Casa Fortunato

Cleverly hidden behind the hushed doors of discretion, an unassuming, white-washed façade, typical of the Alentejo region, is home to style sweet spot, Casa Fortunato. Stepping through its old glossy blue entrance reveals its chameleon temperament – a creative hub of design, heritage, architecture, colour and aesthetic beauty. Casa Fortunato is pleasantly no ordinary hotel, but a rare sanctuary of curated style and art housed within a restored 100-year-old townhouse villa. Located in the heartlands of Portugal's cork and pine nut plantations of the Alentejo region, Casa Fortunato is in the historic port town of Alcácer do Sal, a 45-minute drive south of the capital Lisbon and a 30-minute drive from Comporta and the wild beaches of the Tróia Peninsula.

As architects, designers and thinkers with an enthusiastic passion for finding unloved heritage buildings, owners Filipa and António are famed for their anthropologic approach to restoration projects that come with their rhapsody of interior beguilement. Style, design, artworks, heirloom antiques, touchy textiles, a playground for oddities found in the markets and iconic furnishings stage a post-modernist glamour to retro finds. 

Inside, the bygone romance of an old house has been preserved and restored; the old bones of the villa, including decorative panelling, glazed Portuguese tiles, ornate timber beams and the beautifully worn tiled floors, continue their dialogue with the past where salvaged highlights remind the guest of the town’s once importance and wealth.

The interior narratives are playful, set to a canvas of lime-washed whites and the period tones of Farrow & Ball paint favourite Mizzle – a soft milky green pigment which skirts around the rooms, framing the scene of scarlet reds, pistachio, florals, velvets, tufted rugs and conversation-worthy artworks, some by Filipa’s grandmother. 

Filipa and António are ardent collectors, and it is no accident that their treasures needed a new home. 

The six suites, lounges and dining rooms are populated by furnishings which dance through the house like a bright harlequin. Delights from a vintage Mario Bellini Sofa for B&B Italia in burnt orange, sunshine yellow Nimrod Chairs by Marc Newson and a seductive lounger in cornflower blues by Patricia Urquiola are at home in this sleepy port town. Collecting post-modernist furnishings is not their only passion of António his other eye sources the icons of lighting – a crucial element in his dialogue of curated design such as the Plusminus lighting system by VIBIA that redefines comfort illumination with the flexibility of gallery spots. Vintage Flos lamps sit nicely under a pendant light by Noguchi, and the colourful hanging Foscarini lanterns by Andrea Anastasio add an accent of the exotic.

Colourful sunshine tonals illuminate the courtyard garden, pool and chillax zones cast against a glorious geometric rainbow of salvaged handmade tiles sourced from an old-timer maker – a fun-spirited design touch that captures the ‘not too serious’ heart of Casa Fortunato.

With a handful of rooms, suites and studios to opt for, it is tough to know which one to fall in love with - they each have a distinct identity and are all infectiously gorgeous. The lovely patinas of age, curated design and meaningful art are the core comfort components of your sleeping quarters at the villa Casa Fortunato. Bright sorbet tones illuminate the chalked white interiors, and daylight dances across the wooden floors and rugs bathed in Portuguese sunlight and bluebird skies. Luxury comes in the form of bedding, intentionally high thread counts and quality crafted king-size mattresses, which are the leading act, as are the beautiful glazed handmade tiles and bathroom amenities. Whether you opt to sleep alongside a Foscarini Filo table lamp, rock in a Marc Newson Nimrod chair or snuggle up with a Patricia Urquiola-designed sofa - your sleepscape is simply beautiful.

Eating well has always been at the heart of Casa Fortunato’s foodie template, with a serious commitment to wholesome ingredients, slow agriculture and fishing that nurtures the lands and seas. Vegetables, pulses and grains have gravitas on the daily menu boards of about ten dishes. Dining is a casual affair taken in the panelled room or bag yourself a table in the garden. Freshness pairs with old-school methods of preservation using vinegar and pickling traditions, air-dried staples of times past and herbs and fruits from the garden wrap the bio/organic, essentially plant-based plates with optional fresh fish and meat dishes. Surrounding the port town are many eating options, with cute little bars and cafes to sink into town life.

Blending seamlessly into the town vernacular, Casa Fortunato is part and parcel of the familiar scene of whitewashed facades and cobbled streets of Alcácer do Sal and is located along a hushed residential row of houses just up from the hum of the Sado River and the busy market square filled with bars, cafes and chatter, and where embroidery and pinhoadas confectionary-making pervade.

An easy hour's drive south of Lisbon, design hotel Casa Fortunato is located in the northern part of the Alentejo region, offering an authentic Salt & Turf holiday destination. Alcácer do Sal is one of the oldest port cities in Portugal, with a history that dates back 3,000 years from when the Phoenicians founded it and its position on the lifeblood river made it a valuable stop for goods heading into Europe during Roman rule, including 'sal' or salt produced locally. But if it's the wild coastline you crave, you are just a 30-minute drive from the beaches of Comporta and the Tróia Peninsula.

António and Filipa’s souls were woven together when they met at university in Lisbon whilst studying architecture. A husband and wife team, a mother and a father. They have a fondness for design, harmony and a philosophy of living well, which unites them and defines the studio. The duo are people-lovers, foodies, collectors and, from the walls of their houses, you can see that they are avid custodians of the arts and design, from vases, textiles, paintings, to mid-century lighting and print.