Occupying a neoclassical building in the heart of Porto, Maison Albar Le Monumental Palace, from French group Maison Albar Hotels, channels Thirties Paris with its dazzling art-deco design, modish brasserie and rakish cocktail lounge. Stepping inside this decadent grande dame feels akin to finding the Lost Generation – as soon as you pass through the art-nouveau entrance, you’re surrounded by Portugese marble, golden lamps and carpets embellished with bold patterns. Upstairs, you’ll bed down in rooms dressed with lacquered furniture, pastel fabrics and vast decorative-edged mirrors. Downstairs, choose from an elegant all-day brasserie or Francophile fine-dining restaurant, where choice Portugese ingredients are prepared with Gallic flair. After dark, find your poison at low-lit Bar Americain, confident that rejuvenation can be found at the luxurious Nuxe spa.