The Vintage House Hotel
This former 18th century wine lodge is located in the centre of Pinhao, the unofficial capital of Portugal’s Porto wine region. Sitting on the confluence of the rivers Douro and Pinhao, it’s an idyllic, pleasantly-sleepy little town with a relaxed pace of life, bordered on all sides by the sculpted terraces of many of the country’s most-revered wine producers.
The Vintage House Hotel has arguably the best address in town, on the northern bank of the Douro overlooking the iron-beamed Ponta do Pinhao bridge – designed by Gustave Eiffel in the late 18th century. The hotel has forty-seven comfortable and cosy rooms, all with river view balconies, and the décor and furnishings are simple, classic-style in keeping with the buildings 18th century heritage.
The shared, public space are decorated with historical memorabilia from the buildings wine lodge era – the rough-hewn oak beams and granite columns in the Library Bar give a feel for the hotel’s industrial past. There’s a grander feel to the hotel’s Rabelo restaurant thanks to its broad vaulted ceiling, where you can sample the best local Douro recipes – the restaurant also offers regular wine-tastings where you learn more about wine production, grape varieties and ideal pairings.
