The Vibe: Sleek urban minimalism meets rugged country idyll.
The Area: Pé no Monte is located in a rural area near São Teotónio, just a few kilometers from the Alentejo South West Natural Park, Algarve’s Vicentine coast and wild, uninhabited beaches with some of Portugal’s finest such as Zambujeira do Mar, Alteirinhos, Alvorião and Carvalhal, all within 15 km. Faro International Airport is the closest at 106 km, and Lisbon can be reached in a good two-hour drive.
The DNA: Leaving big-city Lisbon life and international financial careers behind, owners Gonçalo and Helena choose a more simple country life style without having to relent on urban comforts. As friends, Lisbon architects Ivan de Sousa and Ines Antunes (together [i]da arquitectos) where the natural choice to realize the owner’s dream of a casual yet decisively contemporary country hotel. The original “monte” (a typical Alentejan farmhouse, usually on a hill) -in ruins- was completely transformed into the owner’s accommodation and a new cutting-edge wing was added below (pé or feet), virtually unrecognizable when entering from the dirt track leading towards the hotel. The Alentejan countryside is framed through large floor-to-ceiling windows and can also be enjoyed from the room’s terraces. There is a huge lawn with swimming pool surrounded by sun loungers and a children’s playground. The fabulous honesty bar is set within a VW Beetle Van “parked” on the terrace next to the lounge.
Suite-Me-Up: Rooms are in a zen aesthetic as the architecture and overall design. Mainly decorated in white, they come with faux-wood concrete floors, air conditioning, beds dressed in pure white cotton and a flat-screen TV with limited channels. Bathrooms have concrete floors and beautiful walk-in rain showers next to a (small) private courtyard separated by a floor-to-ceiling window. The largest room (#6) has an in-room spa bath. Amenities come in the form of eco-friendly dispensers.
✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 8 rooms, 2 studios, 7 apartments (15-75m2) (161-807 sq ft) • hotel opened: August 2014 • architecture & interior design: [i]da arquitectos (Lisbon) ✅ free on-site parking • no pets allowed
