São Lourenço do Barrocal

São Lourenço do Barrocal is, first and foremost, a 200-year-old, 2,000-acre agricultural estate in Portugal’s spectacular Alentejo countryside. Today, the estate is still an organic farm, producing wine, fruits, and other foodstuffs, but much of its infrastructure has been put to new use as a tranquil and quietly stylish luxury boutique hotel — barns, outbuildings, even an olive press have been transformed for use as hotel rooms, suites, cottages, and a spa, while the stables contain horses for guests’ use.

Though most of the interior spaces are newly built, they blend contemporary furnishings and comforts with reminders of the estate’s history in the form of maps, artworks, antiques, and original architectural details. The only reminders of the 21st century are modern conveniences like heated bathroom floors, Nespresso machines, Marshall bluetooth sound systems, and USB outlets.

Like most of Portugal’s high-end resorts it’s family-friendly to a surprising degree — you’ll find the kids out by their own pool, leaving the striking 20-meter swimming pool to the adults, as well as the spa, with its well-equipped fitness studio. São Lourenço do Barrocal is also the name of the main restaurant, which is singularly focused on the local culinary tradition, sourcing all of its ingredients locally, many of them on site; a second restaurant, Hortelão, is set outdoors by the pool and the gardens.