Best hotel in Porto for: wine lovers
Vila Nova de Gaia has become known for its hospitality offerings and the first hotel to really put this side of the Douro River on the map was The Yeatman, which officially opened in 2010. Covering 2.8 hectares, the hotel’s ten stories are arranged in terraces much like the wine growing along the banks of the River Douro. You wouldn’t know it, but there are over one hundred rooms here – and the vast majority have their own private balcony. On the farthest end of the hotel, the presidential suite is more like a villa with its own expansive lawn and pool. Inside is just as grand – the main bed is housed in a giant wine barrel, with curtains like a royal four-poster.
One of the most striking design elements here is the wine decanter-shaped pool with a terrace that allows you to enjoy the view of Porto’s winding streets from the other side of the river. If you can pull yourself away from the pool, the renowned World of Wine museum is metres away, and guests receive a complimentary ticket to this.
The family-owned hotel (descendants of Taylor’s Port) is a proud ambassador for the best Portuguese wine producers, and its cellar holds over 30,000 bottles and 1400 references, with a dedicated programme of tastings for guests. The Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant, by chef Ricardo Costa, holds two Michelin stars, and on Thursdays, the team holds experimental Wine Dinners that showcase one of their many wine producer partners in an intimate setting. For more informal and impromptu meals, there is Dick’s Bar & Bistro and The Orangerie, which share some of the chef’s favourite dishes à la carte.
Portuguese wine can continue to be enjoyed at The Yeatman Wine Spa, which, along with a large indoor pool, includes a Roman bath, ice fountain and ten private treatment rooms where guests can enjoy a private barrel bath immersion with sweeping views of the city.
Address: Rua do Choupelo, 4400-088 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Dining and Cooking