Hotel OCTANT Douro - Douro

A luxury full of soul

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coolness

in one word

authenticity

touristic

budget

Octant Douro is one of the best hotels we've stayed in Portugal, and if life would be a holiday, we would still be there.

The hotel is placed right in front of the river Douro — literally a few steps from it — and 40 minutes away from Porto by car. It's a perfect mix between lots-of-activities and pure-relaxation-in-the-middle-of-nowhere kind of place. It's modern, recent, cosy, with incredible architecture and interior design, and full of character — lots of it. The service is outstanding — which is becoming a rare feature these days.

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Every single detail of the hotel was thought about — it's full of nice touches. And there is none of those thousand-rules other hotels usually have in place. Want to play a snooker game in a full-size table? No need to book. Fancy swimming at 4am? Just do it. There are loads of different places to explore, and you will not find a closed door: Comfortable chairs everywhere to read a book or have a drink in a more private environment, a cinema room, resting areas, a library that makes you feel at home and outside terraces.

Chairs outside at the Hotel Douro41 Portugal

There are three swimming pools to choose from, all facing the river. As a bonus, the interior one has a fireplace — one of the many in the hotel, always-on, waiting for a guest to come in. The spa is excellent too and includes a three-showers-with-aroma circuit. The bedrooms facing the river allow you to wake up being part of a picture frame.

Bedroom with river view at the Hotel Douro41 Portugal

Challenge:

There are plenty of doors to open and rooms to explore. Find the round telephone from where you can order drinks. Take a selfie holding it and publish on Instagram using hashtag: #cultouristachallenge.

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If you fancy doing something more, there are many activities to do around: walks organised by the hotel, boat trips, paddling, visiting Douro farms and taste their wine, and walk around very typical Portuguese villages.

Detail of the exterior wall at the Hotel Douro41 Portugal

Food-wise, apart from breakfast, the food is not the best you will get. The main restaurant called "Raiva" has a confusing menu with dishes that try too hard. Most people end up eating at the bar, which serves pizza and snacks — overpriced for the quality. Any of these is not enough to exclude Octant Douro from Cultourista's favourite list.

Exterior stairs to the swimming pool of the Hotel Douro41 Portugal

Useful info:

Book it here

Visit the hotel website:

douro.octanthotels.com

Address:
EN 222, KM 41, Vista Alegre, 4550-631, Raiva, Castelo de Paiva

Phone:
(+351) 255 690 160

LAST updated:

08/2022

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