Hotel Vila Galé Porto Ribeira Opens Using an Innovative Concept

17 October 2017

The Vila Galé Porto Ribeira, a charming hotel on Porto’s riverside, began operations with a pioneering concept in Portugal, the hotel went digital, largely eliminating the use of paper.

In its internal functions, such as with guests and suppliers, the hotel works almost entirely without using paper, replacing it with mobile solutions, using tablets, smartphones, the televisions in the guest’s rooms and through the internet and email. For example, check-in is done using tablets, which also allow guests to check prices, learn about exclusive deals and fill out customer surveys. In the rooms, information that is usually available on paper is presented through the TV, through a portal with exclusive content. All menus are online and can be consulted through the smartphone. The collection of signatures and the validation of documents, the presentation of accounts and the delivery of invoices is all done electronically.

The Vila Galé Group aims to ensure greater sustainability and efficiency while maintaining the simplicity, ease and intuitive use of all these processes. The location is another of the distinctive elements of the Vila Galé Porto Ribeira, allowing guests to enjoy the hotel’s proximity to the Douro River and take advantage of the city’s riverfront. The hotel is in the middle of the Cais das Pedras, near the Porto customs house.

The four-star hotel has 67 rooms, 14 of which overlook the Douro River. There is also the Almada Negreiros Lounge, where the bar functions, with esplanade next to the river and an interior patio. Open to the public; the bar offers a menu with snacks – sandwiches, toasts, wraps, salads and charcuterie – conceived by signed by Vila Galé’s executive chef, Francisco Ferreira, along with a menu of drinks with gin, wine, whisky, beer and cocktails.

The hotel required an investment of more than five million euros to renovate four adjacent properties. And at this initial stage, it will create 20 jobs.

“Vila Galé Porto Ribeira is a hotel that has been a great pleasure to work on, because, once again, we renovated city heritage that was highly degraded, while respecting the Cais das Pedras’ urban profile, an area with immense tourist potential and a fantastic relationship with the Douro river,” the president of the board of directors, Jorge Rebelo de Almeida, emphasised.

“In this unit, the choice of painting as a theme that differentiates the decoration of the rooms and all the common areas is a way to honour Portuguese painters and strengthen our line of theme hotels, which already encompasses themes such as poetry, music, dance, fashion and cinema. ”

“Also, we wanted to innovate, introducing a different concept, which contributes to the preservation of the environment and that responds to the needs of our customers, who are increasingly attentive to technology and sustainability,” Rebelo de Almeida stressed.

The Vila Galé Porto Ribeira is the chain’s 28th hotel, of which 21 are in Portugal – three in the northern region of the country – and seven in Brazil. Currently, the group is developing five other ventures: the Vila Galé Sintra, Vila Galé Braga, Vila Galé Elvas and Vila Galé Serra da Estrela, as well as a resort in Touros, Brazil, all with planned openings throughout 2018.

Original Story: Diário Imobiliário

Translation: Richard Turner