Quinta Ventozelo – Sleeping in a vineyard

Perched high above the Upper Douro Valley in Portugal, Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta is a rural hotel and farm where you can discover the Douro’s port and wine production, in a setting of minimalist luxury.

It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful hotels in the Douro Valley that has just opened its doors, nestled along the river that runs through northern Portugal to the city of Porto. The 400-hectare estate, whose origins date back to the 16th century, is planted with 200 hectares of vines and has been owned since 2014 by the Gran Cruz Group, producers of Port and Douro wine. After four years of work, the winery is now a luxury hotel and a must-see wine tourism destination.

The property stretches from the banks of the river to 600 metres above sea level, and now has 29 rooms in 7 completely renovated buildings: the director’s house, the old workers’ dormitories, an old agricultural warehouse… Some of them, such as the two-room Casa do Rio or the 6-room Casa Grande with its infinity pool, are real private villas. Reusing the existing architectural vocabulary and minimalist decoration, the views of the river and vineyards take centre stage.

The property also features the Cantina de Ventozelo restaurant, where guests can enjoy Douro and Trás-os-Montes cuisine using products from the farm, a grocery shop and a communal infinity pool that has already been noted on the web as the most beautiful in the Douro. Finally, the hotel has a centre for visitors wishing to learn more about the region, the history of the property, visit the vineyards, the oil mill and do some wine tasting.