The Yeatman is Porto's best-known luxury hotel and the one with the best view of the city. It climbs the hillside in Vila Nova de Gaia above the port wine lodges. Every room and suite has a terrace or balcony looking across the Douro to the old town and the Dom Luís I bridge. Add a restaurant with two Michelin stars, a wine-themed spa, indoor and outdoor infinity pools plus a large wine cellar. It is the obvious splurge for a Porto honeymoon.
The hotel is built around wine. Rooms are themed after Portuguese wine producers, the Bacchus Suite is named for the Roman god of wine and the Presidential Suite has a bed made from a barrel. It suits couples who love food and wine and want a resort-like hotel in the city. Couples who want to step out of the door into the Ribeira's lanes should know that the hotel sits up a steep hill, a short taxi ride from the old town.
Highlights at a glance
- Every room faces Porto across the river
- Two-Michelin-star restaurant
- Decanter-shaped outdoor infinity pool
- The Yeatman Wine Spa
- Right above the Gaia port lodges
Why Couples Love The Yeatman
The view is the reason most couples book. From your terrace, you see the whole sweep of Porto: the Ribeira's colorful houses tumbling down to the river, the cathedral on its hill and the iron arch of the Dom Luís I bridge. At night the city lights up across the water. The view is even better.
The hotel has a resort feel that is rare in a city. Gardens, terraces and pools step down the hillside, so you can spend a lazy afternoon by the water without leaving the property. The outdoor infinity pool, shaped like a decanter, looks straight out at the old town. Service is polished. Wine runs through everything, from the cellar to the décor, which makes it a natural base for exploring the port lodges and the Douro Valley.
Rooms and Suites to Book
All rooms and suites have a terrace or balcony with views over Porto. Categories include:
- Executive and Superior Rooms, the entry levels. Superior Rooms are decorated with artefacts from a Portuguese wine producer.
- Superior Deluxe Panoramic Rooms, with wider views.
- Suites and Suites Deluxe Panoramic, with separate living space.
- Master Suite Garden (three of them) and Master Suites Panoramic.
- Signature suites: the Artist Suite Panoramic, with a 12-meter terrace, the Bacchus Suite Panoramic and the Presidential Suite Panoramic, with its barrel bed.
For a honeymoon, a Superior Deluxe Panoramic Room or a Suite Deluxe Panoramic gives you the best view for the money. If you want to splurge, the Artist Suite's long terrace is a showstopper. Upper floors generally have the most open outlook.
Food, Drink and the Spa
The Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant holds two Michelin stars and is one of the best restaurants in Portugal. Its tasting menus pair modern Portuguese cooking with wines from the hotel's large cellar. Book it for your honeymoon dinner well in advance. The Orangerie offers a lighter, more casual menu. Dick's Bar & Bistro is the spot for a glass of port with the view.
The Yeatman Wine Spa uses wine and grape-based treatments and has an indoor infinity pool for cooler days. A couples massage followed by a swim and a glass of white port on the terrace is the ideal afternoon. The hotel also hosts wine tastings and wine events. Ask about the schedule when you book.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
The port lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia are right below the hotel. Many offer tours and tastings. You can walk between them along the riverfront. Cross the lower deck of the Dom Luís I bridge to the Ribeira for dinner, or the upper deck for the view. Climb the Clérigos Tower and visit São Bento station for its blue tile panels.
Livraria Lello is famous and busy, so book a time slot. A boat trip under Porto's six bridges is a relaxed way to see the city. For a day trip, the Douro Valley's vineyards are about 1.5 to 2 hours east by car or train. One of you can tour a port lodge while the other heads to the Serralves museum and gardens. Porto is hilly, so wear comfortable shoes.
Getting There
Porto Airport (OPO) has nonstop flights from several US cities. A taxi to The Yeatman takes about 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. The metro reaches the center but leaves a steep walk up to the hotel, so a taxi is much easier with bags.
The hotel sits on a steep hill above the port lodges. The walk down to the river is easy. The walk back up is steep, so many couples take a taxi. The best months are May to June and September to October. July and August are warm and busy. Winter is mild, rainy and much quieter, which suits couples who want cozy evenings with port and the city lights.
Is It Worth It?
For food and wine lovers, absolutely. You get the best view in Porto, a two-Michelin-star restaurant, a wine spa and a resort-like setting a few minutes from the old town. Compared with luxury hotels in other European cities, rates are reasonable, especially outside summer.
The trade-off is the location. You are across the river and up a hill, so you will use taxis more than you would staying in the Ribeira or the Baixa. Couples who want to walk out of the door into old-town lanes might prefer a hotel on the Porto side. Couples who want to come home each evening to a terrace with the whole city glittering across the river will find it hard to stay anywhere else.
Insider tips
- Book the gastronomic restaurant when you book your room; it fills up weeks ahead.
- Choose a Panoramic category for the widest view of Porto.
- Take a taxi back up the hill after dinner in the Ribeira.
- Ask about wine tastings and events scheduled during your stay.
