Hotel group to expand its chain in Portugal’s city square

As the InterContinental Malta prepares to celebrate the first InterContinental hotel opening in Portugal, over 350 bottles of port and more than a tonne of sardines were yesterday delivered to 19 InterContinental hotels around the world.

InterContinental Malta guests will enjoy a flavour of Portugal to mark the InterContinental Porto-Palacio das Cardosas opening its doors on July 14. Guests will sample a glass of port or a classic Portuguese cocktail made from freshly squeezed orange juice with a dash of grenadine and marinated grilled sardines at Al Fresco Gardens Restaurant today. At the same time, guests at 19 other InterContinental hotels will be also enjoy traditional Portuguese fare as part of the global celebrations.

Giuseppe Vincellli, general manager, InterContinental Malta, said: “At our 171 InterContinental hotels around the world, we draw on our local knowledge and expertise to give our guests “In the Know” experiences. We wanted to bring a local Portuguese tradition to guests at our hotels around the world as we mark the opening of our first InterContinental hotel in Portugal.”

Port takes its name from Porto where it’s produced and sardines play an important role in Portuguese culture. On June 13, St Anthony’s Day, grilled sardines are served at the country’s biggest festival.

The InterContinental Porto-Palacio das Cardosas will be the first upscale hotel in Porto. In the heart of Porto and within the boundaries of the Unesco world heritage site, the hotel is 15 minutes drive from the international airport and in walking distance of Bairro de Barredo, an area brimming with cathedrals, markets, museums, bars and restaurants. It’s also close to the Douro River where people can board a boat to Salamanca in Spain and visit the wine-producing caves.

Set in the city’s main square, the 105-bedroom and 16-suite hotel is a renovated 250-year-old palace. Guests can start their day the Porto way with coffee and local pastries at the Café Astoria, modelled on the original Café Astoria on the ground floor of the building in the early twentieth century when the building was a palace. The hotel also has a fine dining restaurant serving traditional Portuguese food and a bar on the front façade which overlooks Liberdade Square.