porto and North Travel.
Michael Edwards Michael Edwards is a travel writer from Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. Although Michael published his first travel articles nearly four decades ago, he continues to find new luxury destinations to visit and write about.
Did you enjoy this article? Receive similar content straight to your inbox.
