Imani Country House

Rooms

The rooms and suites combine contemporary furniture with quirky pieces picked up on the owners’ travels - a beautiful blend that’s offset perfectly by whitewashed walls, raftered ceilings and smooth oak floors. Top-notch amenities come as standard: powerful showers, iPod docks, radios, flat-screen TVs, bathrobes, Eau d’Orange Verte lotions, and minibars brimming with wine, chocolate and even cheese.

Six of the rooms occupy the old stable block, which spreads up a slope from reception. Each has its own entrance and a section of terrace screened by lavender, with a parasol and a couple of easy chairs - perfect for morning coffee, sundowners, or nightcaps as the moon rises above the orange trees. We stayed here in a standard Double Room - it’s the cheapest category, but there was nothing inferior about our heavenly four-poster, the gleaming polished concrete around our bathtub, and the comfy armchairs at the foot of our bed.

A notch higher on the price and size ladder are the 2 Junior Suites, which have the added bonus of wood-burners (worth the extra spend if you're here in winter). One was our favourite room décor-wise, with slick Eileen Grey tables, an antique bicycle above the bed, and a glass-enclosed bathroom (don’t worry, the loo is hidden!) with a sunken tub and a display of vintage sewing machines. The other is a little less eye-catching but has a separate sitting room. There’s also a Standard Suite, which is larger still but has no tub in its open-plan ensuite.

Top of the range are the Superior Suites. One sits alongside the other rooms and has a fabulous lounge with a stone hearth and a collection of old violins; the other is a vast space above reception, reached via a private staircase from the lawn. The freestanding roll-top tub means it’s a favourite with honeymooners, but it’s the only room without outdoor space.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast is served until a leisurely midday in the airy dining room at the end of the garden, where there's a vintage motorbike, a piano and a row of arched windows that catch the morning sun. It’s a tasty spread of all the usual continental fare - cold meats, cheeses, cereal, fruit, bread and pastries, jams - along with bacon, eggs, homemade orange juice and excellent coffee.

In the evening (Wed-Sun), the chef mixes traditional Portuguese ingredients with contemporary influences from Europe and beyond. Although we weren’t able to sample them, the results - breaded brie with tomato jam, veal carpaccio with leak cream, bacalhau and coriander risotto - sound very good indeed.

For lunch (and dinner Mon-Tue), a selection of light dishes are available, and staff will happily set up a table inside or out. Don’t be fooled by the description: the portions are large enough for a full meal. We tucked into smoked salmon wraps, spaghetti Bolognese and a delicious caprese salad, followed by simple yet refreshing bowls of cinnamon-dusted ice cream. There’s also an honesty bar in the garden, stocked with juices, beers and wine made especially for Imani by a vineyard-owner friend of José and Mariana.

When it comes to eating out, Evora’s restaurants are an easy drive or taxi ride away. For traditional Alentejo cuisine (herby game stews, wild boar), head to Tasquinha do Oliveira or O Fialho. For tapas in a more informal setting, nab an alfresco table under the lemon trees at wine bar and deli Páteo. Reception can point you in the right direction and make reservations.

Features include:

• Bar
• Restaurant

Activities

• Spend a day or two pottering around Evora, an elegant UNESCO-listed city of whitewashed alleys, fountain-filled squares and ornately tiled 15th-century mansions. Star attractions include the Roman temple, the gloriously ghoulish Capela dos Ossos at the Igreja de São Francisco (which houses the bones of long-dead monks), and the Aqueduto de Agua Prata, whose arches incorporate a row of houses
  
• Also well worth visiting is the stone circle of Os Almendres, which lies just a short way from Imani. It’s Europe’s largest and arguably most impressive Neolithic site, with 92 stones aligned on the hillside amid a sea of silvery cork oaks
  
• Other historic gems nearby include the hilltop castles at Arraiolos (also famous for its beautiful hand-woven carpets), Alvito and Evoramonte, and São Cucufate, where a medieval convent sits among the ruins of a Roman villa
  
• The region’s other chief appeal is its wine, which is developing a reputation to rival that of the Douro. Hotel staff can arrange tastings and tours of local vineyards
  
• Slightly further afield is Estremoz, renowned for its marble quarries yet blissfully tourist-free. Wander around its dazzling marble-clad streets, then climb the 13th-century Torre das Três Coroas for sweeping views across the plains below. The town’s main square, the Rossio, hosts one of Portugal’s finest markets every Saturday - worth catching if you can
  
• Back at the hotel, play table football or giant chess in the garden, hire bikes for gentle cycles through the orange groves and the rolling countryside beyond, or laze in a hammock with a glass of something chilled from the honesty bar. If the weather turns, play pool (or just put your feet up) by the wood-burner in the communal lounge

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Cycling
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Pool table
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Wine tasting

Kids

This is a serene and sophisticated retreat that we feel is most suited to couples. That said, children of all ages are welcome, and the extensive grounds and 2 pools mean there’s plenty of space for everyone. Kids will also enjoy playing pool or table football, and meeting the resident donkeys.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

One of the Junior Suites can take an extra bed (additional charge) or baby cot (free); the standard Double Rooms and the other Junior Suite can take a baby cot only. If you're coming with more than 1 child, book the Standard Suite or the Superior Suite in the old stable block, which can each accommodate 2 extra beds or baby cots (though note that the former has an open-plan ensuite with no tub). One Double Room and one Junior Suite interconnect - also handy for families.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Imani Country House is a 15-minute drive from the city of Evora, in Portugal’s Alentejo region. It’s just outside the small village of Guadalupe, within easy reach of the A6 motorway from Lisbon.

By Air:
Fly into Lisbon (125km away) or Faro (282km away). Both are served by numerous international airlines - click on the links below for a list.

From the Airport
We recommend hiring a car (see below), though if you plan on staying put at the hotel during your stay, you could take the train from Lisbon to Evora and then get a taxi. Imani can also arrange transfers - see Rates.

By Car:
Click here for our car rental recommendations. The hotel is easily accessible from Portugal's fast (and largely empty) motorway network, although the last 1km is along a rough dirt track. Parking is available on site.

Detailed directions will be provided when you confirm a booking through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Portugal and getting around