Areias do Seixo
Agricultural revelation
Rugged Costa de Prata
Only an hour from Lisbon, Areias do Seixo makes the perfect beach break after exploring the Portuguese capital. Pine groves and sand dunes rub up against each other on the hotel's driftwood-strewn shoreline, which makes up a hush-hush stretch of Portugal's whisper-quiet Costa de Prata (Silver Coast). The futuristic concrete-and-glass exterior is the type to make architects go weak at the knees, and inside, romantic rooms feature suspended fireplaces, sheepskin throws and sea-facing terraces where you can soak up the sea breeze. All that, and daily treats such as just-baked cakes, home-made teas and and evening bonfires with acoustic music and wine... It's the stuff barefoot beach holidays are made of.
Facilities
Rooms
16 rooms, including two tented hideaways.
Checkout
Noon, but flexible subject to availability. Check-in, from 4pm.
More Details
Rates include buffet breakfast (organic produce from the vegetable patch, bread and cakes baked in a wood oven), access to the spa, and plenty of extras, including snacks, local wine and bicycles to borrow.
Also
Almost every night, the hotel hosts drinks where guests mingle around a fire on the terrace or on the gazebo by the pond (free wine lubricates conversations). Keep on eye on the blackboard in the lobby for other activities; the bonfire in the grounds with nibbles and native Lusophone folk music is not to be missed.
Hotel Closed
The hotel is closed on 24 and 25 December, as well as between 8 January to 14 February.
Free Internet Access
Laundry
On-Site Restaurant
Room Service
Spa
At the Hotel
Gardens, spa, grocery store, stash of DVDs, free WiFi throughout, bikes to borrow. In rooms: fireplace, fresh fruit, Damana bath products. Every room comes with a wooden patio: step out and enjoy the views.
Our Favourite Rooms
Rooms are graced with one of four design themes: Shelter, Land, Tree or Love. Our favourite of the former is Love-category room Nha Cretcheu, which has an elevated four-poster bed with a frame hewn from slender wooden boughs, a seductive fireplace by the bed (with a stash of logs so you can stoke the flames), a Jacuzzi bath tub and an invigorating outdoor shower. Chandelier lights with spaghetti-thin crystalline threads add glitter, and there’s a huge bath tub overlooking the gardens. Terra is a cosy Tree Room with a wooden four-poster, a desk overlooking the garden, a Jacuzzi, his and hers showers, a fireplace and a terrace deck. For group bookings and larger families, the property also has a number of villas available.
Poolside
Flanked by a four-poster day-bed and sunloungers, the ink-green infinity pool overlooks the gardens, where grapes, tea, fennel, cabbage and beans flourish in the fruit and vegetable patches. It's heated by solar power from April to September (it can get quite toasty, so dip a toe in first). Please note, only children aged 16 and over are allowed in the pool between 9am and 12 noon, with adult supervision.
Spa
Indulge in treatments at the spa (for over-16s only). There are three massage rooms, a sauna, a stream room and relaxation room. Expect delicately perfumed essential oils, deliciously hot pebbles and expertly executed Asian methodologies.
Packing Tips
Gardening gloves; a tambourine/guitar/song book for the bonfire – the perfect place to showcase your musical talents. Flammable attire is best left behind.
Also
While rooms use an Earth-kind heating and cooling system, fans can be provided on request.
Children
The hotel is built with adults in mind; over-16s are welcome.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
Every table has garden views, but we recommend sitting opposite the kitchen so you can watch the vegetables you picked earlier be dressed for your plates. For a romantic evening meal, stake out seats close to the terrace and gaze at the bonfire and stars.
Dress Code
High-class hippie: ethereal Ghost layers in stone and putty hues, or gem-bright Matthew Williamson to spice up the neutral palette.
Hotel Restaurant
With its dark wood floors, polished concrete bar and sinuous wood stove, Areias do Seixo could pass for an edgy New York gallery – one softened by a sparkling chandelier, mismatched colourful chairs and chunky wooden tables. All three meals are served here: relaxed, unfussy food lovingly prepped with ingredients from Portugal’s bountiful larder. The wood oven and charcoal grill do wonderful things to Iberian pork and market-fresh fish, served alongside vegetables and herbs picked straight from the garden and greenhouse. And, the Sol & Lua menu has a tasty array of dishes (including vegetarian and vegan choices), too.
Hotel Bar
Some artfully placed furniture distinguishes the bar from the dining area. Bosa Nova beats provide a background for conversations over rum-sloshed, garden-herb-addled cocktails, and despite all the concrete, glass and stone, there’s plenty of comfy furniture to kick back on. Panoramic windows open out to a sleek terrace, the gardens and the sea beyond; snuggle up by the firepit with a warming glass of Port.
Last Orders
The restaurant is open from 1pm to 7pm for lunch and light bites, and 7pm to 10pm for dinner. and 7pm to 11pm for dinner.
Room Service
Staff will whip you up a snack or drink around the clock – just let them know what you have a yen for.
Planes
The closest airport is Lisbon International, an hour's drive from the hotel, with flights to many destinations in Europe, particularly in the summer months from June to September.
Trains
Torres Vedras train station is 15 minutes away by car. The Portuguese national train service is Comboios de Portugal.
Automobiles
It's worth hiring a car to explore the coast and vineyards of this pocket of Portugal. From Lisbon airport, take the A8 towards Loures and Leiria. At exit 9, head towards Lourinha, then follow signs to A dos Cunhados, Santa Cruz, Povoa de Penafirme and finally Casal do Seixo. Areias do Seixo is signposted on the left about 800m after the last roundabout. There’s plenty of free parking at the hotel.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Get green-fingered in the garden, and help pick the juiciest vegetables for dinner, or stroll across the protected dunes and collect fresh mussels from the beach. There are various other experiences on offer, including ‘feel green’, where guests help keep the hotel’s (eco) conscience clear. Recover from all these exertions in the sanctuary of the spa, where a sauna, Turkish bath, two massage rooms and a relaxation room await. There are no TVs in bedrooms, but couch potatoes can get their digital fix with a trip to the 7th Art Room, which has a big screen, around 90 titles and some tempting home-baked snacks. Take the boat across to Berlengas island (the hotel will ensure you make the hour-long jaunt in style). Learn to surf at the closest beach, Praia do Seixo. The hotel works closely with a surf school, but if you’re an experienced boarder, staff can help arrange rental equipment so you can set out on your own. Borrow bicycles from the hotel or rent one of the electric bikes to explore the undulating hills and dazzling seaside scenery; nearby Vimeiro has a golf course, riding school and adventure centre.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
