Location: Mesao Frio, Douro valley, Northern Portugal

In the midst of the Douro demarcated wine region, on the road from Mesao Frio to Regua, is the Solar da Rede, with its breathtaking view over the River Douro. Ideally located within a 27-hectare vineyard, this 18th century manor house offers visitors the chance to sample the reality of local vineyard life, whilst reliving the ways of Port savouring.

Accommodation: The Pousada has 8 Suites, 2 Luxurious Rooms and 19 Standard Rooms. All the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, mini-bar, telephone, hair drier, bathing gowns, landscape surroundings (only the external rooms, the luxurious rooms, the suites and 3 double rooms).

Meetings & Conferences: Salao Douro: Natural light, building surrounded by windows, with a panoramic view over the River Rio Douro. Salao Nobre: Historic room decorated with glazed tiles and balconies. Sala dos Pipos: Room with natural light. Audio and visual equipment: screan, flipchart. Internet. Free parking. Journals in the rooms.

Banquets & Other Events: The Pousada has a space with the capacity for banquets up to 180 people. There is a wide view over the River Douro.

Pousada History: A magnificent house with all the traditional furniture and the lifestyle of the previous generations, Solar da Rede is the first hotel to operate under a franchise agreement with the Pousadas of Portugal. The furniture is outstanding and the individually designed rooms have been described as 'a museum of beds' with each bedroom containing one of the finest beds of an age and having all the furniture in the room to match. These fine pieces are also throughout the public rooms of the hotel where they fit in perfectly with the architectural grandeur and the decorated tiling on many of the walls. The Solar was built in the 18th century on the terraced vineyards leading down to the river Douro. At that time the view would have been to the fast flowing river but now it is a long lake with hotel boats making a tranquil cruise across the breadth of Portugal to the Spanish border. The perfect way to arrive at this hotel must be to take one of the boats going upriver from Porto and see the magnificent scenery with the terraced vineyards and the white farms and solares standing proudly in the middle of their estates. For those with less time there is a helicopter pad at the hotel. The first owner was Jose Maria de Alpoim who was a controversial political activist at the time when the monarchy gave way to a republic. After his death in 1916 the house was abandoned and fell into disrepair until it was bought by Pinto Marques in 1962 and it underwent a complete restoration. When it was bought by the present owner in 1997 the house was in a perfect state and only the kitchen required remodeling. As you enter the doors into this magnificent building the feeling is one of stepping back into the past. The hall has a granite floor and half way up the walls are the famous painted tiles for which Portugal is famous. On a rug in the centre is a beautiful carved table with rustic bench seats at the walls. In the centre a fine granite staircase leads up to a balcony at first floor level. Other fine rooms throughout the house include a dining room containing 17th century furniture which is now only used for special occasions. The old kitchens with their tiled floors and walls have been converted to the hotel dining room which is kept intimate by it being three former rooms opened out by the use of granite arches. In the cellars is retained the wine tasting room - the reason for the house and estate. This room retains the old inlaid table in the middle of the 'cave' whose walls are lined with the barrels containing the wines of the house. Outside a swimming pool gives views over the vineyards and there is also a tennis court. The 25 hectares of vineyards provide interesting walks through the magnificent scenery.