The Yeatman

The Yeatman is certainly a distinctive place to stay. The hotel is designed in an unusual, almost “upside-down” fashion—you arrive at the top and the rooms cascade down the hillside beneath you. It gives the property a unique feel, and the views over Porto are genuinely excellent. However, the experience didn’t quite live up to expectations, particularly given the price point. I booked through American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts, where I’ve consistently received room upgrades in the past, but on this occasion there was no upgrade offered, which was disappointing. The room itself was perfectly fine—comfortable but not exceptional. The outdoor pool, while beautifully positioned, was noticeably cold and not especially inviting. The biggest frustration was the dining situation. One of the main restaurants was closed for two of the nights we were there, and on the third night—when it was open—they were unable to accommodate us. For a hotel of this calibre, that feels like a significant miss. More broadly, while the hotel presents as modern, it’s beginning to show signs of wear. Some of the finishes feel a little tired—windows not sealing properly and doors that don’t quite close as they should—which detracts from the overall impression. In summary: stunning views and an interesting layout, but the service and maintenance don’t quite match the premium positioning.

Beautiful traditional hotel. Amazing grounds and fabulous view of the Douro river and the bridge. We loved the decor in the hotel: classic, tasteful and thoughtful. Wine and Portugal theme throughout with each room memorialising a wine estate, historic documents and paintings on the walls, and even elevators decorated with wine and Porto themes in a spectacular way. There is turndown services with delicious chocolates from Wow chocolate experience. Lots of little and lovely details. Rooms are stylish, bathrooms functional. Balcony/ terrace overlooking the pool and river is just wonderful to have a coffee or a drink. The wine cellar and wine tasting are exceptional too. The hotel is on Gaia side, next to wine cellars of famous Port distributors. Be prepared to walk up and down and climb steep streets, but otherwise everything is walking distance, including the bridge and all Porto sites. Really enjoyed our stay.

Get ready for a fabulous experience from the moment you arrive until you depart. Everything is maintained at a pristine level. The views from the rooms, restaurants, bars, etc. are incredible. The rooms are lovely with every amenity you can imagine. The breakfast buffet is HUGE and absolutely everything you could imagine. We also had great food and wine in their bar. The bar staff have deep knowledge of their wines and were able to guide though tasting many of the wines by the glass. They have an extremely large number of wines by the glass. At every turn in all the areas, the staff provide a super high level of service. We can't wait to return.

The Yeatman stands out for its panoramic views over the Douro River and its strong connection to Portuguese wine culture, and waking up to that scenery while enjoying a calm and elegant environment made the stay truly memorable.

A major disappointment. First the good/nice things. The views of the river and Porto are excellent. Some of the staff are helpful. Those that are were amazing. The bar has a great small small menu. Dinner at Orangerie was very nice. Now the not so nice issues. The hotel feels like a 2004 Marriott. Our room was so worn out and tired it was beyond frustrating. The heating and cooling is a joke. It is not digital and its auto setting doesn’t work because you have no clue what temp you are asking for. The thermostat returns to full fan and heat as soon as you shut an open door or window. Our room got so warm we had to open the sliding glass door every night around 2 or 3am. The furnishings are so tired. They must use a fragrance spray when they clean the room before new arrivals or even every morning. We asked for no more fragrance. The bed was so uncomfortable, low to the floor and worn out. The couch and chairs make no sense and are again soooo old. The Spa pool and sauna were pretty disgusting. Room Service is not good. They try hard but bad food for the most part. Getting around the hotel is a maze. Up down and around is the theme. I think this property is resting on its laurels. It’s just not a 5 Star in any way and 4 Star neither. Disappointment for sure. We were glad to leave.