São Lourenço do Barrocal | Monsaraz, Portugal

The Vibe: Understated luxury.

The Area: Located set in Portugal’s wild and beautiful Alentejo, incorporated in a 780-hectare estate that has been in the same family for two hundred years. The beautiful medieval hilltop village of Monsaraz is just a 10-minute drive away, and so is the breathtaking Alqueva lake.

The DNA: Owner José António Uva comes from an investment banking background and is the eighth generation of the same family to have farmed the 780-hectare wine, olive and cork estate. Guests can experience authentic farm life whilst maintaining all the comforts of contemporary lifestyle, enjoying the rhythms of rural daily life of the ancient small farming village that was and still is the estate’s social and functional heart. São Lourenço do Barrocal‘s farm to table restaurant uses only the best seasonal organic produce, sourced from its own vegetable garden and local familiar farms, accompanied by the estate’s exclusive wines. The bar is set in the former olive mill. The farm shop sells Portuguese contemporary crafts, regional delicacies and the estate’s home grown produce. There is an outdoor pool, scented gardens, and the holistic Susanne Kaufmann Spa with a cedar hot tub, sauna, and several rooms for massages and beauty treatments. Other activities include a three-day bike tour, picnics on the estate and wine tastings. Guests can use the hotel’s bicycles free-of-charge to explore the surroundings or go horse riding.

Suite-Me-Up: In the stylish guest rooms and cottages, guests can enjoy the laid-back natural atmosphere and evidence the quiet heritage of ancient farm buildings and local craftmanship. Room facilities include air-conditioning, a TV with cable channels, a coffee machine and underfloor heating and organic toiletries in all bathrooms. The cottages also come with a spacious seating area, a dining room and a fully-equipped kitchen where guests are welcome to prepare their own meals.

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 22 rooms, 2 suites, 16 independent cottages (50-185m2) (538-1,991 sq ft) • hotel opened: March 2016 • architecture: Eduardo Souto Moura • interior design: Anahory Almeida • bathroom amenities: Susanne Kaufamann ✅ free on-site parking • pets allowed on request • 24-hour front desk • wheelchair accessible

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