Vinha Boutique Hotel

Green marble lines the walls of the hotel's restaurant, imported from Brazil and set beneath a ceiling by the Dutch design house Moooi. It is the kind of detail that sets the tone across Vinha Boutique Hotel, a property built on the left bank of the Douro in Vila Nova de Gaia, ten minutes from central Porto. Downstairs, Reserva Bar trades in mixology, its velvet walls and black marble giving it the feel of a private club. Terroir Brasserie takes a plainer approach, serving Portuguese comfort food such as bacalhau à brás on a terrace facing the river and gardens. Rooms mix references: Pierre Frey, Ralph Lauren and Manuel Canovas fabrics in the Deluxe River View rooms, Hermès and Etro themes in the two Vinha Master Suites, and Missoni or Christian Lacroix patterns in the Signature Suites. Balconies throughout look over the Douro or the hotel's gardens. The pool deck adds another register again, with sunbeds facing the water and yachts drifting past below. Breakfast is served daily at Terroir Brasserie, and a car park is included for guests arriving by road.