Hidden down a narrow street between a fishmonger and a buzzy restaurant lies a white door in a stone archway, which opens into one of Marrakech’s most stylish riads... Well, not really, but the internal courtyard - with its hand-painted blue tiles, graceful white columns and grand wooden doors - had us fooled. And as we climbed up spiral stairs to a split-level roof terrace, we were delighted by the views across the town's whitewashed roofs to the Ria Formosa Natural Park, where fishing boats bob on the waves and the bright sunshine is almost dazzling.
Once a weekday home for rural girls working in Olhão's fish-canning industry, the townhouse was saved from ruin by 2 architects, a historian and a teacher, who remodelled it into this airy, peaceful haven (no under 13s allowed). They carefully preserved and exposed original brickwork, turned former dormitories into 9 romantic bedrooms, and adorned communal spaces with local art and antiques from nearby Fuseta. We loved the sheer style of it all.
Highs
- Fantastic value, and rates include a great breakfast
- The rooftop terrace: a perfect spot for a lazy morning, an afternoon dip in the pool, or a sundowner
- Olhão is only 20 mins from Faro airport, yet it's an authentic fishing town with cobbled streets and simple restaurants serving charcoal-grilled sardines and jarros of wine; ideal for a car-free holiday
- You’re a taxi-boat ride from some of our favourite Portuguese beaches, in the Ria Formosa
- Managers Guillaume and Antje are incredibly welcoming
Lows
- Multi-level with steep spiral stairs - the rooftop cabins are only suitable if travelling with hand luggage only
- No TVs, air con or music docks (though there is WiFi)
- It can be difficult to park, but you don't really need a car here
Best time to go
This area of Portugal is great year-round, but we’d recommend April-October when warm weather is almost guaranteed. That said, we’ve visited in February and November and experienced sunny, dry days. Temperatures can soar in July and August, but the cool Atlantic acts as a welcome respite. Convento is closed in the winter months.
Our top tips
Take a day trip to Spain. Drive along the coastal road to Vila Real de Santo António and jump on the small ferry, which takes you across the Rio Guadiana. Just 5 minutes later, you’ll find yourself in Ayamonte, a pretty Spanish town filled with tapas restaurants. Just remember that Ayamonte is an hour ahead of Vila Real de Santo António, and most restaurants in Spain shut at 4pm; we’ve been caught out before!
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 61 independent reviews from i-escape guests
A beautiful and tranquil oasis, just a stone's throw from the hustle bustle of the fabulous markets and sea front of Ohlao.
This is such an exceptional place! We stayed five nights, enjoying the lingering warmth of late October. The building is sensitively restored with attention to detail and respect for its historic heritage and surroundings. It was so quiet and peaceful, no loud voices, noisy footsteps or slamming doors here! I loved having the beautiful, spacious, double-room, Otillia, all to myself (there were three in our group); I relished the calm pristine tranquillity of that room. The Convento team were so welcoming and knowledgeable. The breakfasts were amazing: we loved the enormous plates of delicious exotic fruits, the cake which changed daily, and the unlimited coffee! Although one could easily succumb to the temptation to spend the entire holiday relaxing on the lovely roof-top terrace, we did find plenty of interesting distractions to explore beyond the white walls of Convento. We enjoyed wandering the maze of Olhão’s narrow alleys and markets. We also ventured further afield by ferry to the incredible expanse of sandy beach on the island of Culatra, and on another day we took the train to the somewhat touristy town of Tavira. The nature reserve is worth a visit and accessible by foot from Olhão. I could go on endlessly, but earlier glowing reviews seem to have already captured it all!
Convento was heavenly. Our room was gorgeous. The breakfast was different each day and lovely. Lots of coffee. Service was spot on. Overall the value was fantastic.
We had a wonderful stay at Covento, celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. It's similar to a riad, very tranquil and all decorated in white. The staff were so friendly and breakfast was yummy! I'd definitely recommend.
We had x3 rooms - 1 suite which was spacious and lovely, 2 x other double rooms which were more basic but still lovely - set up for our three teen girls. The breakfasts were just fantastic - gorgeous local produce, plentiful (for the big eating teens) and prepared with huge care. Just delicious and so much more than a bed and breakfast! The honesty bar by the pool was also perfect - simple but just what you wanted - a cold beer or glass of wine and chilled water. The rooms were beautifully clean and the service so personal and friendly. The space was calm and beautiful - a perfect escape. It is always tricky travelling as a family of 5 as hotels usually so expensive with three rooms, but this was a lovely way for me to get a break from catering and all of us to have a week of calm luxury. The place is really such a find. Olhao is so much more reasonable than other places we have gone to in the Algarve. The rooftop terraces are so beautiful - you can see across the whole town and out to sea.
An excellent location, tucked away from the easily accessible restaurants and boat trips. The accommodation was spotless and staff could not have been more hospitable. Upon arrival we were warmly welcomed by the friendly reception staff despite it being close to 1 am due to our rescheduled flights. We explored the islands and many of the recommended restaurants, all of which were superb. Our favourite, less than 2 minutes from the apartment, Galo, served a variety of delicious, fresh dishes (produce from the local markets). I would definitely recommend Convento - it was a true sample of excellent hospitality.
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