The Vibe: Contemporary rural tourism with sleek, minimalist lines.

The Area: Set in the lush, wild environs of the quiet Eastern Algarve, in the enchanting countryside next to the Ria Formosa Natural Park. From here watch the migration of birds, the practice of shellfish gathering or the harvesting of salt, and everyday be astonished by the small miracles that Nature performs.

The DNA: Casa Modesta is a rural hotel with a distinct contemporary Portuguese edge. The owner named the property after his mother, Modesta Maria, who grew up in the original 1940s house built by his grandfather, a local fisherman. Transformed by his sister, the humble home now features nine minimalist suites, each with private bathrooms and patios. The exterior’s clean cubic aesthetic introduces an unfussy interior featuring vaulted brick ceilings and traditional terracotta floor tiles, cedar furnishings and bespoke cork and brass lamps. Surrounded by acres of orange, lemon, fig and carrob trees, the hotel’s garden-cum-greenhouse provides fresh organic vegetables for the kitchen, while a range of spa treatments are also available, using the natural properties of the local olives, almonds and algae.

Suite-Me-Up: The unique suites each have their own roof terrace accessed by private outdoor stairs.

Your host: Carlos Fernandes

Seen: archello, Wallpaper*

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 9 rooms (18-22m2) (194-237 sq ft) • hotel opened: April 2015 • architecture: PAr. • interior design: THE HOME PROJECT ✅ free on-site parking • pets allowed on request