Six Senses Hotel
“A Delicious Country Retreat Where the Smallest Details Have Been Well Attended.” - Reviewed by Lisa
2017 winner of the Publituris award for “Most Exclusive Hotel” and the Condé Nast Traveller Reader’s Awards 2017 for “Favorite Overseas Holiday Hotel in Europe”.
The pièce de resistance of the Six Senses European portfolio, a 19th Portuguese manor home, now carefully restored, is the inspiration for the larger hotel development. Today the elegant façades play host to clever, modern rustic interiors, sustainable hospitality and lots of lovely pampering.
The Douro River is omnipresent with terraces, gardens, many rooms and the pool all facing its beautiful banks. It imbues all with a lazy sense of well-being, a delicious invitation to partake in the products that profit from it. The hotel thoughtfully plays homage to all that is local and authentic to the area. Foods, wines, spa treatments and even furnishings are all chosen to represent their glorious origins.
EMPHASIS ON GASTRONOMY
Three cool restaurants all beckon to linger and soak up the clever detailing.
An “open chefs’ kitchen” sets the stage for all-day dining. A breakfast buffet bulges with all sorts of delicious goodies – all beautifully displayed and enticing. Open ovens offer up the freshest bread… It’s almost like being in Grandma’s kitchen – if Grandma was a culinary design genius with a great eye for a trendy twist on an old classic!
Seasonal and local ingredients come into play during dinner in the casually-elegant “Dining Room” with its mix of tables and groupings. Local chefs show off their playful side with witty presentations and original flavor pairings.
The fun doesn’t stop on the plate either! Dining al fresco with last-minute, undisclosed pop-up locations around the property brings food flirtations to another level. A table on the banks of the river, hidden by the woods… who knew dinner time could be so teasing!
The primary reason most guests visit the Douro Valley is, of course, for the wonderful wines. This fact has not been overlooked – what seems like the heart of the hotel is devoted to the Wine Library and Terrace, the ideal place to relax, read and sip on an inspired flight of local wines. Tantalizing themed tastings take place daily – the ideal experience to broaden your viniculture horizons and pick up local culinary knowledge.
