Marqí hotel brings a minimalist 1970s feel to Portugal’s Sintra coast
Danish duo Mikkel Kristensen and architect Mikas Emil’s mansion conversion offers dreamy, cinematic escapism at Marqí, a secluded boutique hotel

Proudly calling itself ‘one strange hotel’, Marqí is Portuguese resort town Sintra’s latest secluded retreat, created by Danish photographer and former fashion brand owner Mikkel Kristensen. Having shuttered his label, Kristensen was considering venturing into the hotel business when he fortuitously discovered the 1980s mansion that had been a famed civil engineer and party host’s weekend retreat.
‘With its dark, cosy lobby and lush garden, it reminded me of Chateau Marmont, and the hills going down to the beach were also reminiscent of California,’ Kristensen says. ‘The house just had so much feeling and character.’
The hotel pool
Along with architect and artist Mikas Emil, Kristensen set about converting the home into an eight-bedroom boutique hotel that combines the midcentury modern style beloved in his hometown of Copenhagen with touches of a 1970s Hollywood aesthetic.
The result is a relaxed yet thoughtfully curated space where minimalism is contrasted with playful jolts of colour via vintage finds, such as the emerald green curved sofa in the lobby, or the orange tubular dining chairs.
While a few consistent elements, such as the tables made from local marble, tie everything together, each room has its own character, courtesy of a green bathtub or red chair. Guests enjoy their own private balcony or terrace, which overlooks either the vintage car collection in the driveway or the sun-drenched garden and bougainvillea-framed pool.
‘The more time we spent working on it, the more we understood how important it was to keep the quirks that gave the house its charm,’ Kristensen says.
One of those quirks is the hidden club, Nando’s, named after the house’s original owner and occupying a room he’d used as a private discotheque. Currently being redecorated with bouclé chairs and a marble bar, the discreet space is opened when the mood calls for it.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Garden suite
Here, there’s a warmth that makes you feel like a guest at an effortlessly cool house rather than a hotel. That is largely due to the staff, who strike the perfect balance between relaxed and attentive – they’ll leave you to sunbathe in peace, but will also ensure you have your afternoon cocktail. The Marqí Sour is not to be missed.
From the smooth playlist of music from his favourite Sofia Coppola and Quentin Tarantino films, to the bookcase-turned-curated shop of products by some of his friends, Kristensen’s personal touches are everywhere. The former designer even created bespoke Marqí merchandise, including a ‘Lobby Boy’ T-shirt – a nod to one of his favourite directors, Wes Anderson. It’s no surprise to discover that he lives in an attached bungalow.
‘My photography has been focused on this sort of dreamy escapism,’ he says. ‘Now it’s become my life, and the life for others to come and experience for themselves.’
Jess Kelham-Hohler is a freelance writer and editor. Currently based in London following six years in Washington D.C. and New York, she was previously the Digital Editor for Soho House & Co, an international group of private members’ clubs for creatives. She has written for publications including Apollo, The Glossary and The Evening Standard, and consults with arts, hospitality and fashion brands on editorial content strategy.
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to know
Designing the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spot
Heritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
Discover midcentury treasures in Marylebone with Álvaro by Appointment
London is full of sequestered design havens, and Wallpaper* knows them all. Allow us to point you in the direction of Álvaro González’s shop window on Nottingham Place, home to a bonanza of beautiful 20th-century antiques
-
Wallpaper* checks in at MACAM Hotel: a night at the museum
Portugal’s first hotel-museum is home to 600 pieces of modern and contemporary art and 64 rooms for the ultimate artistic immersion
-
Sun-soaked European destinations to visit in spring
Dreaming of Florentine palazzos and Greek islands now that the weather is starting to turn? Check into one of these beautiful European hotels and holiday homes
-
The world's most heavenly destinations for astrotourism in 2025
We're in for a big year for celestial events. These are the world's best hotels to see the cosmos as you've never seen it before
-
Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025: meet the travel winners transcending destinations
Discover the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025 travel winners – the year’s places to stay, dine, drink and join – and watch our video to find out why they won
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this year
From the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
-
Find serenity at Casa Fortunato, a Portuguese bolthole filled with light
Design-savvy duo Antonio Falcáo Costa Lopes and Filipa Fortunato chose Alcácer do Sal as the perfect setting for the second iteration of their original Casa Fortunato
-
Lisbon hotel Locke de Santa Joana wins Wallpaper* Design Award 2025
Born from the restoration of an old convent, Locke de Santa Joana receives our Best Opening award for its design inventiveness and sunny disposition
-
The Rebello is a chic hotel with an industrial past on Porto’s riverside
Transforming industrial buildings on the Douro river, The Rebello is a new hotel ‘with an old soul’