Overview Fabrica Do Chocolate
Imagine a world made of chocolate, where kids and grown-ups explore the amazing universe of the "food of the Gods". A century-old building, where chocolate was once produced and from where a sweet aroma used to emerge all over the city, is today a newly restored building that keeps its history and memories alive, but with a new purpose. Today, the production is of unique experiences totally dedicated to chocolate. For those looking for a different experience there is a hotel, a restaurant and a museum, totally dedicated to chocolate, so you can discover its origins, its history, curiosities and unforgettable flavours.
This is a small charm hotel where every bedroom tells a different story. All 18 rooms (of which 5 are duplex suites) are unique. The guest can sleep in the comfort of one of their favorite chocolate brands, in the environment of the equatorial fields of cocoa or even in the imaginary classic stories like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" or "Hansel and Gretel". Here each day of your stay is a unique experience. You can pamper yourself with a rejuvenating treatment of chocotherapy, enjoy the exclusivity of a chocolate fountain for two and get to know different types of chocolate in a commented tasting, after an inspiring visit to the museum.
Overview Fabrica Do Chocolate
Imagine a world made of chocolate, where kids and grown-ups explore the amazing universe of the "food of the Gods". A century-old building, where chocolate was once produced and from where a sweet aroma used to emerge all over the city, is today a newly restored building that keeps its history and memories alive, but with a new purpose. Today, the production is of unique experiences totally dedicated to chocolate. For those looking for a different experience there is a hotel, a restaurant and a museum, totally dedicated to chocolate, so you can discover its origins, its history, curiosities and unforgettable flavours.
This is a small charm hotel where every bedroom tells a different story. All 18 rooms (of which 5 are duplex suites) are unique. The guest can sleep in the comfort of one of their favorite chocolate brands, in the environment of the equatorial fields of cocoa or even in the imaginary classic stories like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" or "Hansel and Gretel". Here each day of your stay is a unique experience. You can pamper yourself with a rejuvenating treatment of chocotherapy, enjoy the exclusivity of a chocolate fountain for two and get to know different types of chocolate in a commented tasting, after an inspiring visit to the museum.
Accommodation
If it were possible to build a hotel made of chocolate, then they certainly would have done it. But it would not last very long, would it? That is why each room has been carefully designed with a unique theme and decoration to allow customers to plunge into a very special world - the cocoa and chocolate world!
"Theobroma Cacao" is the scientific name of the cocoa tree and the decoration of this bedroom is totally inspired by the origins of chocolate. It is thanks to the fruit, cocoa pod, and its seeds that we can eat and enjoy the "food of the Gods" as we know it. The bedroom 'Roça' represents cocoa plantations, with inspiration mainly in those of S. Tomé and Brazil. In addition to a large picture of the cocoa bean drying area, the entire bedroom décor takes in elements such as raw wood, colored wooden doors and windows as well as balustrades reminiscent of cocoa farm owners' palatial homes.
The Maya bedroom, as the name suggests, is inspired by one of the first civilizations to recognize the importance of cocoa and to give you an effective utility. This bedroom has an embossed panel above the headboard, which is a set of Mayan symbols associated with cocoa. This panel was carved by a local artist after a rigorous investigation of the Mayan symbology. The terracotta finish also represents one of the most commonly used materials of that time, often combined with metal applications, such as the trunk piece in this bedroom.
Inspired by Road Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", this particular bedroom recreates the fantastic Willy Wonka's universe, transporting guests into the imaginary world of this classic children story, written in 1964. One of the bedroom's walls displays a colourful illustration invoking the great "chocolate room", with its magnificent chocolate river mixed by a very unique chocolate waterfall. The bed headboard is nothing less than a giant replica of the desirable Golden Ticket, an "access-all-areas" free pass, available only to 5 lucky children.
The next bedroom, decorated in partnership with the Arcádia brand, a renowned artisan confectionery factory of the City of Porto. The bedroom enjoys an excellent location with two fronts, having several natural light entrances that give a warm glow to the bedroom. A vintage panel in sepia tones of the Arcádia Confectionery is displayed in one of the wardrobes.
Did you know that Salvador Dalí was a chocolate lover? This bedroom, which is a hommage paid to plastic artists in general, has Salvador Dalí as the main source of inspiration. Apart from a number of details in its decor, there is a replica of the Dali's "Cup of chocolate / En attendant le chocolat" painting, originally a 1967 color lithograph, is part of a set of Dalí etchings illustrating 7 short stories by the writer Jacques Casanova.
Over the years, many movies have been inspired by chocolate. Wether they are originals or adapted from books, chocolate plays an important role! The next bedroom's decor is inspired by the cinema in general and by the movie "Chocolat", directed by Lasse Hallström, who adapted the argument from Joanne Harris' original book.
"Chocolate. Stories to read and cry for more." - This is one of the books that inspired the theme of the stories bedroom. It is a collection of stories, wonderfully written by a group of portuguese writers, where chocolate plays an important part.
Chocolate has also been inspiring music over the years. The Beatles, Charlie Walker, Guy Davis, Gorillaz, Rufus Wainright, Marisa Monte, Xuxa, Kylie Minogue, Prince and Madonna are just some of the musicians that have been inspired by chocolate. However, the inspiration of chocolate can be found not only in the songs, but also on the album covers, which is another example of a perfect match between these two fascinating worlds. This combination of chocolate and music inspired the decoration of one of the bedrooms at the 'Fábrica do Chocolate' Hotel.
High cocoa percentage chocolate - dark chocolate - triggers the release of endorphins and helps stabilizing serotonin. Therefore, it has always been associated with love and romance. It may either be a popular belief or a scientifi truth, but what really matters is that we have designed and prepared a very special place for those in love... with chocolate. Overnight at the Romance suite can and should be complemented with indulging chocotherapy treatments, in-room champagne, a fountain of chocolate and strawberries to dip.
The first floor, on the main façade of the Hotel offers three bedrooms form a trilogy: dark chocolate, milk and white. Dark chocolate has gained more and more connoisseurs over the years and as we know more about chocolate. In fact, this chocolate, for the larger portion of cocoa and a lower percentage of ingredients (such as sugar, milk powder, cocoa butter) is precisely the chocolate that brings the most benefits to health. Milk chocolate is probably the one that makes us most likely to remember very special moments from our childhood with family and friends. Made of cocoa butter, milk and sugar, whilst very much appreciated by some and unloved by others, white chocolate delights the connoisseurs and proves to be perfect for creative desserts, fillings and decorations.
The Casa Grande Chocolatier branded suite, an assorted duplex suite, is prepared for family occupation. The bedroom offers a very special decoration where an extraordinary yellow cow, a fabulous chandelier made from milk bottles and a chocolate bar shaped headboard will certainly surprise customers, kids and grown-ups alike.
The Regina suite is a singular branded duplex suite that has also been designed for families. Its thematic decoration has been enthused by the effective memory of the Regina brand and by its unique products, well-known by Portuguese people. The most popular milk chocolate umbrellas, popular due to its distinctive chocolate taste and fun shape, have inspired the chandelier of the suite! But other surprises can also be found in this special suite. The unique "Surprise Machine" that will certainly delight all customers, should not be missed!
The Hansel and Gretel suite is surprising and sweet for both kids and grown ups. A duplex family suite, where children can play in their own life-size candy house. In the upper floor, in a less childish decor, parents will be able to see one of the very first illustrations published in the first edition of this fairy tale.
Amenities And Services
Whatever the room, there will always be chocolate to welcome the guest and to ease the pain of farewell. All services, including the amenities line, contribute to a chocolate-themed experience. In the bathroom, you will find thematic amenities that include a soap that looks like a square of chocolate, shower gel, shampoo and moisturizing cream with chocolate aroma as well. A chocolate environment freshener ensures that in all rooms and public areas of the hotel get the sweet tooth "inebriated" in the same way that the old chocolate factory did in the nearest building streets.
With Chef Pedro Araújo in charge, the restaurant of 'Fábrica do Chocolate' incorporates cocoa and chocolate in a special menu grounded in eudaimonism' philosophy. Here, the national gastronomy is honored, creating a fusion that is not pretentious, but that strolls around the world. According to the Chef, "the human being's need to eat and drink must become a source of daily pleasure. Eating is a social manifestation, a civilizational landmark, an art, with an incessant and repeated search for pleasure!". Cocoa, chocolate and also fresh local and seasonal products are the inspiring elements of a concise but wide menu of tasty dishes.
The breakfast of the 'Fábrica do Chocolate' is the kind that make us yearn for the morning to arrive. The grue bread, a specialty of 'Fábrica do Chocolate', is a dark, cereal loaf with a cocoa nut that adds a crunchy texture and a deep, reminiscent chocolate aroma, without being sweet. 'Marinhas' butter, one of the best in the world, doesn't fail the breakfast table. Handmade, while always safeguarding food safety, it is an exquisite butter with no dyes or preservatives. There is also plenty of assorted fruit juices, breakfast cereals, pastries, cheese, sausages, sliced cake and rolled fruit to dip into the irresistible sources of dark chocolate or milk.
The Museum
Visit the Interactive Museum at 'Fábrica do Chocolate'! Occupying the entire basement of the building, with a total area of 500 m2, the Museum is divided into 5 distinct areas, interconnected and arranged in circuit, in order to provide the visitor a trip through the origins, productive cycle of cocoa and chocolate, as well as their history. The Museum stands out as a space that offers a set of elements and interpretative solutions, with a strong technological component and multimedia tools enabling an immersive and interactive learning and entertainment experience dedicated to cocoa and chocolate.
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