Casa Fortunato, Alcácer do Sal hotel review

The ancient Portuguese town of Alcácer do Sal, just an hour south of Lisbon and thirty minutes from the white sands of Comporta, ticked all the boxes for design-savvy duo Antonio Falcáo Costa Lopes and Filipa Fortunato, who after opening and selling Casa Fortunato, an elegant nine-room retreat in the capital, wanted to reintroduce the project in an off-grid setting. In a similar fashion to the construction of their first outpost, Falcáo Costa Lopes, an architect by trade, restored the original property with evident respect for its history. As such, he revived its wooden floors and panelling, glazed Portuguese tiles and over-layered it with contemporary touches chosen by Fortunato.

Casa Fortunato, Alcácer do Sal

Casa Fortunato Alc&aacute;cer do Sal Portugal

Within the six guest rooms lie a host of work from local artisans and vintage-sourced furniture, including a Maria Bellini sofa for B&B Italia in burnt orange, sunshine yellow Nimrod chairs by Marc Newson and an olive-green Sergio Rodrigues couch from the 1950s. Lighting, a particular obsession of the duo, gathers Vintage Flos lamps beneath a pendant light by Noguchi, colourful hanging Foscarni lanterns by Andrea Anastasio and Plus + Minus Vibia strips and luminaires that run throughout the house. Art from Fortunato’s mother, including a charmingly whimsical ballet scene, adds to the personal feel of this skilfully curated collection of treasures.

Outside, hydraulic tiles take centre stage. Falcáo Costa Lopes lined the sleek pool with bold, colourful stripes that extend to a patio, where dining tables and colourful chairs promise regional treats. Dinners, cooked by the two local women who care for the house, include a traditional tomato soup learned from their grandmother and cakes moist with honey from their father’s bees. All in all, Casa Fortunato is as warm and welcoming as any home, yet, it’s its design details that will make you want to come back for more and more.

Find Casa Fortunato at Largo do Visc. de Alcácer 9, 7580-119 Alcácer do Sal, Portugal, casafortunato.com

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Mary Lussiana is a passionate hotel-lover and freelance travel writer contributing to many of the UK’s best magazines and newspapers. A mother of three, she has lived in Portugal's sunny south since this century began, and continues to live there with her husband, their yellow Labrador, Bellini and returning children.