Meditative escapes
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Herdade da Malhadinha Nova Alentejo, Portugal
EN The story behind the Herdade da Malhadinha Nova
Country House is a story of family, place and dreams
fulfilled. Set in a privileged location in the rural expanse
of Alentejo, Portugal, the winery, which encompasses 450
hectares of fertile land, and hotel were founded by
the Soares family in 1998. When they first arrived on
the land, there were only the ruins of ancient buildings
to speak of. It took the family several years and an endless
passion to restore the structures, which would become
guesthouses, and cultivate the newly planted vineyards
that eventually would be turned into Syrah, Cabernet
Sauvignon and Verdelho wines.
The five villas, whose simple architecture of
whitewashed walls and terracotta-tiled roofs echo traditional
Portuguese farmhouses, are arranged in a constellation
across the landscape and afford sweeping views of the
red earth rolling hills and curling grapevines. Each villa was
designed to have its own unique personality. The aptly
named Arts and Crafts House, for instance, is an eclectic
interpretation of local design traditions, teeming with vintage
furniture and objects crafted by nearby artisans. The design
of the house is “very creative”, says Rita Soares, the family
matriarch, “it takes us on a journey through time”.
The design, which was done in-house by Soares
herself, highlights elements that pay homage to traditional
ways of life, though in a thoroughly contemporary way.
The rounded shape of the bathtub in the primary suite,
Ottocento, for example, recalls the old iron tubs once found
in local dwellings. “It is a style that is perfect for this very
modern villa”, says Soares, “inspired by the past stories
of this ancient property, where local people would travel
to the river to retrieve water to wash their clothes, to bake
the bread, to plant the vegetables or to produce different
artisanal objects with clay”.
In the nearby Casa das Pedras, however, the interior
concept is decidedly more restrained. The building is
formed of thick walls of straw-colored concrete complete
with wide windows overlooking the valley. Here, in the main
bedroom, the Neb tub sits in front of the window like a
sculpture on a plinth, allowing guests to soak in the beauty
of the scenery as they luxuriate. It is thoughtful details such
as these that set the Herdade da Malhadinha Nova Country
House apart. “When we bought the abandoned property in
1998 and started to raise our family, this journey led us to
the mission of preserving and the feeling of a responsibility
to share our way of living and thinking”, Soares says of their
mission. “This journey we want to share with our guests
through the houses, each one telling stories from the past,
the present and designing a new future”.
Neb bathtub
Vasca Neb
Agape Destinations
