"Set the sceneThe coastal Comporta region is a calming combination of shifting sand dunes and tiny villages, pine forests and rice fields. However, hotels worth staying in here have always been slim pickings (the best villas and shacks were privately owned and only let to friends of friends–it’s that kind of place), so the opening of Quinta da Comporta last year was big news. What’s the backstory?Until 2014, this area was owned by the Espirito Santo banking family; now small parcels of land are slowly being sold. One such plot in the village of Carvalhal was snapped up by Portuguese architect and designer Miguel Câncio Martins who realised his long-held dream of becoming a hotelier where he once holidayed as a child. He has stayed true to the roots of the place: the restaurant and spa are set around an original, burnt-orange terracotta courtyard where the old grain stores once stood and rooms are housed in low-slung white buildings, accented with the occasional royal-blue stripe. What can we expect in our room?A gorgeously homespun, pared-back design that’s perfectly in keeping with the location. White walls with plenty of natural materials: honey wood, wicker, sisal rugs. Some rooms come with a private sun-trap terrace facing the garden, others a rooftop balcony with rural rice-field views. How about the food and drink?Breakfasts (which are included) have everything imaginable, from just-picked garden figs to freshly baked marble cake. Evenings kick off with a glass of the palest rosé from the nearby Herdade da Comporta wine estate. Pair it with seafood; the lobster linguine is especially good, although the teriyaki salmon and sea-bass risotto come a close joint second. What’s the crowd like?Well-dressed 30-something Parisians, young families whose exceptionally well-behaved toddlers seem right at home ordering ceviche from the adults' menu, couples on a long weekend who don’t move from the poolside. Anything to say about the service?Staff are ever so nice, especially at the entrance gatehouse where check-in happens. Drinks service by the pool can be on the slow side occasionally though it all adds to the easy, breezy, beachy vibe. What’s the neighborhood scene like?Carvalhal beach is a 15-minute bike ride away. Or hop in the car to Comporta for a morning browsing the boutiques in the village, followed by a seafood platter for lunch at the beachfront Comporta Café. Anything else to add?Don’t miss the lofty spa, in its own vast airy building with soaring reclaimed wood beams. The treatments are inspired by rice (a peppermint body scrub, for example, ends with a full-body rice wrap) and there is an indoor-outdoor pool separated by floor-to-ceiling windows that look out across the fields. Anything you’d change?There are plans for a cinema, wine cellar and family pool, but what’s really missing is a smart boutique. Being able to take home the decorative seagrass baskets, graphic-print cushions and even the Balinese bedside lampshades would be a joy. Is it worth it?Yes. The whole vibe is laid-back, and there’s nothing more lovely than drifting between the pool, spa, and restaurant terrace on a sunny day." - Emma Love
