If a client asks you for a Portuguese getaway, chances are you’ll send them to either Lisbon or the Algarve. If you’re feeling creative, you might opt for Porto. Trying to seriously push the boat out? Madeira it is.
All of these destinations are popular with the UK’s high-net-worth travellers for good reason. They offer everything you’d expect from a luxury holiday: a wide range of five-star hotels, rich cultural experiences, Michelin-starred dining, and of course, breathtaking scenery.
But this very appeal has also made them a magnet for overtourism, a blasphemous word in vocabulary of the luxury traveller.
This is where Alentejo comes in.
Covering almost a third of the country, the region has long been a summer refuge for Portuguese holidaymakers looking to avoid the crowds of Lisbon and the Algarve.
Its 165km of Atlantic coastline makes it a perfect beach destination, while historic towns like Evora and Monsaraz lend it a distinctive cultural depth. It also happens to be Portugal’s largest wine region, boasting around 21,000 hectares of vineyards planted on predominantly gently sloping soils.
Alentejo’s jackpot genes make it a natural choice for affluent UK travellers, many of whom are seeking off-grid luxury with more meaningful experiences. The region’s luxury hotel scene has reflected this demand, with a growing portfolio that spans boutique hotels, design-led retreats and rural country estates.
With so many options now on the market, we’ve identified the standout properties to help you determine which are best suited to your clients.
L’and Vineyards
It may be just one hour outside of Lisbon, but L’and feels light years away from any metropolis.
Surrounded by six hectares of organic vineyards, this Relais and Chateaux property calls itself an ‘exclusive retreat’ rather than a luxury hotel – and it’s easy to see why.
From the moment the car pulls up to L’and’s white-washed reception building, the respite begins.
Within seconds of stepping inside, I am offered lemongrass tea and a scented oshibori towel. I recline into a contour armchair and listen to the gentle piano, made all the more hypnotic by the acoustic panelled walls. Sipping from my ceramic mug, the fibres of my body unwind and I feel, already, at ease.
L’and has 37 suites and seven pool villas, all of which are partially buried into the ground to protect views of the property’s natural lake.
I’m told it’s common for guests, most of whom are from Portugal, to visit as a weekend escape or a special treat. The SkyView Suites (yes, they have retractable roof windows) are perfect for these shorter breaks, while the Lake Suites, which have one or two bedrooms and a living room, are ideal for longer stays.
Villa Arinto is the resort’s largest and most recently built accommodation option, and, with four bedrooms, it's the perfect choice for groups or families. There’s also an open-plan living area, a fully-equipped kitchen and a patio with a fire pit and pizza oven.
A stay at L’and wouldn’t be complete without a visit to its Vinotherapy Spa, which prides itself on its sustainable approach to wellness.
Therapists use wine by-products like grapes and seeds to make the oils for its treatments, which range from exfoliating barrel baths to purifying wraps.
The interior echoes the mid-century modernity of the rest of the property, with warm woods and textured stone creating a cosy, natural environment. There’s also an adults-only indoor heated pool, a sauna, hammam and studio for yoga, pilates and sound baths.
Sao Lourenco do Barrocal
If your client wants something even more off-grid, Sao Lourenco do Barrocal is your best bet.
Located two hours from Lisbon on the foothills of Monsaraz, this 200-year-old estate is today a working farm, vineyard and winery.
There are 40 keys in total, including 22 guest rooms – some of which overlook the monte’s courtyard – and two suites with breathtaking views of the Monsaraz Castle.
There are also 16 cottages, all of which have previously been barns, stables or cowsheds, and range in size from one to three bedrooms.
The interior designer has clearly paid homage to these buildings’ pastoral roots without compromising on luxury; think pendant lighting and high ceilings, French doors and terracotta tiles, woollen blankets and antique trunks.
The outside space, which stretches across 780 hectares, is equally rustic.
You’ll find an organic vegetable garden that grows much of the restaurant’s fresh produce, as well as olive groves, an orchard, stables and a horse riding ring.
Guests who wish to immerse themselves further in the land can join the property’s resident biologist on a ethnobotanical walk, which includes fennel tasting, learning about the different olive varieties and even visiting the insect hotel.
Clients are also welcome to feed Jeremias, who has become a beloved fixture of the estate since his September 2025 birth. There is also an outdoor children’s pool and an adults’ pool, the latter of which pays tribute to the region’s monolithic outcrops with its embedded granite rock.
Herdade da Malhadinha Nova
Just 75 minutes’ drive from Faro, Herdade da Malhadinha Nova is everything a discerning traveller would want from a quiet European break.
The 450-hectare country estate boasts 26 accommodation options across five buildings, ensuring space and privacy even at full occupancy.
Its boutique hotel, a traditional Alentejo country house called Monte da Peceguina, has three suites and seven rooms, all of which have access to shared swimming pools and terraces.
For guests seeking more discretion, Casa das Pedras is home to four fully-contained suites with their own private pools and individual terraces.
Expect natural features like distressed wood and poured concrete, contrasted by modern comforts like iPads and Bose sounds.
At the highest point of the estate, you’ll find Casa do Ancoradouro, a large villa designed with families in mind. It has seven suites (which can be rented separately), a living room with a Steinway & Sons grand piano and a Bulthaup kitchen with a 12-seater dining table.
Outdoor areas are similarly lavish, with the elevated pool and multiple terrace offering ample views of the arid Alentejo plains.
Other villas include Casa da Ribeiro, which takes inspiration from a nearby river with serene blue tones across its three suites, and Casas das Artes, which spotlights unique pieces by local artisans.
There’s also a winery with state-of-the-art vinification systems, a stud farm which breeds Lusitano horses and a spa that uses wine, honey and rosemary to make many of its treatment products.
Sublime Comporta
Scan the Google reviews for Sublime Comporta and it’s as if the thesaurus emptied every synonym it has for ‘tranquil.’
Situated one hour south of Lisbon, this five-star country estate encapsulates the term of ‘slow living’ with its focus on sustainable architecture and local culture.
Like Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, it consists of different accommodations across several buildings: the Owners House, Guest Suites, Bio Pool Suites, and Villas.
Clients can choose from 23 rooms and suites, as well as 22 gable roofed villas ranging in size from two bedrooms to five bedrooms. All of these villas feel like private residences, spaced out so far apart that they require an electric buggy to travel between them. The sense of exclusivity extends indoors, with each bedroom featuring an ensuite, a private terrace, and its own keycard access.
Other highlights include the living room’s floating fireplace, the gallery of dramatic artwork and the outdoor infinity pool. Meanwhile, for clients who value nature highly, the Bio Pool suites are a must try.
Built on stilts above one of Europe’s largest biological ponds, each of these nine cabanas comes with its own freshwater pool and terrace. The end result is magical, allowing guests to swim amongst aquatic plants and wildlife (all-year-round) from the privacy of their own suite.
For food, main restaurant Sem Porta specialises in traditional Alentejo dishes like smoked eel, sea turbot and Iberian pork ‘presa.’ Sustainability is central to its menu, most of which spotlights ingredients that come directly from the hotel’s organic garden.
There is also a small spa with a sauna and steam room, two outdoor pools and one indoor heated pool. The two-storey fitness centre is particularly impressive, offering a large gym, a studio with Reformer Pilates equipment and even a boxing ring.
TAP operates up to seven flights a day from London Heathrow to Lisbon. Additionally, up to two flights from Gatwick to both Porto and Lisbon are flown daily. TAP also flies daily from Manchester and Dublin to Lisbon, with up to two flights a day from London, and up to three flights daily from Ireland. Visit the TAP Air Portugal website for more information or contact TAP Corporate Communications corpcom@tap.pt for any press enquiries.
