Vinha Boutique Hotel

Style

Ensemble piece

Setting

Lazy days by the Douro

Whether you’re mad for Missoni or crazy for Kenzo, Portuguese retreat Vinha Boutique 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 two Michelin Key hot-pink palácio – 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 executive chef Henrique Sá Pessoa puts his three 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.

Facilities

Rooms

38, including seven suites.

Checkout

Noon. Check in is at 3pm. Both are flexible, on request and subject to availability.

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.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Spa, gym, free boat ride 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 Boutique 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. Extra beds for under-13s can be added to rooms for €80 a night; they're free for under-threes. Under-sixes are not permitted in the spa. Guests aged six to 16 may access the spa during morning hours only.

Gallery

Food & 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 Michelin-starred Vinha restaurant (decorated by Moooi with patterned ceilings, mirrored walls and crystal-fringed chandeliers) resident chef Jonathan Seiller and three-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.

Planes

Porto International Airport is 25-minute drive away. Transfers by Mercedes V class can be arranged for €60 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.

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.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .