Luxury Farm Stays: Portugal (2021)

This luxury vineyard hotel & agriturismo on the south bank of the famous Douro River in Northern Portugal, has fabulous views over the Douro Valley and has long been a popular choice in this part of the world, especially with those who appreciate more than an extra touch of luxury. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a range of accommodation including four plush B&B rooms in the main farmhouse; a lovingly restored manor which dates back to the 17th Century, as well as two adjacent, equally plush self catering cottages. Check your options on the booking page here.  Three of the B&B rooms are doubles and one a twin, and all are super clean, comfortable and suitably furnished in a rustic style, and they all come with en-suite bathroom with an old style bathtub, flat screen TV in the room and WiFi. The two self catering cottages are equally plush and stylish, and can fit up to eight guests. Each of them have two bedrooms and can fit an extra two extra guests in the lounge area. There is also a fully equipped modern kitchen & bathroom. Outside in the grounds you’ll find a terrace and a swimming pool, and some very well tended manor type formal gardens dating back to 1906 with a fish pond and even a historic, sanctified chapel. And the views from the property, as mentioned before, are simply stunning. THE FARM: The farm is set over 12 acres and contains a vineyard, olive groves and thousands of fruit trees, from which the owners produce their own red and white wines, olive oil, various types of fruit, and honey. Guests are welcome to tour the farm and learn how everything is done, while also getting to sample some of the fine fresh produce. THE LOCATION: Lying in the heart of the Douro Valley, just over an hour from Porto, the farm stay is an ideal base for exploring this famous agricultural region that, thanks to its special micro climate, has been producing wine, olives and various fruits and vegetables since as far back as Roman times. It is now of course mainly known as a wine region, with READ MORE

Along the banks of the Corgo River, Quinta do Vallado is one of the most famous winery estates in the Douro Valley with a history going all the way back to 1716. It once belonged to the pioneering port wine maker, Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, and still belongs to her descendents today. It is now a modern, luxury boutique hotel, but also with more traditional style accommodation in the old manor house, and you can expect the very best in comfort, service, and of course food and wine. It also has spa facilities, an outdoor swimming pool and a jacuzzi. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a range of lovely rooms and suites 5 of them in the old manor house, and 8 in a new, rather unusual looking, modern wing, built back in 2012 mainly from slate, another thing this region of Portugal is well known for. The manor house rooms are a bit more traditional though it would be a stretch to call them rustic. The emphasis is generally on comfort and modern style, something which is even more in abundance in the sleek modern wing where the rooms all come with balconies and some superb views. The pick of the bunch there is the suite; a nicely designed 43 sq m space with a living room, bedroom and a balcony looking out on the vineyards and the river. There is an excellent buffet breakfast to be enjoyed every morning plus you can treat yourself to some great evening meals, and snacks throughout the day. Food lovers will also appreciate the chef’s own cooking classes, ask at reception, or at the restaurant, for details. Not forgetting the wine; Quinta do Vallado is one of the most famous vineyard & winery in the Douro Valley with over 100 acres of vine and a long history of producing fantastic port as well as Douro Valley whites and reds. And, as an extra, they also produce their own extra virgin olive oil. All can be sampled throughout your stay and you can of course also buy some to take home. Wine tasting sessions can be had too, as well as cellar and vineyard READ MORE

Vila Monte Farm House is a luxury farm hotel near Faro in the Algarve, Portugal. It’s only about 20 minutes drive from Faro International Airport and around the same from the beautiful lagoons of the Ria Formosa National Park. Their restaurant is especially very highly rated, and all dishes are made with, wherever possible, the freshest local ingredients including herbs and fruits from the property’s own gardens. THE ACCOMMODATION: All its elegant rooms and suites are super comfortable and inviting, with private bathroom, minibar, flat screen cable TV and WiFi, and the suites also come with a living room and terrace. There is plenty to occupy you in the rest of the property too, with extensive gardens, two swimming pools, a bar, a restaurant, a library and a grocery store/farm shop. THE LOCATION: There’s a lot to see and do near the farm stay, the Algarve beaches are of course popular but but there’s also the stunning lagoons of Ria Formosa less than twenty minutes away, which have an enormous population of birds, including the famous pink flamingos, as well as such rare and exotic creatures as chameleons, seahorses and the endangered Portuguese water dog. A whole range of activities can be arranged from the front desk including yoga, hydro fitness classes, visits to local markets with the chef, horse riding, fishing, trekking, boat trips and free car and boat shuttle services to the beaches of nearby Fuseta Island. And in summer you can catch a movie at their on-site outdoor cinema. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “Cannot say enough about how amazing Villa Monte!!! The staff were incredibly kind and accommodating. The food was out of this world, simple, local ingredients, absolutely tasty. The facilities were immaculate, pictures do not do this place justice….” “We loved everything! Truly one of the best places I have ever stayed….” >>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT VILA MONTE FARMHOUSE HOTEL: READ MORE

Agroturismo Herdade do Amarelo Nature & Spa is a luxury B&B farm stay in Alentejo, Portugal, within the Vincentian Coast Natural Park. It’s about 7km from the well known village of Vila Nova de Milfontes, 10km from the town of São Luís, and about 200km from Lisbon. THE ACCOMMODATION: Their rooms are luxurious and spacious and all come with a private entrance and terrace, a flat screen TV, WiFi and a minibar, and some of the larger rooms also have a private hot tub. Herdade do Amarelo also has a Spa and Wellness centre. There’s an outdoor gym, a salt water swimming pool and a jacuzzi and they have a range of massage services available all day. You’ll find a nice range of good homemade food and wine here too; they have a great buffet breakfast in the morning and various snacks, light meals and drinks are available throughout the day. THE FARM: It’s a working farm with cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, hens, vegetable gardens, olive trees and vineyards, all of which are organic. Guests are welcome to explore the farm and take part in activities such as looking after the animals and picking olives and grapes etc. You can also learn a little about the production of olive oil and wine and join some tasting sessions. THE LOCATION: The surroundings; the Vincentine Coast Natural Park is great for exploring and you’re never far away from some of Alentejo’s best beaches. You can hire bikes for free from the farmstay, the staff are always ready to provide good advice about the many cycling and hiking routes nearby and they can arrange horse riding and canoeing trips amongst others. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “The relaxing atmosphere. The full body massage was incredible!…” “We simply love absolutely everything about Herdade do Amarelo Nature & Spa from the people working there to the amazing romantic atmosphere and breathtaking views….” >>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT HERDADE DO AMARELO:   READ MORE

Herdade dos Grous, near Beja, Alentejo, Portugal, is a luxury hotel on a 1700 acre organic farm estate that produces award winning wine and olive oil and has an outdoor swimming pool in the extensive gardens, and an artificial lake on the farm. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a range of top class suites and rooms, all of them with private bathroom, minibar, WiFi and satellite TV, plus the suites have a spacious seating area with an open fireplace. There is a high quality restaurant and bar on site which serves the finest local food plus all of their own award winning wines, and a snack bar open throughout the day. Or guests can entertain themselves playing tennis on the estate’s courts, playing billiards or table tennis, or going for a swim in the pool followed maybe by a visit to their sauna where massages are available for an extra fee. THE FARM: This huge estate has a fully working farm, breeding Alentejo cattle, merino sheep and of course horses. The provide horse riding lessons and guided trails around the estate and the surrounding countryside, which you can also tour by bike with bike rental from the hotel. They have extensive vineyards and olive groves too, that allows them to produce their own Herdade dos Grous award winning branded wines and olive oil. Guests are welcome to tour the estate and the winery, and to take a look at the production of the wine and olive oil, along with tasting sessions of both. Much of their produce goes in to their wonderful meals and you can also buy some to take home from their on-site farm shop. THE LOCATION: The farm stay is just south of Beja in the centre of Portugal’s Alentejo region. Alentejo is the country’s undoubted rural heartland and particularly famous for its cork and wine. The cork trees here actually produce half of the world’s supply and its wines though still not completely mainstream are growing in popularity and its wine tourism industry has also been developing quite rapidly in recent years, with the help of estates like Herdade dos Grous. The region is not on the mainstream READ MORE

The 3 star A Serenada Enoturismo is just over an hour from Lisbon, Alentejo, Portugal, and has luxury accommodation with commanding views over the surrounding, richly rural, countryside known as the Serra de Grândola. It’s a very impressive property surrounded by its own vineyards and cork plantations and consistently gets rave reviews from guests. There is great attention to detail in terms of comfort, style and decor, you’ll find the food and wine top quality and the service equally so. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a choice of 6 rooms and suites, all of which are plush, inviting and luxury hotel standard, though the more spacious ‘Balcony Suite’ steals the show with what is more like a private terrace than a balcony with nice views over the vineyards. There is an infinity type outdoor swimming pool in the gardens and lots of seating and lounging space too. All the rooms are B&B and the fresh buffet breakfast makes a great start to the day. You can also order further meals at any time, they will be consistently good and come well paired with a selection of their own wines. THE ESTATE: It’s a pretty large estate and lovely to wander around. They also have bikes at the property for guests to use and you can arrange picnic hampers to take with you on your travels. Wine is the main business at A Serenada of course and you can visit the wine cellars and take part in tasting sessions etc. The staff are known for their knowledge and enthusiasm and are always happy to impart the same to guests. It’s not all wine though, this being Alentejo, the world’s biggest supplier of cork, they also have many cork trees whose barks are stripped and harvested to make, amongst other things, the corks that go in to the tops of your bottle of wine. They keep bees on the estate too and collect and package the honey they supply. THE LOCATION: As mentioned the hotel is conveniently near Lisbon, just over an hour to the south. It’s a secluded, very rural, spot in the Serra de Grândola, and is also close to some beautiful coastline READ MORE

Very near Coimbra, the 5 star Quinta das Lagrimas is part agroturismo, part Royal Palace and part luxury spa hotel, and had been a quiet sanctuary for Kings and Emperors for centuries, before recently opening its doors to paying guests.  It is also the place where one of Portugal’s most infamous love stories took place; the story of Pedro & Inês. This was the XIVth-century love affair between Prince Pedro and Inês de Castro which lurched, as they all do, from deep romance to deep tragedy when Inês was murdered on the orders of King Alfonso, Pedro’s father. This famous story inspired the name of the property; Quinta das Lagrimas/The Estate of Tears, and these days it offers superb luxury in a setting that is uniquely atmospheric and compelling. THE ACCOMMODATION: There is a great choice of B&B rooms and suites, ranging from more standard doubles to superb, top of the range, suites. Even the most ‘basic’ of rooms though are lovingly styled and come with a real touch of class. It is a five star hotel and you can expect the best in comfort and facilities but Quinta das Lagrimas differs in that it is a grand, stately property with a romantic, cultured, air that is impossible to find in more modern hotels. It is a joy to just wander around and soak in the atmosphere. Add to that the extensive botanical gardens outside with so many rare plant species from around the world, the excellent spa facilities, the indoor and outdoor swimming pools, the nine hole on site golf course and the two award winning gourmet restaurants, and you really have a break to remember. The seasonal restaurants serve up organic food that is locally sourced as much as is possible, ‘ Market Cuisine’ they like to call it here, but with much of the herbs, vegetables and fruits being sourced even closer, on the grounds themselves, picked fresh from the organic ‘Chef’s Garden’. THE LOCATION: Quinta das Lagrimas is just outside the charming university city of Coimbra, in the centre north of Portugal, roughly half way between Lisbon and Porto. Coimbra was once Portugal’s capital and has an enormous READ MORE