Lavandeira Douro Nature & Wellness

It’s time to prepare for the long weekend and enjoy the beginning of the season. Indulge your senses at Lavandeira Douro Nature & Wellness, between the heights of Marão and the banks of the Douro, in Baião, the homeland of Eça de Queirós. Align your body, mind and soul in a haven steeped in indigenous nature, ancient recipes and timeless accommodation.
«The most genuinely human feelings soon become dehumanised in the city», Eça de Queirós once wrote in his work The City and the Mountains. What is certain is that there is an increasing number of people moving away from the coast and the big cities to places where the mind is free to express itself. Lavandeira is one of these treasures.
It all started with the discovery of Casa da Lavand’eira, set in an 18th century Douro manor house. The centuries-old walls, the rugged morphology and the privileged location overlooking the River Ovil were enough reasons to enchant Carlos Gomes and Alexandra Leite, the owners who brought this project to life. After a long process of extension and refurbishment, the five-star hotel opened its doors this year in the month of April, certain that it will be able to provide history in every square inch. Uniting past and present to create the future, Lavandeira Douro Nature & Wellness is the result of the collaboration between architect Fernando Coelho and interior designer Paulo Lobo.

Between the heights of Marão and the banks of the Douro

«Does the name Lavandeira come from the actual laundries?» we ask Susana Ortega, the Cuban director of this hotel in Baion, as we wander around the Quinta’s exterior, located in the village of Ancede. With a nod, Susana puts it into context: «In the old days, the women here used to go to the ponds and the river to wash their clothes and there’s also a peculiar bird, of South American origin, that lives in the area and bears the same name». For a moment, there is silence, hoping to hear the short, high-pitched chirping of the lavandeira, otherwise known as the wagtail. Instead, we hear the waterfall, its water falling into an idyllic pool, next to the Lavandeira Douro Nature & Wellness reception. That’s where our visit to the estate begins, heading towards the four different types of accommodation, totalling 22 rooms. 
Biodiversity dominates the surroundings, with the Portuguese oak, olive tree and the northern red oak tree being the dominant species. First, we arrive at the Brandas, the buildings that merge with the bucolic spectacle of nature, divided into Brandas Terrace and Balcony. Of an unusual shape, they are clad in wood and have large panes of glass to create imposing landscapes. We also visit the Casas Origo houses, grouped into Casa do Rio, Casa do Lago and Casa do Beiral. The Casas das Vinhas follow a similar pattern, where you can choose between the Panoramic Suite, the Garden Suite or the Vineyard Room, which, as the name suggests, are characterised by the landscape. If you’re looking for a more intimate experience, we suggest the Casa Senhorial or Manor House, full of history and tradition, where you can choose between the Manor House Suite and the Manor House Room. «This is the oldest building», the hotel director tells us, continuing, «both the structure and the interior decoration date back to 1871». Inside you can see the vestiges of times past, from the Portuguese tiles to the loveseats, which have seen the passage of great love or simply ordinary conversations. The inexpressible only gains verbal expression with an adjective: sui generis, in a class of its own, which is what defines the main house. 

The recommendation for relaxed luxury

Then there are the vineyards, the open-air business that is subject to all the elements of the climate, and the winery where you can taste Avesso, Arinto and Chardonnay, the grape varieties that make the house wine, known as Lavandeira. We walk past the swimming pools, one of which is 40 years old. We visit the motorbike and classic car museum. We explore the Wellness & Spa area, ideal for dips in the indoor hydromassage pool, the sauna, steam bath and invigorating massages. Then there’s the farm’s organic vegetable garden, which serves as a support for the restaurant that we’ll soon get to know. We spot the goats and cattle that graze freely on the estate’s land and, in between, we learn that the farm is part of the Roman roads routes. 
After this intensive tour, all we have to do is sit down at the table of chef Paulo Magalhães, the young man who runs the kitchen at Elmo restaurant. The entrance to the restaurant is through the hotel reception, but along the way there is the bar, with its elegant and cosy design. Instead of a typical bar counter, there’s a massive tree trunk, which makes an impact every time you look at it. «Welcome to paradise», you hear from the other side of the counter. Vítor Nunes, the restaurant’s head waiter, is the man who utters these words, and he presents us with three types of cocktails. Paraíso 1871 is the most pleasant, a portrait of a winter’s day that seems to contain snowflakes inside.

From land to table, traditional Portuguese food is served

Whilst taking the last sip, you take in the surrounding details: delicate dried fruits, books by Eça de Queirós on illuminated shelves and artefacts discovered during the excavations at the Manor House. They are all connected, as the bar is a large space, shared with the Elmo restaurant and the wine cellar, which is mostly filled with Lavandeira wines. The kitchen is open for all to see and the dishes are being served by the chef. Vítor Nunes is still with us, wetting our palates with the house vinho verde. From the land to the table, traditional Portuguese food is served, which takes on a new flavour with Paulo Magalhães’ innovative style. For starters, Waffle de Patanisca de Bacalhau (codfish fritter waffle) and mini Cozidos à Portuguesa (Portuguese stew) do the honours (among others). The main courses follow, a total of five, ranging from Fish Fillets with tomato rice to Elmo-style Lamb with potatoes, vegetables and baked rice. Before long, the desserts arrive, consisting of a Giant Bonbon with four types of chocolate and a Pão de Ló de Ovar (sponge cake). Going beyond the obvious, combining ingredients and provoking emotions is what we are treated to during the hour and a half of tastings, whereby joining hands and heart seems to be the secret. 
When it’s time to leave, we take with us the quality services and the faces of a cohesive and talented team. For those on this side, here’s a recommendation for relaxed luxury under a starry sky and amongst cherry trees laden with ripe fruit.