Thinking outside the barrel: The Yeatman

There are no flies on the inhabitants of Porto. In SA, when barrels get too old for wine maturation, they are turned into window boxes, seats, braii wood… In Porto, they make excellent beds as the €32.5 million Yeatman Hotel in Porto, opened by the President on Sunday, confirms.

Barrel bed

Barrel bed

The proficient Portuguese coopers even install mirrors on the lids so conscientious winemakers can check for cork taint on their companions as they lounge on the 400 count Egyptian cotton sheets. With wine prices in the toilet, operations like GT Ferreira’s Tokara barrel cellar could be quickly transformed into backpacker dormitories.

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