Areias do Seixo Hotel
Povoa de Penafirme, Lisbon Coast, Portugal

Reviewed by
Daisy Gell
Upmarket eco design has been around for a while, but Areias do Seixo blows everything we’ve seen out of the water. The 16 romantic rooms are blindingly unique, taking the colours and designs of India and Africa as a starting point, and blending them with modern minimalism and imagination to create beautiful colour schemes, extraordinary mod cons and irresistible bathrooms. There are beds framed with driftwood; warm gold Chinese cabinets; pod-like woodburners suspended from the ceilings, and burnished silver lamps. Those wanting to be closer to nature can try the 'shelter', which takes romantic off-grid glamping to another level - think copper bathtub, desert lanterns, skylights for bedtime pine-gazing. And there's also a separate cluster of swanky pool villas, each sleeping 6-8.
Wherever you stay, make the most of an on-site restaurant and bar featuring the hotel's (delicious) organic produce, an Ayurvedic spa, an outdoor pool and a decked path leading to sand dunes and the Atlantic. Service is effortlessly impeccable: we were greeted on arrival with irresistible homemade cake and fresh lemongrass tea (from the garden, naturally). How better to begin your stay in one of Europe’s most original hotels?
Wherever you stay, make the most of an on-site restaurant and bar featuring the hotel's (delicious) organic produce, an Ayurvedic spa, an outdoor pool and a decked path leading to sand dunes and the Atlantic. Service is effortlessly impeccable: we were greeted on arrival with irresistible homemade cake and fresh lemongrass tea (from the garden, naturally). How better to begin your stay in one of Europe’s most original hotels?
Highs
- The décor is sensational, with rich colours and textures, and stunning ultra-modern fixtures and fittings
- Eco concerns are high on the agenda, with energy monitoring, eco schemes, photovoltaic solar panels, recycling, composting and more
- Nature pervades everything - the wood and pebbles in the interior design, the pine trees and sand dunes beyond - and gives a sense of calm
- The relaxed but attentive service put us at ease straight away
- The location is quiet and unspoilt, but you're within easy reach of Obidos and Lisbon if you need a city fix
Lows
- Although it's close to Lisbon, you'll really want to hire a car to get here and get around
- The hotel is the destination, which is another way of saying that there isn't much to do in the neighbourhood
- Land rooms do not have a sea view, while Shelters are a WiFi-free zone
- We have serious trouble pronouncing the hotel's name (areeas doo sey-shoo). How about you?
Best time to go
The Costa da Prata is a good year-round destination. March and April are lovely, May and June are ideal, July and August can be very hot and it's warm through to September for swimming in the sea. Thanks to the hotel's woodburning stoves, you'll be snug here in winter, too
Our top tips
Don't miss Peniche, a walled fishing town 30 minutes away with fantastic seafood restaurants and a 16th-century fortress overlooking the Atlantic.