Owner-architect Miguel Câncio Martins on Quinta da Comporta …
Comporta is only a 90-minute drive from Lisbon, though it feels like a world away. This wild and unspoilt part of Portugal is known for its dunes, pine forests, salt marshes and rice paddies and has always attracted an in-the-know crowd who love its low-key, beachy vibe. Among the regular visitors are over 200 bird species including white storks, the emblem of Comporta.
For an understated retreat, Quinta da Comporta is possibly one of Europe’s best kept secrets. Designed by owner-architect Miguel Câncio Martins, who holidayed in the area as a child, he has styled this boutique hotel like a traditional farm.
In a new book on his hotel, Câncio Martins explains, “Comporta holds a very special place in my heart. It is part of my identity, my heritage, and my family tradition. The very essence of what defines Comporta – a place where families and friends reunite and come together to slow down and reconnect with what’s important in life – is what I envisioned for this project.”
He has realised his dream with an astute design ethos – more homespun than haughty. The interior design vibe is of pared back elegance with whitewashed walls, rattan furniture, seagrass baskets, graphic print cushions, artisanal sisal rugs and huge wicker lamps that also evoke a Balinese aesthetic.
Rooms are spread among thatched-roof cabanas, pool villas and mock farmhouses overlooking rice fields just outside the village of Carvalhal. Guests have the use of bicycles to explore the surroundings – Carvalhal Beach is a curve of white sand pounded by the Atlantic.
Its beachside restaurant is known for its seafood, best enjoyed with a local rosé from the nearby Herdade da Comporta wine estate. An organic garden provides the kitchen with seasonal produce. Other dining hotspots in the area are Sal, at Praia do Pego and Comporta Café known for its shellfish and squid ink pasta. Cavalariça’s cocktails are well worth stopping in for and local concept store Lavanda has an in-store bar.
Central to Quinta da Comporta’s allure is its Oryza Spa, housed in a barn that was deconstructed and shipped from Canada. The team of therapists offer massages, scrubs, herbal wraps and facials using the hotel’s own brand, Orza Lab essential oils. Yoga, pilates and meditation completes the line-up. There are regular wellness retreats, including the next three-day “Listening to Ourselves” retreat in November.
A stay here complements a cultural weekend in Lisbon. It’s also a great base to explore Comporta’s beaches, which are backed by a set of organ-pipe cliffs – the most dramatic being the Praia Galé-Fontainhas.
Find more insights in Quinta da Comporta, with text by Margarida Rebelo Pinto (Assouline, €120); @quintadacomporta.
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