One of Europe's most spectacular settings, the Upper Douro Wine Region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its rolling river splits the midst of fields covered in vineyards, and its meandering roads spiral up the hillsides. The northern section was dubbed the eighth wonder of the world by novelist José Saramago, and there is undoubtedly something hypnotic about the visual ASMR of Porto's terraced topography. While visiting one of our favourite hotels, you can take in the wine region's meandering stream that cuts through the verdant scenery.

The best Hotels in Douro Valley

1. Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta

The train journey from Porto to Douro is where your journey starts. Climb onboard a train straight from Wes Anderson's thoughts, with mustard-yellow walls, maroon-chequered leather seats, and pale yellow uniformed ticket instructors.

The windows may be fully opened as the train passes through tiny azulejos-tiled stations and meanders along the twisting borders of the Douro River, allowing passengers to smell the wildflowers and hear the caws of birds of prey swooping beside the tracks. Ventozelo is located in the Douro highlands, just a short, winding drive from Pinhao station. The hotel, which dates back 500 years, is one of the valley's oldest and largest farms, and its commitment to maintaining the farm's and the surrounding region's history can be seen around every corner.

Guests come here to sip wine, walk around the hills and immerse themselves in the Douro's well-preserved natural beauty. The hotel's location is steeped in history, as the village of Ventozelo dates from the 13th century. Since then, the estate has served as a farmyard under the control of noble families and landlords. In the mid-nineteenth century, port wine production began to increase, and the estate established its first functioning vineyard.

The area is now held by Granvinho (previously Gran Cruz), the world's largest exporter of port wine. Determined to educate the world about Douro viticulture, the estate invested €7 million to offer the property as a hotel and quinta. The estate covers 400 hectares and is a picture-perfect representation of Douro Valley, with billowing canyons, a glistening river, and infinite vine-striped meadows. There are seven buildings scattered throughout the estate that house 29 rooms, including six independent villas.

We stayed at Casa do Rio, a light and spacious home with a private pool. Baby blue walls and sandy-colored furnishings create a serene environment, with fluttering curtains that draw back to expose green slopes cascading into the Douro River. There’s a kitchen with azulejo tiles, a wood-burning fire and lots of allusions to the estate’s shipping past along the river with oars and sailing-related memorabilia throughout. A private pool views the lake and neighbouring hills, complete with a shady porch and deck chairs for sunbathing. There are larger villas for families and parties. Cantina do Ventozelo, located on a balcony overlooking the estate vegetable garden, serves regional food made from produce grown on the premises. The ingredients take the lead: dishes are based on whatever veggies have been newly picked, as well as whatever fish was caught in the river that day.

Eager to conserve the site’s old history, plenty of attention went into the hotel’s development. Buildings were rehabilitated rather than rebuilt, solar panels were added for water heating, and energy-efficient lighting was installed in each structure. Sustainable farming methods are employed across the vineyard, and 16 hectares of cork oak trees have been planted (which absorb 15 tonnes of CO2 per hectare annually).

Six Senses Douro Valley

2.Six Senses Douro Valley

When the Asia-centric Six Senses group made its European debut in northern Portugal in 2015, it created a stir, with its unique brand of wellness smartly viewed through the lens of this world-class wine area. The large resort spans 19 acres and includes 71 guest rooms, suites, and villas, some of which overlook the flowing River Douro that gives the valley its name.

The spa has 10 treatment rooms, a heated indoor pool, a heated outdoor pool with bar, tennis courts and a gym. In addition to offering a variety of yoga classes, the spa participates in the Six Senses Visiting Practitioner Programme, which includes over 100 of the world's greatest wellness healers, practitioners, and specialists. With all of these offers we don’t blame you if you never want to leave the hotel.

It is set in a 19th-century manor home surrounded by vines that lead down to the vast Douro River.

Six Senses Douro Valley

Clodagh, an Irish-American designer, gave the interior a more contemporary minimalist feel, and a new wing now features rooftop and vineyard rooms with private hot tubs. Naturally, there is a significant emphasis on local wines, with tastings in the wine library and an enomatic machine operated by room keycards (try the delicate white Guru).

Six Senses Douro Valley

Beneath it all is a massive pool surrounded by gardens brimming with ripe fruit, including peaches that will be grilled and served with burrata and lemons squeezed into scrubs at the spa's potion-whipping Alchemy Bar. The spa is one of Portugal's most serious, with programmes to help you sleep better and age more effectively. Six Senses has completely modernised the wine-country hotel's decor and appearance.

Quinta Da Corte

3.Quinta Da Corte

Located three miles from Pinhão, a picturesque town on the River Douro. Quinta da Côrte sits high in the hills above the river, surveying the 25 hectares of grapes it owns that roll down the steep slopes below it. With prominent wine vineyards all around, this is an ideal starting point for a sampling excursion. Porto airport and the vibrant city of Porto are around 1 hour and 45 minutes away.

Talented designer Pierre Yovanovitch has perfectly captured the character of a Douro quinta by combining 19th-century rural Portuguese authenticity with 21st-century creature comforts.

Drawing on traditional Portuguese materials from terracotta floor tiles to hand-painted wall tiles in deep glossy green or blue and white, Yovanovitch has overlaid this with antique or bespoke furniture, drawings from David Nash, Moroccan straw mats and contemporary fixtures such as the pale pink glass bubbles suspended over the kitchen table (which itself has a map of the region hand-painted on its tiled surface) which came from a collaboration with Swiss glassmaker.

The library, which contains volumes picked by Yovanovitch, is adorned with a trio of old, hand-carved wooden masks constructed for funfair in the adjacent town of Lamego and selected by owner Philippe Austruy.

Quinta Da Corte

There are no flat displays here, and the Wi-Fi is sketchy at best. If you want to tour other wineries, local staff can help you create an itinerary, but most people stay here and enjoy the wonderful swimming pool with views of the vineyards, as well as the Quinta's own wines.

The wines are superb, from Quinta da Côrte's white, created entirely with the viosinho grape, to the Princesa red with blackberry undertones and the velvety Grand Reserve. Marta Casanova, a winemaker, is on hand to discuss, and while she works on the wines alongside French consultant Stéphane Dereroncourt, the ports are hers: a range that includes 10 and 20 year old Tawny, Late Bottled Vintage, and Vintage from vines over 70 years old.

The Quinta's grounds include hiking trails and picnic areas where you can be served homemade breads and quiches, as well as local cheese and ham plates, by one of the helpful staff members.

Quinta Da Corte

Cruises on the Douro, vineyard labour, and a day as a winemaker are all available upon request. Pierre Yovanovitch designed the new winery, which was built with native schist and wood. There are only eight rooms, offering a very private home atmosphere. Four are in the main house, while four more, with a more contemporary air, are in out structures close behind the Quinta. Each one has a distinct vibe and décor, with mine in the main home featuring a solitary tub in the bathroom with a glossy green tiled wall behind it and curtains to draw around it.

The telephones are retro rotary, the beds are adorned with lovely linen, and the views behind the heavy wooden shutters are of grapes in every direction.

Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo

4.Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo

A few minutes by automobile will take you to the river, where a private dock has been built to accommodate pleasure boats. This could also be where you disembark for your visit, minimising the car trip. The nearby Ferrão train station offers a 20-minute regional train ride to the main town of Peso da Régua.

These exquisitely preserved 19th-century buildings have been tastefully turned into a hotel, with dark wood antique furnishings dotted around the old stone interiors.

Outside, there is a pergola on the front of the building that is extensively covered in wisteria and bougainvillaea, where you can eat throughout the summer. The modest 18th-century chapel with painted interiors is a popular wedding venue. There is a swimming pool with views of the river and a marked walking track through the vineyards.

Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo

The hotel has its own river boat that can transport you to surrounding wineries or on a 90-minute tour down the Douro with wine tasting on board. You can sample wines from the winery next door. A wine museum on-site illustrates the story of the region's wine, with 500 pieces from the nineteenth and twentieth century curated by a member of the Amorim family, who owns the land.

There is also a wine shop that sells homemade teas, their own wines, and some of the top Portuguese brands, including Claus Porto soaps. Tastings are also provided, as well as a selection of tapas such as local cheese and sausages, which can be turned into a meal if desired.

A range of wine activities are available, like being a winemaker for the day or helping with the wine harvest.

Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo

The 11 fairly rustic rooms are nicely designed, with wooden headboards and floral bedspreads. Antique cabinets and cosy sofas lend a warm and welcome atmosphere. Bathrooms feature tubs and Claus Porto amenities. Some rooms are located upstairs in the main house, while others are on the ground level and have direct access to the garden.

Vintage House Hotel

5.Vintage House Hotel

Pinhão, a picturesque town, is easily accessible by steam train from Porto. The hotel was renovated following a change of ownership when Taylor's, who had sold it in 1998, purchased it again. After some neglect, it is now flowering again thanks to a fresh coat of paint and the construction of four new suites. The decor is consistent with its 18th-century origins, including stunning antiques and historical mementos from the wine lodge's earlier days. The Library Bar is particularly noteworthy, with its old wooden beamed ceiling. The local workers provide courteous and efficient service.

There are bicycles available for use around the town, as well as a magnificent swimming pool right by the river. You'll also find a wine shop selling Douro wines, as well as wine tastings at the Wine Academy, which features the company's labels from Taylor's to Croft. You can also take a wine course to learn more about the region's wine.

Vintage House Hotel

You can also take a river cruise here. Some of the rooms have a dated feel to them, but the majority offer lovely views of the Douro River, and the newly added Master suites are big and nicely furnished, with suite 310's bathroom covered in Christian Lacroix wallpaper.

All include working desks and beds with high-quality bedding. The Rabelo restaurant serves native Douro cuisine such cream of pea soup with codfish tartare, octopus with paprika foam, stuffed squid with salmon and fine herbs, toasted cornbread, and Portuguese fish soup.

Lunchtime munchies include Porto's Francesinha (a ham or meat sandwich with melted cheese and spicy sauce), Caesar salad, club sandwiches and more. In the summer, the restaurant flows out onto the terrace, which offers views of the swimming pool, the Douro River, and the surrounding hills. Breakfast consists of a buffet of locally sourced hams and pastries, fruits and cheeses, and eggs prepared to order.

Casa do Rio

6.Casa do Rio

In the upper reaches of the Douro Valley, distant from the hustle and bustle of the twenty-first century. The hotel is close to the Spanish border and Foz Côa, a UNESCO heritage site known for its open-air palaeolithic rock painting. This wooden chalet, elegantly strung across a gorge, has a "out of Africa" vibe and overlooks the Douro and nearby vineyards.

Casa do Rio

Six bedrooms with balconies are matched by a large open plan living/dining area with leather sofas, director's chairs, colourful woven rugs, and coat stands for binoculars and hats. In the winter, there is a roaring fire, and in the summer, the restaurant opens onto a long, evocative patio.

The service is personal and good, with a particular focus on detail. A boat is docked beneath, and guests can take journeys up the river in it, as well as borrow kayaks and paddleboats. An infinity swimming pool has been built into the cliffs, and bikes are provided to explore the region.

Wine tastings at Quinta do Vallado and the nearby organic vineyard, Quinta do Orgal, are held on a regular basis.The six rooms have a pleasingly simplistic atmosphere, with white wooden clapboard walls and huge black and white images of the surrounding landscape.

Casa do Rio

Floor-to-ceiling glass doors lead out to a balcony, and each room has a fireplace. The beds are dressed with incredibly silky linens. The bathrooms contain showers with glass windowed ceilings that may be lifted to allow fresh air in. The most recent additions are two free-standing suites located near the hotel. Decorated in a similar style to the main hotel's rooms, these have the added convenience of baths, showers, and wood-burning fireplaces.

Breakfast is a leisurely meal that includes handcrafted cakes and pastries, bread, jams and honeys, and eggs cooked to order. Lunch consists of light, tapas-style items, and evening is a full-fledged culinary feast.

Conclusion

The Douro Valley is a tribute to nature's beauty and human creativity, providing a place of peace and elegance among its gorgeous scenery and centuries-old wineries. From the ancient charm of Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta to the wellness-focused elegance of Six Senses Douro Valley, every hotel in this region has its own distinct personality and fascination. All of our favourite hotels enhance the Douro experience by combining tradition, hospitality, and spectacular views. A stay at one of the Douro Valley's best hotels guarantees a memorable journey into the heart of Portugal's wine country, whether you're indulging in local wines, exploring the region's rich history, or simply relaxing in the tranquil surroundings.