We chose to stay at the Condes de Azevedo Palace Apartments, a short (mostly uphill) walk from São Bento train station - not far from the cathedral. It really wasn't any different than a hotel in terms of services - there were staff on-site 24/7. The apartment option really worked for us, as there was a washing machine in our apartment (laundry detergent also provided) as well as a drying rack. The apartment was actually bigger then expected (really, bigger than we needed!) and we were quite comfortable. A breakfast buffet was also included, with simple but adequate offerings - breads and pastries, meats and cheeses, fruits, yogurts and granola, and so on, as well as made-to-order eggs if one so desired. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, and made several good recommendations to us regarding restaurants in the local area. The price of our stay was comparable to a mid-range hotel. We found we were within walking distance to just about everything we wanted to see while in Porto. I would recommend a stay here.