The Vibe: Eclectic luxury.

The Area: In the quiet Eastern Algarve, in the border town of Vila Real de Santo António. From some of the hotel’s bedroom windows you can see Spain across the Guadiana river. A private beach club is just minutes away.

The DNA: The Grand House Algarve, in the tiny town of Vila Real de Santo António, might be brand new, but the historic corner building it occupies actually housed the oldest hotel in the Algarve. Known as the Hotel Guadiana, it opened in 1926 for businessmen traveling through for the fish canning industry. Part of this revitalization was properly highlighting the many architectural details. There is Art Nouveau, baroque, and even a splash of colonial style in the mix. Taupe rugs, linen couches, billowing curtains in pale pink, bathroom floor tiles in geometric patterns, and warm wood bedside tables add to the eclectic style. More head-turning pieces are piled on top, including dramatic chandeliers collected through the years, porcelain vases from China, 1920s privacy screens, and textiles from Louis Vuitton.

Suite-Me-Up: Rooms come in muted, peaceful colours. Wooden floors are topped with hand-woven rugs and antique chests of drawers while old black and white lithographs and maps line the walls.

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 30 rooms & suites (19-50m2) (205-538 sq ft) • hotel opened: 2019 • architecture: Ernesto Korrodi • interior design: White & Kaki • bathroom amenities: C.O. Bigelow • parking possible nearby (charged) • pets allowed on request • 24-hour front desk • wheelchair accessible