More of a city rat than a sun basker? Check out the best things to do in Lisbon.
Or if you’re after more sweet places to stay in Portugal, then have a squint at our review of Craveiral Farmhouse.
What is it?
Sociable nights are had by the fire pit
An ultra-private, modern-minimalist resort in a glam beach town near Lisbon.
What's the deal?
Sleek interiors and sensational views
Here’s the sound you’ll hear most at Sublime Comporta: a barely-audible whisper of wind gently rustling the branches of the olive tree that shades the terrace outside your room. Other than that? Not much. This 17-acre luxury retreat is impossibly, almost eerily, quiet. But you haven’t come here to experience the aural delights of Portugal – you came here to relax, and, with almost nothing to distract you, you certainly will.
That’s not to say anything is lacking at this impressively-designed resort. Fourteen rooms set in self-contained, pointed-roof cabins are laid out in rows like a mini-suburb, each complete with their own driveway. Inside, they are stark-white apart from some wood accents, with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out to the soothingly still forest outside your door (or a private pool outside certain rooms). But if you can stretch the budget, the Bio-Pool Suites are a worthy splurge: nine cabanas completely hidden behind leafy shrubbery, each one opening out onto Europe’s largest freshwater pool. Guests can split their days between loafing on their private, floating terrace and jumping straight into the water for a little paddle-about.
For the guests without an exclusive body of water, there’s a sleek, adults-only pool next to reception, plus a fire pit where guests can cosy up for evening drinks. You’ll also find two restaurants here: the ‘farm’-to-table Food Circle, open in the summer months and set in the middle of the resort’s organic vegetable garden, and Sem Porta, a more upscale affair that draws diners from beyond the hotel. The food at both is outstanding – provenance-focused, fresh, and inventive, with a killer wine list of Portugal’s finest. (There will also be another restaurant, Tosca da Comporta, opening summer 2022). Beach time is also made as frictionless as possible with the hotel’s own private beach club, set on the alabaster Praia do Carvalhal and accessible by a hotel-run shuttle. The ultra-chic Comporta – a favourite weekend destination for well-heeled Lisbonites – is also a short drive away.
The best stay for...
Find the Food Circle Restaurant hidden in the hotel garden
Guests with A-list tastes (and an A-list taste for privacy).
££££
E.N. 261-1, Muda, CCI 3954, 7570-337 Portugal
sublimecomporta.pt