Located on the south bank of the Douro River, in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia, the brand new Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel has opened and is built from the restoration of the centuries-old cellars of Kopke – the oldest Port Wine House in the world. The hotel is spread across 20,000 sqm of terraces resembling the Douro vineyards with views of the city of Porto, its traditional Cais da Ribeira, the Douro River and Luis I Bridge.
The property has three distinct areas – Vintage, Tawny and White – organised around a refurbished Kopke Port wine cellar that is part of the property building. With dozens of barrels where more than two million litres of Kopke wine are aging, the cellar will soon be open to guests, inviting them for Port wine tastings and events. There is an old but restored pedestrian route in the gardens called “Caminho Romântico”, giving guests direct access to Gaia’s riverside promenade and Luis I Bridge.
The gastronomic offerings at Tivoli Kopke are under the helm of the renowned Spanish Chef, Nacho Manzano, from the three Michelin-starred restaurant Casa Marcial, located in the region of Asturias in northern Spain. His creative and flavourful dishes can be tasted in two restaurants, each offering distinctive dining concepts.
With views over Porto city and the Douro river, the 1638 Restaurant & Wine Bar by Nacho Manzano presents an 11 course tasting menu combined with top wines from the Douro region, including renowned Kopke Port wines and exceptional Douro DOC still wines from Quinta de São Luiz and Quinta da Boavista. Oyster with duck sauce and codium seaweed smoothie, beef sirloin, seaweed pesto and pickled salad are some of the dishes on the menu, available only for dinner and changing every two months.
Open for lunch and dinner, and a menu that draws its roots from the Atlantic, combined with top-notch interior design, Boa Vista Terrace by Nacho Manzano is the hotel’s more casual restaurant, overlooking Porto. Confit cod, mussels and cock rice are some of the delicacies on the menu. From April to October the Sky Bar Kopke will be the place to enjoy signature Port cocktails, showcasing a more relaxed way to enjoy port wine.
The collection of 149 guest rooms and suites in 9,000sqm of gardens, features a contemporary and industrial style with signature Tivoli touches, whilst celebrating Kopke heritage. The interiors are decorated in warm earth and burgundy tones with soft, tactile leather and wool fabrics providing warmth and texture. Historic photographs on the walls tell the story of the Douro Valley, its vineyards and harvest season, paying homage to Port wine.
The hotel has outdoor and indoor heated swimming pools, a unique Tivoli Spa and a Tivoli Shape fitness centre, with top-of-the-range Technogym equipment. In the Tivoli Spa the Reserve Spa Experience brings together the worlds of wine and wellbeing by combining Kopke wines with the healing properties of aromatherapy and grapes. The signature treatment – The Essence of Kopke – includes the iconic schist stones, from the Douro valley, a mantle of aromatic cork stoppers and a wine-infused candle. The facial treatments feature the award-winning spa product brands: Natura Bissé and The Hydrafacial. The 450 sqm of the Tivoli Spa includes five treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room, and a hydrodynamic pool with phototherapy for pure relaxation. From the sauna and the hydro pool guests can enjoy views over Porto city.
Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia is aiming to establish itself as a cultural hub in the destination. The Kopke collection of photographs by the most famous Portuguese photographer of the 20th century, Domingos Alvão, tells the story of Douro vineyards in black and white along the hallways and in the bedrooms. The Abanca Foundation has a permanent exhibition of paintings with replicas of famous artists such Picasso or Salvador Dalí, in the main public areas. There are also regular Tivoli Live seasons with live Bossa Nova shows every Thursday.
With 1,750 sqm of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting spaces with views, the hotel offers six fully equipped meeting rooms and venues for all types of events – from VIP dinners and weddings to conferences and product launches, including cars, which have direct access to the events area. Completing the hotel’s gastronomic experience, Nacho Manzano will oversee the Meeting & Events banqueting menus, developing unique creations for special occasions. The exclusive Kopke wine cellar, in the hotel, will be another alternative for hosting distinct gatherings and celebrations.
The hotel is walking distance from the main local attractions with direct access to the lively and beautiful Gaia river front area, with its restaurants, bars and shops. Porto’s historical city centre is just a few minutes’ walk, Devesas train station is close by, and Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is a short 30-minute drive.
With a journey that dates back to 1933 in Lisbon, Tivoli Hotels & Resorts is part of Minor Hotels and is well-known for its cultural heritage and genuine connection to each destination. The brand has expanded from Portugal to Brazil, Qatar and China, and has recently been growing its footprint further into Europe with the first openings in Spain, Italy and The Netherlands. Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia will be its eighth property in Portugal.