Vila Gale Collection Douro
Carved into granite banks of the grand Douro river, the Vila Gale Collection Douro is a contemporary, four-star hotel with thirty-eight rooms spread across its five floors. The hotel is located at the western end of Peso da Regua, overlooking the confluence of the Douro and Varosa rivers, and its sparsely-populated surroundings add to the peaceful, relaxed atmosphere.
The décor follows suit – calming pastel shades, and simple uncluttered furnishing helping you to fall into the laid-back pace of life of the Douro valley. Balcony rooms look north over the river, with the triplet-bridges of Ponte Metalica da Regua, Ponte Rodoviaria da Regua and the Ponte Miguel Torga as an ever-present backdrop. There’s a similar view from the sun terrace and the in-house Restaurante Inevitavel, where you can sample traditional Douro cuisine, paired with the best of the region’s Port, DOC and Moscatel wines.
It’s a short stroll across the Ponta Metalica into the centre of Peso da Regua itself – more commonly known simply as Regua, there’s been a settlement here since Roman times, and the town has been at the centre of Portuguese wine production for countless generations. Regua was the historic home of the Real Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro – the Royal Company of Vine-Growers of the Alto Douro. The Companhia was created in 1756, establishing the world’s first Denominacao de Origem Controlada – a demarcated region for wine production, which protects the Douro Valley’s grape varieties and vinification methods.
