Neya opens €18 million hotel in Porto

The new Neya Porto Hotel opened its doors today (Monday 3 August) after an investment of €18 million including €6 million investment from the EU’s Portugal 2020 fund.
The project transformed part of the ruins of the former Madre Deus Convent of Monchique into a 124 room hotel unit.

The project was completed and now opens in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic which meant that the opening of the hotel, scheduled for April, had to be postponed to take account of the new realities.
Yasmin Bhudarally, CEO of Neya Hotels admits that the decision to open a new hotel unit given the current economic circumstances and falling tourist numbers was “not taken without some trepidation” but adds that: “our decision to go ahead and open the hotel at this time shows that we’re not prepared to give up”.
This is not the first time that the group has launched a new hotel during a crisis. The Neya Lisboa opened in 2011 during the economic and financial recession and despite that did well.
The new hotel unit on the banks of the River Douro begins its activity with a soft opening with the 124 rooms ready to receive guests.
“Because of the existing restrictions we are not allowed to have an occupation rate above 50% but we will undertake a complete disinfection of all the rooms and respect the period of ‘fallow’ after hotel guests check-out from their rooms,” says Bhudarally.
Hygiene and safety measures were stepped up and the hotel was awarded the Safe Travels seal of approval by the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Also open at the new establishment are the Viva Porto restaurant, Último rooftop bar, the Kid’s Club, Business Centre, the meetings rooms, gym with the mandatory restrictions and rules on social distancing.
Neya Porto aims to attract tourists from the Iberian peninsula at the stage, particularly in the families segment but will widen its focus as borders and travel restrictions are eased.