These rooms are authentic works of architectural art amidst nature
They are the stars of the renovation of Lavandeira Douro Nature & Wellness, the country hotel in Baião, a stone’s throw from the Douro (and Porto).
(Photo: Fernando Guerra FS+ SG)
The epidemic had not yet given a final impetus to the exodus to the city, and Alexandra Leite and Carlos Gomez were already eyeing the lands in the Bayao area. The choice was not made by chance: it is the place where the male member of the couple was born and the place he would like to return to, now with his family. He also had another dream to fulfill: producing his own wine.
The country house they discovered in Lavandera was the chosen place to settle. But the plans went far beyond the initial intention of creating a “peaceful refuge for the family,” especially when they found a spacious plot of land and an eight-bedroom house. Much more than they need.
That was in 2008 and it was necessary to wait until 2010 for the palace to receive its first guests. Now, 15 years later, the country hotel has been renovated and now has 22 rooms, a more refined concept, more services – including a spa and a giant pool – a restaurant and accommodation with architectural flair. Since the summer, the name Lavandeira Douro Nature & Wellness has been official.
“We had never worked in the area, or anything like that. But Carlos had a dream and we wanted to make it happen. “When we got here we fell in love with this landscape, the tranquility and the sound of the Ovil River that runs around part of the property,” explains the 20-year-old owner. 51 years for NiT.
The biggest novelty of this revolution were the modern accommodations they called brandas, small houses isolated in the landscape, with winding lines of concrete and wood they called brandas. Designed by architect Fernando Coelho, it is a “contemporary construction integrated into nature” featuring eight new residential units.
They of course join the eight bedrooms in the country house, with a more classic design, which will also be renovated. The redesign is progressing at a good pace, but there is still a lot to be done. To complete the 22-room offer, there are also Casas Origo, pre-existing projects that now accommodate unique rooms, as well as Casa das Vinhas, a larger, completely renovated property with modern décor that offers four additional rooms.
(Photo: Fernando Guerra FS+ SG)
“A few years ago we thought that the space had the potential to grow, so we could bring it closer to the Ouvelle River, which runs right next to it,” says Alexandra, who continues at full speed to list everything new that could be. This country hotel is located in Baiau, just 1 km away. A few kilometers from the Douro River, but also from the wine region and even Porto itself. “We hope to eventually reach 25 rooms. We will never become a large hotel, and that is not what we intend.”
Another new feature is the spa, which includes an indoor pool, Turkish bath, sauna, gym, relaxation room and several treatment rooms. In order to keep guests happy and satisfied, without having to leave Lavandera, we also invested in a restaurant.
Elmo, which serves guests and outside customers, is a tribute to one of the horses that once walked there, in the old stables, today the place where meals are taken. Operating since June under the supervision of Chef Paulo Magalhães, the menu contains a “traditional matrix focused on preserving Portuguese cuisine.” So, count on comforting dishes with regional flavours, such as oven-roasted anho (€50), lavandera-style veal (€23), or Elmo-style cod (€25). Among the desserts is a surprise: French toast made with the famous Teixeira biscuits.
Naturally, there is no shortage of wines born from the dreams of the owners, who work there in local wineries such as Aviso and Arinto, where they are accompanied by foreign Chardonnay. Local production is always present, on the table and even in the various spa treatments.
When the weather calls, life takes place in the large area of the property, where there are two outdoor swimming pools, one smaller and the other of generous proportions, called Lago. “It is a pool with different characteristics from the usual ones, as it is very well integrated into the natural environment, it really looks like a lake, it is huge,” explains the owner. Then there are paths to follow on approximately 10 hectares, terraces above the vineyards to rest and many places to organize picnics.
Prices start at €150 per night in low season, and can go up to €500 for larger types during high season.
Next, click through the gallery to see more photos of the renovated Lavandeira Douro Nature & Wellnes, a country hotel in Baião.
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(Photo: Fernando Guerra FS+ SG)
