Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta — Hotel in São João da Pesqueira

My husband and I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Ventezelo this March, and we are already planning our return. First, the staff's warmth and hospitality were exceptional. They struck the perfect balance of attending to us and making us feel welcome while also giving us our space. I cannot remember the last time we were treated so kindly. From the front desk reception to the staff in the Cantina, they made us feel at home and comfortable throughout our stay- we are incredibly grateful! ||We chose to stay at this property initially because of the beautiful grounds and the miles of trails that ran throughout. The views at Ventezelo were spectacular, with one of our favorites being from the patio of the Cantina looking over the orange and lemon trees with the vineyards and river in the background. We loved having the option to explore the acreage and walk through vineyards and along the river. If you are interested in doing some relatively short and light walks/hikes, then we highly recommend taking advantage of this unique opportunity. The hotel also provides an audio guide at check-in with self-directed tours along with an on-site museum, which allows you to learn a little more about the quinta and grounds while out on the trails. As others have mentioned, the property is remote and off the beaten trail. You must drive 15-20 minutes on windy roads to access any of the other quintas for wine tastings and meals in Pinhão and the surrounding area. This did not bother us; however, we wanted to make note of it for others planning for this trip. ||We stayed in Casa do Feitor, which had 5 double rooms along with a common area in the middle. The space was perfect for me and my husband, and we were very comfortable and pleased with our accommodation. We were also very happy with the location of the building, as it allowed us easy access to the main grounds, reception and Cantina restaurant. It is important to note that this property has numerous houses that you can stay at varying distances from the central area of the quinta. As other reviews have suggested, some have been surprised by how far away they are and how that made it difficult to get back and forth. For those that are a little more remote, you can drive your car or schedule a pickup (I believe) as it would be difficult to do on foot because of the incline. It would be my recommendation to have a sense of where the house is located prior to booking so you are aware of this prior to arrival. ||The meals that we had at the quinta were delicious and we loved the fact that the staff was willing to help us with recommendations on both the food and wine selections- their knowledge was appreciated and made the meals extra memorable for us. Ventezelo offers an impressive selection of single varieties and blends, so it was fun to have the opportunity to try all their offerings during our stay. We also opted to have a case shipped home- we loved the wines, and it was a great way to bring a small piece of Ventezelo home with us! ||We will make sure to share this special place with friends and family and hope to return to Ventezelo in the future. Thank you to all who helped make this trip truly...

EDITED (in response to Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta reply to our review): the below review was a copy-paste of the email we sent the Quinta to let them know of our dissatisfaction privately before we posted a public review after we specifically received an email to review them: “If your stay was less than perfect, please email us directly and we will endeavor to address your concerns personally.” Readers can determine for themselves whether the below review/our email is honest or threatening. We chose to post the same information publicly because we feel that we wish we had known this information prior to making the booking.

We stayed in the Casa Romântica for two nights in July 2022. We opted for this room in particular because we were visiting for our honeymoon and specifically wanted to enjoy the beautiful views from the room. Unfortunately, it was so hot, that we were asked by staff upon check in to keep all of the blinds and doors closed. We could not take advantage of the one feature that this room is advertised for. This was primarily because the air conditioning in the space is not efficient enough (the air conditioning in other buildings however was good - example in the lobby). When we brought this to the attention of the staff they told us that the AC in every building is checked by the maintenance team on a regular basis before check-in/after check-out and that there were no reported issues from them before or after our stay. If this was the case, why did the staff asked us to keep all doors and drapes/blinds closed at all times (making the primary purpose of the Romantic Suite, the view, pointless)? Even with this, the room was consistently 31.5 degrees celsius at all times of day and night (including upon check in and at check out). This makes it difficult for us to believe that there were no issues.

We are deeply dissatisfied by having spent €350 euros a night for the view and not being able to enjoy the view. Had we known that the climate control was an issue, we would have chosen a different room that was more comfortable (climate wise) and not as expensive. In our opinion, although it looks lovely in pictures, staying in the Casa Romântica room was not romantic and was not worth the price.

In addition we had some disappointing communications about check in (we were emailed the information on Thursday 1 day too late when we had already checked in), about our jeep tour (we sat and waited in the lobby for 15 minutes and no one told us what to do), and upon check out (we were charged an additional €50 euros on our invoice for someone else’s bill only upon returning to the lobby to inquire about this charge did they take our the itemized receipt which was for items that we did not consume, had someone else’s signature on it, and was charged for a time of day when we weren’t yet present on the property).

When we brought the above to the attention of the front office manager, they apologized 11 days after the fact.

In general, we had significantly better experiences all around at other quintas in the...

The Most Scenic Stay in the Douro Valley

What makes Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta so special and truly worth a visit is its unique location among the vineyards, offering a spectacular view of the Douro River. We’ve driven extensively throughout the Douro Valley for 5 days, and we believe this must be one of the most breathtaking locations in the entire region. Please see my attached photos — I’m confident you’ll agree.

Our room (number 16) was relatively small but had an intimate atmosphere and included everything one needs for a comfortable stay. From the room, we had a beautiful view over the Douro River. Since our room was located at the end of the building, we also had access to a relatively large grassy area outside where we could sit and enjoy the scenery. We did miss having a sun umbrella to provide shade during the hot hours. We also would have appreciated a small refrigerator in the room to keep drinking water cold. The air conditioning worked very well.

The hotel features a lovely outdoor pool with a stunning view of the river and the boats passing by. Guests can also enjoy walks among the vineyards on the extensive property owned by the hotel. One of the highlights of our stay was a wine tasting session led by a highly knowledgeable host who shared fascinating insights about the grape harvesting process and life on the estate. Ventozelo is one of the largest wineproducers in the Douro region.

Breakfast exceeded all our expectations. You can order from a menu that should satisfy most preferences — a wonderful way to start the day! We also had both lunch and dinner at the hotel, and the dishes felt homemade and were beautifully presented. The prices were reasonable. The restaurant itself is charmingly located, offering a fantastic view over the valley.

The service at this hotel is professional. Not everyone spoke perfect English, but all staff were very eager to make sure our stay was enjoyable.

The free Wi-Fi worked well with decent capacity both in the room and common areas.

Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta may not be the cheapest accommodation in the Douro Valley, but I believe it offers value for money. It is highly recommended for anyone looking to stay in one of the most beautifully situated hotels in Douro.

Regards Svein-Magne Tunli from...