Comporta Villa
Nestled amidst dunes and rice fields on Portugal’s Alentejo coastline, Comporta Villa is an architecturally designed vacation rental that lies just a stone’s throw from Praia do Pego.
How would you describe Alentejo Villa in a nutshell?
Alentejo Villa is a luxury vacation rental in a house from 1939 which has been in our family for three generations. It’s very traditional in the sense that it follows the typical architecture of the Alentejo like the very thick walls that keep the house cool in summer. But through our renovations we brought in some contemporary features to create a very casual and cozy atmosphere.
What was your inspiration to renovate the villa and rent it out to vacation guests?
It was our passion for the Alentejo way of life. Alentejo is a region where the pace of time is different, and where you get a feeling of space that you don’t find in a city like Lisbon. We have very fond memories of our childhood spending summer vacations in the Alentejo region, so we wanted to create a space where people would feel the same way.
Please tell us a bit more about the villa rental.
My great grandfather had originally bought the property, but more recently, the majority of the land was sold except for this piece that my mother wanted to keep in the family and now we take care of it. The land has four and a half acres and the house was used by the farm workers back then. At the bottom of the property there is a large water tank where the wool from the lambs on the property was washed.\n\nVery characteristic of the villa is that it has four chimneys; two are used as fireplaces for the kitchen, but the other two have been converted to showers, so the light comes from the top. \n\nIt was difficult to combine the traditional with the modern, but I think we’ve created a nice balance. It’s simple, clean, with straight lines.\n\nWe tried to keep a lot of things local, from nearby markets which we combine with things like Scandinavian lights and chairs, or a with a table that a designer friend designed for us.
What’s so special about the whole experience of staying at Alentejo Villa?
Having good meals with wine at the end of the day in a peaceful setting, watching the sun set and listening to the beautiful sounds of nature. It’s all about paying attention to the stars, the landscape, the birds, the forest — noticing the details.\n\nWe have a vegetable garden for guests to pick their own herbs and vegetables depending on the season. The place provides contact with nature, has a good energy and it makes you feel balanced.
