While I’ve always wanted to stay on a vineyard, I have until now been rather hesitant. On the one hand, you’re guaranteed some truly excellent wine and some lovely scenery to gaze upon as you try it. On the other, the thought of spending a weekend packed into a barn with 30 insufferable wine snobs in Bordeaux fills me with horror.
Imagine my joy, then, at having discovered L’and Vineyard, an exclusive retreat hidden in the hills surrounding the village of Montemor-o-Novo in the Alentejo region of Portugal. Quiet, peaceful, expansive and inhabited by only a small number of guests (there are 22 suites in total), this was the perfect final stop on what had been a wonderful whirlwind trip.
The location of L’AND Vineyards Hotel
As the name suggests, the estate has its own private vineyard which allows the owner to produce custom wines, and a beautifully-designed bar which allowed me to drink them. You’re ou’re very much left up to your own devices and free to choose whether to lounge by the tranquil pool with views of nearby Evora, or hop on one of the hotel’s bikes and explore the surrounding countryside. It’s only an hour from Lisbon but the noise and buzz of the capital could not feel further away.
Do a quick 360 degree spin while stood by the decorative vines between the main hotel building and the pool area, and you’ll see sprawling fields of green punctuated by towering ash trees and the twisted branches of the cork trees. On the horizon will be waves of rolling hills with scattered villages and homesteads, and bordering the estate just past the pool is a small lake which serves as a sustainable water-retaining basin for agriculture. Complete your spin with a smile and head towards to the poolside bar for a cold, congratulatory beer and perhaps some snacks.
Inside L’AND Vineyards
The man behind the arresting interiors at L’and is Brazilian architect Márcio Kogan, whose Studio MK27 is responsible for the beautiful Hotel Maria Santa Teresa in Rio and the famous Potato Head beach Club in Bali among many, many others. A lot of care has been made to keep the minimal exterior and interior design of this place in tune with the natural surroundings. Lots of slatted wood panels, unobtrusive but huge wooden wardrobes and examples throughout of innovative use of space.
The restaurant is cosy with a large sliding window overlooking the pool up the hill to Castelo de Montemor-o-Novo, and lots of gold, rose-gold and silver orb lights are suspended at different heights above the tables. The bar area is where any socialising takes place and often gets quite lively. Here, complimentary bottles of the vineyard’s punchy red are served alongside complimentary platters of cheese and meat every afternoon between 5pm and 6pm. Guests can sink into the deep leather armchairs and plan the next day’s cycle ride, or take their plates and wine down to the pool.
Just past the pool was our suite, one of the hotel’s 10 SKY-view suites. The reason for the name would soon become apparent, but first I made sure to appreciate the fact that the pool was a mere 15 steps away from my door, that there was a large outdoor fireplace on the patio for quiet evening contemplation, and the personalised half bottle of red wine and welcome note that had been left for me on the wide mahogany table in the front room.
Walking through into the bedroom, the SKY-view name suddenly made sense – above the bed was a large window with retractable blind, giving guests the chance to do some star gazing at the spectacular night’s sky before bed. This was a lovely added feature and made our stay even more special – which is quite clearly the hotel’s raison d’etre. With an outstanding spa, yoga classes, wine tastings and hot air balloon tours, L’and Vineyards don’t dial back the special at any point.
Eating and drinking at L’AND Vineyards
Absolutely one of the stand-out moments for me during our whole week-long journey around Portugal, was dinner at L’and Vineyard. Serving up a sensational fusion of Alentejo and Mediterranean cuisine with an oriental twist, the Michelin Star restaurant is headed up by executive chef José Tapadejo, who combines newfangled culinary techniques with old school, traditional ingredients. We went for the nine-course tasting menu with wine pairing – a two hour-long epicurean odyssey through the finest food and wine from the Alentejo and beyond.
The presentation was superb as was our “guide” who talked us through each course, the reasoning behind the intricate presentation and why the wines worked so well with the food – which they really did. Prepare to be smugly full and just a little giggle by the end of the meal. There are other options available if you don’t want to go the whole hog, but this is a one-of-a-kind dining experience I can’t recommend highly enough.
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George Clode is a travel and culture writer, and a multimedia commissioning editor for travel
