Hotel Rural Quinta Do Pego

The dinner at the restaurant was one of our best meals in Portugal, and the wine tasting was great too. We drove up from Porto, with a very scenic road trip as an extra treat. I booked a night at a Quinta for my parents, and this place went beyond what we expected. The setting and views are amazing, the pool is wonderful, and the rooms are spacious and comfortable. We were there for just one night in late April and wished we could have stayed longer. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a special stay in the Douro Valley.

We dropped in hoping to try some local wine and got to sample it by the glass, with a seat offered outside. The view is beautiful, and the photos really don't capture it. Great service too. I highly recommend stopping by.

The wine left me disappointed. Given the setting, I expected better than the very average quality we found at the tasting and in the "premium" wine made from old wines that we had with dinner, along with a glass of port. It wasn't bad, though the cheaper choices were very weak, but none of it stood out. The prices felt far too high, both by the glass and for bottles in the shop to take home. Such a shame in an otherwise lovely place. The estate itself is beautiful, with a breathtaking view, a gorgeous pool, nice rooms, and very good service. Dinner was excellent, if a bit pricey.

We especially enjoyed the garden areas, which were split into little spots with chairs and tables where you could order drinks. There's also a shop for the estate's wine and port, and an interesting tasting where someone explained the finer points of port. Breakfast, included in our room price, was very good. Dinner needed to be booked in advance, with dishes chosen by 18.00; we liked eating outside and found the food good, though we didn't see the menu change daily as they said, so we ate out on the other evenings. The small hotel has just 10 rooms and a fabulous position over the Douro. Our room was comfortable and spacious, with a good shower and direct access to the infinity pool, which shares those lovely views. We had a very enjoyable stay in more luxurious surroundings than we'd expected, and fully recommend it. If you're driving, don't let the steep, narrow driveway put you off. By around the third day, you'll be used to it!