Porto, Portugal

Vinha Boutique Hotel

Price per night from$214.33

Price information

If you haven’t entered any dates, the rate shown is provided directly by the hotel and represents the cheapest double room (including tax) available in the next 60 days.

Prices have been converted from the hotel’s local currency (EUR198.11), via openexchangerates.org, using today’s exchange rate.

Style

Ensemble piece

Setting

Lazy days by the Douro

Whether you’re mad for Missoni or crazy for Kenzo, Portuguese retreat Vinha Hotel draws a voguish crowd with unique designer dwellings on the banks of the Douro River. Nestled within three hectares of meticulously manicured gardens, this hot-pink palazzo – a converted 16th-century manor house – has all the trappings of the country, just 10 minutes away from the city centre. Break bread in baroque style at the Vinha restaurant, where chef Henrique Sá Pessoa puts his two Michelin stars to good use with a menu of modern Portuguese fare, soak up the sun from the lawnside pool or get pampered the Parisian way at the Sisley spa. 

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Facilities

Photos Vinha Boutique Hotel facilities

Need to know

Rooms

38, including six suites.

Check–Out

Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

Prices

Double rooms from £179.94 (€210), including tax at 6 per cent. Please note the hotel charges an additional local city tax of €2.50 per person per night on check-out.

More details

Rates include a hearty buffet breakfast served in Terroir restaurant.

Also

There are a small number of rooms specially adapted for those with mobility issues, just ask Smith’s travel team when booking.

At the hotel

Spa, gym, free boat service to Ribeira, free WiFi throughout In rooms: TV, Jo Malone bath products, Nespresso machine, minibar, bathrobes, and slippers.

Our favourite rooms

Fashionistas should opt for one of the signature rooms; each inspired by an iconic maison; Kenzo, Etro, Ralph Lauren, Missoni, Hermès, Manuel Canovas, Pierre Frey or Christian Lacroix. Though if you’re not one for bold colours and print-clashing, the Deluxe category may be more your style with sandy neutrals and understated charcoal grey. The river-view rooms are a fine choice for a romantic getaway, with sweeping vistas of the Douro from your private balcony, but for high-octane drama, tons of space and a freestanding in-room tub with a view, the Signature Master Suite is the one.

Poolside

You’ll find the main pool out on the perfectly pruned lawn, great for a picturesque splash overlooking the river. Soak up the view with a glass of local wine from one of the sun-dappled loungers.

Spa

Like all things at the Vinha hotel, the spa comes courtesy of a designer; this time, it’s Parisian powerhouse Sisley providing the goods, with exclusive techniques, and plant-based products. Spread over 500 square-metres, the spa welcomes peace-seekers to a heated indoor pool, sauna, Turkish bath and hammam, as well as Vichy and sensation showers, plus an ice fountain to cool off under at the end of your spa circuit. Treatments include phyto-aromatic hydrating facials, traditional massages, hot-stone pummeling and all manner of targeted treatments that range from cellulite-busting to smoothing and firming solutions. In the same wellness area, you’ll also find a fully-equipped gym and – of course – a small Sisley boutique.

Packing tips

Leave enough room for some vintage finds, say a 40-year Tawny or two.

Children

Welcome. Babysitting can be arranged in advance for €18 an hour and extra beds can be added to rooms; it's €60 a night for kids aged 3-12, €120 for over-12s and free for under threes.

Food and Drink

Photos Vinha Boutique Hotel food and drink

Top Table

Each space has been meticulously designed, so you’re onto a winner wherever you sit, though we’re partial to the outdoor terrace for a spot of sun with our sipping.

Dress Code

Go for monochrome elegance at Vinha with an LBD or your best white trouser suit. You’ll want to turn up the colour dial for Terroir though – we’re thinking tropical prints, statement earrings and a bold red lip.

Hotel restaurant

There are two. At fine-dining Vinha restaurant (decorated by Moooi with patterned ceilings, mirrored walls and crystal-fringed chandeliers) two-star-holding Michelin chef Henrique Sá Pessoa has devised a menu fit for the most demanding of palates. Inspired by classic Portuguese cuisine, and littered with global influences, offerings change according to season, but expect dishes like roasted octopus with black garlic, leek and harissa or confit codfish with chickpea purée, anchovy tempura and dried tomato. There’s a private dining room for exclusive get-togethers which can be made up for groups of eight to 16 people, or ask about gourmet picnics and alfresco dinners overlooking the Douro, cooked by fire pit. For a casual vibe head to Terroir, a laid-back canteen that pops with the warm colours of the Med. Here, you’ll find Portuguese sharing plates and meaty mains as well as hearty breakfasts. For something light and local, split the sous-vide egg, potatoes, mushrooms and Ibérico ham or the Bulhão Pato clams. For something richer, try the beef loin with truffled polenta, vegetables and port-wine jus.

Hotel bar

Red-velvet walls, slabs of black marble, intricate gold details and ceilings cloaked by an intricate Ferreira de Sá tapestry: the Reserva bar is nothing if not decadent. Don your best for wine and jazz nights, DJ sets and a cocktail menu full of quirk, where – alongside the classics – you’ll find a list of signature libations, each with lots of local character. The Douro Blend made with Porto Graham's blend nº5, Bitter Truth apricot brandy, grenadine, lemon, and grape is a Porto crowd-pleaser, but we're crazy about the Lady Eglantine, an experimental blend of gin, alvarinho wine spirit, eucalyptus and honeysuckle. 

Last orders

Catch breakfast at Terroir between 8am and 10.30am, brunch from noon to 4pm and dinner at either restaurant from 7pm to 11pm. The bar opens just before noon and pours its last port at 11pm.

Room service

There’s a separate menu available for round-the-clock drinking and dining in your room.

Location

Photos Vinha Boutique Hotel location
Address
Vinha Boutique Hotel
Rua Fonte da Vinha 383
Vila Nova de Gaia
4430-487
Portugal

You’ll find the Douro River-adjacent Vinha Hotel in the suburb of Vila Nova de Gaia, just a hop skip and a jump from the action of Porto.

Planes

Porto International Airport is 25-minute drive away. Transfers by Mercedes V class can be arranged for €50 each way.

Trains

Vila Nova de Gaia station is 15 minutes away by car. Transfers to and from the station will set you back around €20.

Automobiles

Porto might be a city, but the hotel’s in a leafy riverine spot, which gives way to countryside, small towns and villages, so a car will come in handy when exploring the full extent of the Douro’s riches. However, if you’re vineyard-hopping or port-tasting, leave your wheels in the gated car park of the hotel (free for guests) and have the concierge arrange a taxi, instead.

Other

Fancy taking the boat for a spin? Now’s your chance, the hotel has a private pier.

Worth getting out of bed for

Once you’ve sampled your way through the hotel's cocktail menu and picnicked your way around the manor’s manicured grounds, you may find yourself wondering what lies beyond the estate. And if you’re anything like us, you’ll be delighted to know that the answer, in a roundabout way, is wine (both regular and fortified). Head to Vinha’s private pier for a tasting session onboard the hotel’s yacht, or take a stroll through Vila Nova de Gaia where innumerable port caves host tours. Not thirsty? The hotel has a complimentary boat service to Unesco-listed Ribeira, or you can cross Ponte Luis and into the city for cultural romps. Bookworms will love Livraria Lello, a delightfully gothic spot where stained-glass windows, winding stairs and book-lined walls make for a rather Hogwarts-esque affair – in fact, it is rumoured to have inspired Diagon Alley's Flourish and Blotts. Art enthusiasts can find refuge in Serralves Museum, a contemporary gallery set inside a park with an iconic, pink art deco villa, cinema house, restaurant and a rotating cast of exhibitions, performance and education programmes. Or, if music is your thing, catch a concert at the Casa da Musica, a spaceship-esque concrete block designed by OMA’s Rem Koolhaas and home of the National Orchestra of Porto. 

Local restaurants

Head to Perto do Cais for unpretentious local dishes in a cosy restaurant far from the madding crowd of tourists. Instead, you’ll find laidback locals tucking into signature dish, francesinha – a sandwich, if you will, but not like the ones you’re used to. Loaded with cured ham and steak, the bread is then slathered in melted cheese and a tomato and beer sauce until it resembles, frankly, more of a moussaka. Best don your elasticated waists for that one. Closer to the river, Taberna da Villa champions simpler (and smaller) bites with tapas-style sharing plates.

Local cafés

Grab a pastry to go at Café Intervalo or hop over Ponte Luis for something more modern. Swallow Decadent near Cordoaria serves American-style brunches made with seasonal Portuguese produce, accompanied by artisan brews. Go for the ‘fan sea bagel’ with smoked salmon, a soft-boiled egg, arugula, red onion, sliced ​​avocado and capers or satisfy you sweet tooth with the ‘gold digger’: brioche bread wrapped in egg cream, seasoned with cinnamon, sugar and salt and served with banana, nutmeg whipped cream, fresh fruit and an extra dose of maple syrup.

Local bars

There is perhaps too much choice when it comes to port wine cellars, so we’ve whittled it down to two of our favourites. Graham’s, a working 1890 lodge, is among the most famous of the bunch, but for good reason. Booking is required though – with hilltop views of the south bank and a particularly interesting vintage room, it’s worth securing a spot. Lesser-known Poças, meanwhile, is a family-owned cellar tucked away from the riverfront crowds, where the tastings are intimate and the wine is bold and experimental.

Reviews

Photos Vinha Boutique Hotel reviews
Scarlett Conlon

Anonymous review

By Scarlett Conlon, Style scribe

They say: ‘if you’re going to take a city break, go somewhere that will relax, inspire and intrigue you’. Okay, the ‘they’ may be myself and Mr Smith, but that’s exactly the advice we now dish out after a glorious two nights at Porto’s Vinha Boutique Hotel.
 
Our trip came straight off the back of a chaotic Milan Fashion Week, after which I just wanted to go home to my own bed. Luckily, Mr Smith was waiting at Bergamo Airport whispering chanting Elsa of Arendelle’s life motto (‘Let it go, let it gooo…’), and three hours later Vinha’s front-desk staff offered the most serene welcome I could have wished for.
 
When you rock up to a hotel already knackered the stakes are higher when it comes to first impressions. It’s no exaggeration to say that I seemed to forget I was tired the minute we swung down the driveway. That may have had something to do with the driver the hotel sent to pick us up. As a Londoner I delighted in the immediate rapport we struck up, akin to the best of black-taxi drivers back home, with him extracting my life story from me in five minutes and equipping us with key Portuguese lingo: ‘olá’ (hello); ‘obrigado’ (thank you); and, on my special request, ‘onde posso conseguir pastéis de nata?’ (where can I get one of your yummy custard tarts?)
 
After a speedy check-in (never underestimate this in a hotel) we were shown to our room. I closed the door behind us and – with no grace at all – face-planted onto the bed. Oh, that bed. Not only did it do that sink-into thing that makes you feel like you’ve landed on a cloud in slow motion, but it came with a pillow menu that gave options for hypoallergenic, osteopathic support and snore-free sleep. I made up the last one, but that was the gist of it. I could have nominated Vinha for a world’s-most-attentive-hotel prize (I think I gave some kind of half-cognisant speech to that effect), but Mr Smith wisely suggested that I take a disco nap, a suggestion which had me at: ‘why don’t you…’. We found our room to be every inch as luxurious as the Christian Lacroix aesthetic that inspired it (each room takes its cue from the codes of a certain fashion house, including Kenzo, Missoni and Hermès). Thick velvet curtains served as decadent room dividers, and inside the walk-in wardrobe was a bath tub big enough for two.
 
After a rainforest shower, where I lathered up in luxurious Bulgari body-wash, I was a new woman. I wandered onto our balcony to join Mr Smith enjoying a Super Bock, and we marvelled at panoramic views of the Douro River below, quiet and captivating as moonlight bounced off the water. We smiled at each other knowingly – we were onto a winner here.
 
Peckish, we smartened ourselves up and went down to the bar in pursuit of patatas bravas and vinho verde. Our delightful waiter and mixologist Bernardo was straight on the scene to take our order and deliver excellent tips on what to eat – and see – during our stay. First off: a Franceshina, Porto’s famous sandwich involving multiple layers of bread and meats, served beneath melted cheese and topped off with a fried egg, in a tomato and beer sauce. The secret to the best, he noted seriously, is finding somewhere that makes a blindingly good sauce, and he helpfully pointed us in the direction of two of the city’s favourites: Brasão Cervejaria and Santiago da Praça.
 
Vinha’s on the Gaia side of the Douro, so the hotel offers a free private transfer to the city by boat (another perk not to underestimate when extras like this can add up) which we promptly booked for the following morning. After a quick breakfast of coffee and pastéis de nata (I was on an all-I-can-eat mission) we boarded at the jetty. The morning was sunny and crisp with the scent of early autumn in the air, and from the deck we watched the hotel disappear into the distance – thoughts of the previous week’s Milano madness vanishing with it.
 
In Porto we rode the funicular up to the top of the old town rather than pause for wine and port tastings. Call it lazy or smart, we figured we should start at the top and walk down, rather than attempt to walk up (note, it is steep). We poked our heads into Café Guarany for coffee (and to gaze at the floor tiles) and found historic bookstore Livraria Lello, which we admired from the outside rather than join its mile-long queue. Blessed with blue skies and sunshine, we meandered through buzzing streets, picking up recycled-cork coasters, handpainted tiles, and a funicular-shaped fridge magnet as souvenirs.
 
Then something magical happened. After a wrong turn, I was squinting at my phone’s directions, before looking up to see Tasquinha São João Novo, another notable Franceshina joint run by two ladies – Maria and Maria – with a gift for cooking the classics. It was early, so we were the first to take up one of their four tables, ordering the bacalhau à Braga for me and Porto’s finest sandwich for Mr Smith, with a terracotta jug of homemade vinho to share. After several wide-eyed ‘mmms’ and ‘ahhs’ both plates were licked clean. On leaving, I asked to take Maria and Maria’s picture and used Google Translate to thank them for the most special experience; in turn, they gave me a hand-printed tote bag as a gift (just when I thought I couldn’t love the place any more).
 
We returned to the hotel in a taxi as I had a Zoom with a client (seamlessly done with top-notch WiFi); but as soon as I hit ‘leave meeting’, Mr Smith and I were in our robes and headed to the Sisley Spa and pool. Sadly, I hadn’t left time for a treatment, but the pool, saunas and high-pressure Jacuzzi were all I really wanted to indulge in, anyway (note: the hotel charges €5 a swim-cap, which are compulsory, so try to BYO). 

Back in our room, we took sundowners on the terrace before getting dressed for dinner at the magnificent Vinha Restaurant, where two-Michelin-star-holding chef Henrique Sá Pessoa has devised the menu. We kicked things off with fresh raisin bread and parsley butter, before prawn tartare with curry and coconut tapioca; salted cod loin with kale; and pork and aubergine dishes that looked like works of art and practically exploded with flavour. For dessert, how could we pass up ‘the most famous Portuguese pudding’, a crème caramel-style dish we devoured with two spoons. A perfect balance of attentiveness and privacy given, it was actually us who bent the waiters’ ears about the origins of where the name vinho verde comes from, the best sparkling wines from the Douro region, and what dessert they recommended. They answered with stories of such wit and charm that you really must ask them yourselves when you visit.
 
With an early flight awaiting us the following morning, this was the perfect finale to a 48-hour trip that relaxed, inspired and intrigued us from start to finish – just as we wished – with Porto proving a very worthy contender for ‘best short European city break’ and Vinha Boutique Hotel the ideal place to experience it all from.

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Price per night from $214.33