Casa Dos Varais, Manor House

"Casa Dos Varais is a small family run hotel in the manor house of a Douro wine estate. The owners Joao and Ernestina live on site and are very welcoming and helpful. You feel like personal guests in their house. The house itself has been maintained in a historic style which really suits an old building like this. This is definately classy antique and not old and tired. During our stay we were able to tread the grapes in the estate winery (only possible at harvest obviously! first week of September this year) and have meals in the wine house and in the formal dining room of the house. Breakfast is provided, normally on a terrace in summer, with a good selection of breads and fruit from the estate gardens. There is no hotel restaurant as such, instead evening meals can be arranged specially for you. Ernestina will suggest menus to suit you and you can choose from venues including the old wine house and the formal dining room. The style is traditional Portuguese. We had three meals during our stay all of which were delicious and accompanied by the excellent wines produced on the estate. Wines are included in the meal prices you are quoted and this does not mean "all inclusive package" generic cheap wine, they are Joao's own wines. A personal highlight was a port from the 1980s which Joao shared with us at our final dinner. Away from the hotel the village of Regua is a short walk away. Regua has many restaurants, a good rail service up and down the Douro and the possibility of boat trips, there are very pleasant and well marked walking trails close by. The hotel is right on the road but we had no issues with noise, it is not a major route, the entrance to the parking is a little tight so take care on first arrival. In summary a stay here is a very sociable experience, there are very few guests so do not expect hundreds of staff and 24hr room service. Do expect personal attention from the hosts and staff. Ernestina and Joao both chatted to us each day about our plans and suggested places to see. We felt that we were members of a house party on an estate rather than merely customers."