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CityHotelReview

The Yeatman Hotel, Porto/Portugal - Hotel Review

Where wine is lived: With unique views of Porto's old town and surrounded by numerous Port wine lodges, The Yeatman is a mecca for wine fans.

April 28, 2022


The Yeatman Hotel, Porto
Rua do Choupelo, (Santa Marinha) 4400-088 Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Portugal
Tel: +351 220 133 100
Web: the-yeatman-hotel.com

Reason to Book?

Nowhere else does one have such a dreamy view of the old town of Porto. Wine lovers come to the wine hotel, the surrounding port wine cellars and the directly adjacent gourmet and museum complex World of Wine . Foodies love Ricardo Costa's two-star cuisine at The Yeatman Restaurant.

Perfect for wine lovers - the hotel towers above the rooftops of the World of Wine. ©The Yeatman

Location & neighborhood

The Relais&Châteaux hotel The Yeatman is located in the Vila Nova de Gaia district on the south bank of the Douro River. The area was given a new lease of life a few years ago with government funding. Vila Nova de Gaia is now home to many hip bars and restaurants right on the riverfront. Another aspect of Vila Nova de Gaia's revitalization is the World of Wine, opening in 2020. This new cultural district of Porto offers a variety of first-class restaurants and cafés with a dreamlike view of Porto. It's also a must for culture vultures, with seven museums and numerous workshops where visitors can learn all about Porto, wine, chocolate, cork, and the country's textile industry.

Porto's old town is reached from The Yeatman in about a 15-minute walk, across the Dom Luis Bridge. The hotel sits on a hill above the winding streets, just steps from the great port houses like Graham's, Taylor's and Croft. Guided tours and tastings are also on the agenda.

From The Yeatman, you look out over the elongated rooftops of the former port wine warehouses in Vila Nova de Gaia. ©The Yeatman

Ambience

Elegant, but not overbearing. One feels a time-honored flair. But this is not possible at all: the magnificent hotel was only built in 2010. Because of its history, Porto was the home of British wine merchants for many decades. For this reason - and perhaps also because CEO Adrian Bridge is English - one feels surrounded by British elegance at The Yeatman. And how can you tell you're in Portugal? By the traditional Portuguese tiles in the shower, for example. Information boards in the corridors tell all sorts of interesting stories about the history of Porto and its various wine-growing regions.

British flair in the lobby of The Yeatman. ©The Yeatman

Rooms & suites

Thanks to its special architecture and the fact that The Yeatman is built into a hillside, all rooms look in only one direction. The right one. This equally means that each of the 109 generously proportioned rooms and suites is adorned with the same dreamlike view of the historic center of Porto and the Douro River. This same view can also be seen from all the bathrooms. And thanks to the terraced design, meant to evoke the wine terraces of the Douro Valley, they also all have their own terrace. The beds are delightfully soft and fitted with luxurious linens. The marble bathrooms present themselves as amazingly large. Each room, by the way, bears the name of a different Portuguese wine producer. Minimum equipment in all room categories: a desk with a comfortable chair, an entertainment center with LCD TV, free WIFI, reading material and a minibar.

Thanks to the terraced construction really every room has a terrace with it. In the large beds you lie like on a cloud. ©The Yeatman

Food & Drinks

Chef Ricardo Costa awarded the fine-dining restaurant The Yeatman Restaurant its second Michelin star in 2017. Traditional Portuguese flavors and products (with a special focus on fish) are served in a modern interpretation. The cuisine and wine list at Dick's Bar & Bistro are also impressive. The ambience is cozy and elegant, and the well-trained service staff suggest the best wine pairings for the chosen dishes. Ideal for tasting: over 100 wines can be ordered by the glass. The five-star hotel sees itself as a "wine ambassador," and so its award-winning wine cellar is one of the best stocked in the world when it comes to Portuguese wines. 40,000 bottles speak for themselves.

Another dining option is the Orangery, where breakfast is also served every morning with fantastic views. When the temperatures are warm enough, you can also take a seat on the spacious terrace.

No other hotel or restaurant in the world has as wide a selection of Portuguese wines as The Yeatman Hotel. ©The Yeatman

Wellness & Fitness

The spa with sauna and hammam presents itself as the first Caudalie spa in Portugal. Since The Yeatman defines itself as a wine hotel, this approach is also taken in the spa. Namely, in the form of Caudalie Vinothérapie® treatments. Caudalie products are based on the antioxidant ingredients of grapevines. High-quality natural cosmetics at affordable prices. Two pools invite you to swim. Indoor as well as outdoor (there, by the way, in the form of a wine decanter) the same dreamlike view of Porto accompanies the sporting activities. This cannot be said of the gym, which offers a personal trainer.

The infinity pool has become an object of desire for Instagrammers. At Caudalie Spa, you can bathe in a wine barrel overlooking the city. ©The Yeatman

Service & Amenities

Attentive but discreet staff both in the lobby and in the gastronomic facilities. Especially at breakfast, the reception is very friendly. Housekeeping takes care of the rooms twice a day, turndown service included.

Breakfast with a view overlooking the Douro River and Porto's historic center. ©The Yeatman

Childcare

The Yeatman is definitely not a children's hotel (also due to its wine focus). However, due to the generously sized rooms and suites and the possibility of connecting rooms, the hotel is quite suitable for families. There's a small Kids Club and babysitting services on request.

A Tip from the editorial office

Suite 305, "The Artist", with over 150 m2 living space and a twelve-meter terrace. This suite is the only accommodation that includes a small service area. Suite residents can receive visitors and have them served by the staff. In the Presidential Suite, guests spend the night "in a wine barrel."

Also: Weekly wine dinners are held at The Yeatman Restaurant every Thursday, often with the wine producers themselves in attendance. The theme is either a specific wine region or a wine variety. A unique opportunity to learn more about Portuguese wines while enjoying Michelin award-winning cuisine.

In the Presidential Suite, guests sleep in a giant wine barrel. ©The Yeatman

The Yeatman Hotel, Porto
Rua do Choupelo, (Santa Marinha) 4400-088 Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Portugal
Tel: +351 220 133 100
Web: the-yeatman-hotel.com

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