The Yeatman

Every room at The Yeatman faces the same direction, and once you have seen it you understand why the building was designed around that single decision. It stands on a hillside in Vila Nova de Gaia, above the port lodges, looking north across the Douro to the stacked facades and church towers of Porto. Each of the 82 rooms and suites has its own terrace or balcony, and the view is the same from all of them.

The name comes from the Yeatman family, British port shippers who have been trading here since the 19th century and who are still in the business. The hotel sits among the lodges of Taylor's, Graham's and the rest, and the wine theme is not decoration. The cellar holds more than 25,000 bottles and is generally reckoned the most comprehensive collection of Portuguese wine anywhere. There are guided tastings, Thursday wine events, and dinners built around individual producers.

The restaurant holds two Michelin stars, the only two-star kitchen in the city, and works on food and wine pairing with local produce. It closes for a stretch in winter, so check before you book a trip around it. There is a second, more relaxed restaurant alongside.

The spa was Portugal's first Caudalie Vinothérapie, using grape polyphenols, with ten treatment rooms and Roman-style baths. There are two infinity pools, indoor and outdoor, both heated and both angled at the view, plus a gym and seven acres of grounds.

Rooms are cheerfully coloured rather than austere, with winemaking references running through them and large marble bathrooms with deep tubs. The suites get theatrical: the Bacchus Suite has a domed wooden bed built to resemble an ageing barrel.

Two practical notes. This is a proper hill, and while the Cais de Gaia riverside and the port lodges are a walk downhill, coming back up is a different matter. And there is a kids' club, which is unusual at this level and useful to know.

It is a member of Relais & Châteaux and holds one Michelin Key. Pets are allowed on request.