I am from Porto, I hope I can help. But what kind of hotel are you looking for? Luxury? Historical? Near the center? Near the sightseeing places? Or near business center? With good transportation? I don't know, maybe with some more information or a few ideas about hotel names you've seen I can tell you what I think about it or suggest one or another...
BTW I don't work for any hotel
I just thought I should help people on this forum as I was helped when travelling to another country

Thank you very much, kyasbaby ... very kind of you.

We will only be in Porto for one evening as we will be fly-driving around north Portugal. Because we are only looking to pay a maximum of 40 euros for the room including breakfast, I think a hotel would be too expensive. Therefore, a pensao would probably be more suitable.

It doesn't really matter which part of the city it is in, as long as it's in the city so we can walk around. Also, it doesn't really matter how many stars the pensao has (or doesn't have!) as long as it's clean and has a double room with private bathroom facilities.

Finally, as we will have a car, we also need to be able to park nearby and being able to do that free of charge would be great!

Thank you very much for your offer of help ... do you have any ideas?

I can do a quick research for you. Indeed it's hard to book a pensao online Do you think the names or phone numbers will be enough for you to book?
Do have an idea of when you'll be doing that? Prices range according to seasons, as you must know!
Anyway, there are lots of places downtown, with good conditions to stay just for one night, I think. I'll try to find a few for you and tell you as asap.

You really are very sweet, kyasbaby, and I appreciate your help very much.

We are flying into Porto on 2 June and will need a pensao for that night - 2 adults, one double room with private facilities.

Names of pensaos would be great ... I can google them to see if they have an email address which would make it much easier to correspond with them.

Thank you so much, again.

Hello RoCas, you may find this site a help.

http://www.portugal-info.net

Click on the Costa Verde at the top of the map, and then go to acommodation, have a look for your hotel/guesthouse here.
hope this is of some use.

Dave

Cheers, Dave. I'll check that out as well.

Well, I just googled "pensao porto" and got interesting results, check them out:
http://viajar.clix.pt/com/ratestogo.php?c=Porto&lg=pt
(the cheaper ones should be very acceptable)
http://www.portimar.pt/hotel.php?lang=en&rg=cverde&cid=porto&file=aviz (cheap!)
Here's a list with hotels and pensoes (lol plural for pensao, of course):
http://soundserver.porto.ucp.pt/portosentido/?q=node/view/148
And you have a few options here:
http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/portugal/porto/
What I can help you with is probably telling you, when you decide or are thinking about one place or another, which one may be best... staying on Avenida dos Aliados (name of an avenue downtown) would be a great experience, more central is impossible, and there are lots of pensions there. Even if they don't have parking in the building, there are public parking close by or if I may suggest, if you're coming by plane you can use the bus transfer which stops at most hotels and is very cheap and only rent the car when you're about to leave because on that area you'll want to walk everywhere.
Let me know if this is enough or if I can help with anything else.
You don't need to thank me, someone else also helped me and then you'll help someone else too

That's brilliant and very helpful information, kyasbaby. Thank you again.

We're picking up a prearranged car at the airport ... but never mind.

I'll check out your suggestions and will let you know what I find.

Cheers,
RoCas

All rental companies have offices in the city and most will glady deliver the car right at where you're staying. Let me just say this is known to be the worst city to drive in Portugal... drivers are very agressive and directions aren't good at all. I'd hate to be a foreigner here and driving, also with the added stress for you to be on the "wrong" side of the road.
There's also another option for transfer I forgot to mention. Now there's a metro from the airport to Porto that will take you to a central station just a few meters from Aliados avenue (or you can change line and get out on Aliados avenue itself, with no extra cost, since the tickets are valid for an hour even if you change lines).