Lodging Review | São Lourenço do Barrocal
Arriving at São Lourenço do Barrocal is a bit like transporting to a different time, or at the very least, into a different ethos. Turning off the highway and following an olive tree lined dirt road, we were greeted at the heart of the almost 2,000 acre estate by a young man dressed in a casually preppy uniform, ready to escort us from the cobblestone parking lot to a cluster of lovingly restored buildings for check in. The whole place exudes an understated elegance with its impeccably stuccoed exterior, terra cotta brick flooring, and crisp white plastered walls. Touches of earthy sage, smokey blue, and cognac leather in the decor pay homage to the rolling hills of the surrounding landscape.
WHAT: São Lourenço do Barrocal
WHEN: All year
WHERE: Alentejo Region, Portugal
PRICE: Rooms start at 225 Euros/night
With stables, a locally sourced restaurant, a shop featuring Portuguese artisan goods, an award winning spa, two pools, and complimentary bikes available to explore the estate’s vineyards, you’ll have no shortage of activity options without feeling overwhelmed. Little luxuries like the turndown service, which includes the staff tidying the kitchen and leaving fresh baked goodies, delight and surprise.
We spent our days taking advantage of all that São Lourenço do Barrocal had to offer, exploring the grounds during the day, and winding down with a cocktail in the bar before dinner. Each night we sat on the patio of the restaurant watching the sunset, savoring every bite of the local specialty: acorn fed pork.
While we could have satisfyingly spent our whole stay in the Alentejo region without ever leaving the São Lourenço do Barrocal’s estate, we highly recommend a day trip to wander the streets of the neighboring hilltop town of Monsaraz, and a visit to the little shop of Joaquim José Veladas Correia to admire the handmade cow bells in a style ancestral to the region.
For an authentic Alentejo meal, have the hotel make you a reservation at Sabores de Monsaraz. We were lucky enough to dine there on the same night the owner, Mrs. Isabel, was hosting a family get together, and while we don’t speak a lick of Portuguese, no exchange of words was necessary to understand the love shared within the family. Mrs. Isabel greeted each relative that walked through the door with a giant grin and an enveloping hug before bustling them to the best seats in the house: an outdoor table with views of the valley below.
We would return to Portugal for the sole reason of enjoying another stay at this wonderful hotel. São Lourenço do Barrocal earns 45 out of 45 stars because really, everything was perfection.
