The Yeatman

A luxurious, light-filled wine and spa hotel set high among the port lodges, with stunning views over historic Porto

In the last 2 decades, Portugal’s second city has undergone an architectural and culinary renaissance - and it now has a hotel to match. Set on a hilltop in Vila Nova de Gaia - the traditional home of port - The Yeatman looks out over the River Douro and the jumble of red-tiled rooftops that make up Old Porto.

The hotel's terraced layers imitate the vineyards of the Douro Valley, but the wine theme doesn’t end there. There’s a fabulous decanter-shaped infinity pool (plus a second one indoors), and an enormous Caudalie Vinothérapie spa, where treatments include barrel bath immersions, merlot scrubs and other grape-infused luxuries.

At Dick’s Bar - named after one of Taylor's top port producers, Dick Yeatman - you can drink cocktails alfresco in summer or around a cosy log fire in cooler months, while the gourmet restaurant pairs neo-Portuguese cuisine with regional wines from the vast cellar (25,000+ bottles). Just be sure to round things off with a vintage port, because The Yeatman is owned by the Fladgate Partnership, one of the leading port shippers, whose brands include Taylor’s, Fonseca and Croft.

Highs

• Delightful Porto, a Unesco site with cobbled streets, skinny medieval townhouses, a pretty waterfront for river cruises and excellent eateries
• Top-notch meals from a Michelin-starred chef - serious foodies and wine buffs will be in their element here
• The 82 rooms have gorgeous river views from large balconies, kingsize beds and indulgent bathrooms with soaking tubs
• Tasting Portugal's wines, with the guidance of the Wine Director. And the port warehouses of Vila Nova de Gaia are on your doorstep
• The grand marble-floored reception, with its feature staircase ending in a naked statue of Bacchus

Lows

• With 82 rooms it's bigger than our usual i-escape gems, but they try extremely hard, and guest feedback is good
• Breakfast, excluded from room rates, is quite pricey
• It can be a long walk to your room, but you’ll be kept entertained by displays in the 'educational corridors' which feature subjects such as 'the history of cork'
• The interior design lacks a coherent style - and some may not like features such as the naked Bacchus!
• Can be tricky to find - make sure you take the Detailed Directions you'll be sent when you book through i-escape