In a region that’s as steeped in tradition and heritage as the Douro Valley, it’s a breath of fresh air to find a spritely, design-forward hotel like Torel Quinta da Vacaria. Although the estate has been producing port wine since 1616, its boutique hotel, feels very much like the 2020s.
Opened in 2024, Torel Quint da Vacaria is a departure for the Torel Boutiques group of hotels. The mini-brand made its name with art-filled palace hotels in Porto and Lisbon, and this is its first project in the countryside. The founders have translated their vision well.
The 33 rooms and public areas are the work of noted interior designer Joana Astolfi, who likes to bring whimsy to typical Portuguese design motifs. She used a beautiful color palette inspired by the hues of the region: the dusty green of the vineyards, the deep blue of the river, and the dark red of the wines. The rooms are as sumptuous as they are contemporary.
Of course, the wine programming is strong, as it’s the only five-star hotel in the region that’s attached to a vineyard. Along with its historic port, Quinta da Vacaria produces a wide range of wines, from light screw-top whites to be enjoyed right away to big, structured reds with aging potential. Many of the references are part of the tastings at the beautifully designed winery, which has a thoughtfully designed interactive center and striking glass tasting rooms suspended over the barrels. They can also arrange private wine lunches in striking hilltop cabins with views over the vineyards and the river below, and a full-service restaurant within the winery is in the works.
They also use wine in the spa, which offers vinotherapy treatments, and in the bar and two restaurants, where they’ve made the confident choice to serve only their own wines. This works well, both in the casual, all-day restaurant 16Legoas, which offers fancified takes on local fare, and in the gastronomic Schistó.
The latter is a collaboration with Vitor Matos, the most awarded Portuguese chef in the Michelin guide (several of whose stars are attached to restaurants in Torel’s city hotels). Here he repeats his successful formula, with just 14 seats along the sides of a dining room where the fully open kitchen occupies much of the space. The ten-course tasting menu emphasizes local ingredients like freshwater fish, partridge and lamb from nearby farms, and vegetables and herbs grown on-site.
For more information, visit the Torel Quinta da Vacaria website.
Torel Quinta da Vacaria
Vilarinho dos Freires
(near Peso da Régua)
Douro Valley
Phone: +351 254 240 242
Email: info@torelquintadavacaria.com
Photos © Luís Ferraz courtesy of Torel Quinta da Vacaria