Rural Boutique Hotel in the Algarve
From €130 per night
Opened in 2015, Pensão Agrícola is a stunning six-bedroom rural boutique hotel that we fell deeply, truly in love with.
This undiscovered spot nestles between the historic town of Tavira and Cacela Velha, a picturesque clifftop fishing village.
On the shady terrace guests can enjoy a delicious, generous breakfast, or take other light meals by the plunge pool which is heated in the winter. Fill your lungs with the wonderful aromas that the south of Portugal has to offer – you’re surrounded by almond, carob, fig, orange and olive trees.
Trust us – you’ll be in for a treat.
It’s a Portuguese farmhouse, impeccably restored with minimalistic rooms and vintage decor. All the small details will turn your visit into a big memory.
One of the best breakfasts we’ve ever had.
It’s the real Algarve here, and you’re within easy reach of a fishing village and deserted beaches that are its best-kept secret – plus Faro Airport is only 35km away.
Seafood lovers will enjoy the local and super fresh specialities such as oysters, razor clams and tuna.
Children cannot be accommodated at the hotel.
Suite ‘Armazém’ is next to the outdoor eating area. It might not feel as private as the other suites.
The plunge pool is too small for swimming but it’s perfect for refreshing.
No shops within walking distance but the mini bar prices are super reasonable, which is lovely.
Beach
Bird watching
Cycling
Feed & Groom the donkeys
Fishing trips
Golf (6 courses within 15km)
Hiking/Trekking
Hire a classic car or a Vespa
Historic towns
In-room massages
Kayaking
Plunge pool
Scuba-diving
Tuk Tuk tours
We love the nearby village of Cacela a Velha (5.5km) with its narrow streets and small white houses with colourful windows – its beach is a delight.
Tavira (7km) is considered by some the prettiest town in the Algarve.
Fuseta (23km) has a fantastic flea market every 2nd Sunday of the month selling some interesting vintage goods.
The hotel offer complimentary bicycles and also organise trips to your own desert island – picnic hamper and parasol included!
Once owned by the Silva Gomes family, was built in 1920 as a wedding present to the owners’ only daughter and it remained a working farm until 1970. After 40 years of neglect, the memories of more prosperous times have been preserved and incorporated into the current project by Atelier Rua, Maurice Levy and perfumist Lourenço Lucena.
One of the spaces as found in 2011
It took 4 years for Pensão Agricola to open.
Many of the original house contents can still be found in and around the hotel, preserving a lot of its original character.
We have always enjoyed travelling and hotels. Around 5 years ago we started looking for properties in the Algarve… we saw a lot of them until we found this one. It took us 4 years to create the concept and to get everything ready which involved choosing the materials, the objects, the garden architecture – it takes time!
Neither of us had any experience at all in the hotel industry but we both had a lot of experience staying at hotels as guests. A guest once said, joking, that she could tell I had experience at throwing dinner parties.
We found the house when we were looking in the area. It wasn’t really what we had in mind but it was the perfect location. What really impressed us was that the house was still full of stuff, from the furniture to personal belongings – there was a story behind it all. We fell in love with the house, we felt connected to it.
We kept the main house structure as it was but there was a lot that was in ruins, where we built from the ground up. We wanted to preserve the traditional Portuguese – Algarve architecture whilst at the same time giving it a contemporary touch. We were always careful to maintain the features we could, from the original doors to the ceilings.
Another important thing for us was that all of the rooms would be as private possible, and communal areas should be used as social spaces. All the rooms have windows in different directions and none of them face each other. We paid a lot of attention to the architecture but also to the environmental and agricultural aspects.
The various industrial lamps from the 1940s and 50s are among the many beautiful objects that can be found around the hotel.
Rui loves an art piece which is on display in the living room, by Portuguese artist Joana Astolfi: “It’s an old hotel key cabinet but there’s only one key which is viewed through a magnifying glass. Instead of showing the number of the room it reads ‘Heaven’.”
We’re very close to the best beaches in the Algarve and the sea is slightly warmer than in the rest of Portugal. The weather is amazing, there are some fantastic restaurants serving local cuisine and it’s the wildest area in the Algarve. There are huge crops that go up to the sea and the river valley is a unique natural beauty. There’s also the cultural aspect of the nearby villages, Cancela à Velha and Tavira, which are both very interesting. It’s a 20 minute drive to Spain which means very quickly one can experience a totally different environment and cuisine. It’s only 1 hour from both Seville and Faro.
Well, we had a guest here, who happens to be a director at Vogue, and she described it very well; the real luxury is not a 5 star hotel, the real luxury is to arrive somewhere and to feel at home and to be greeted by someone who makes them feel like they’ve always been here. That’s our concept and our goal – for people to feel good, to have a good bed, to sleep well, to eat well and feel welcome. Every little detail should be perfect, not just the architecture and the decoration.
We had a guest who arrived around 9pm, we had lit the fire and the music was on. When she arrived, she started crying. I was really worried and didn’t know what to do. We soon realised she was crying because she was so happy to be here.
My favourite object is an art piece by Joana Astolfi which shows an old hotel key cabinet but there’s only one key which is viewed through a magnifying glass. Instead of showing the number of the room, it reads ‘Heaven’. We knew when we first saw it that it was perfect for us.
The aim was to preserve the traditional Portuguese / Algarve architecture whilst at the same time giving it a contemporary touch.
We loved the breakfast – it was super generous, varied and absolutely delicious. We won’t disclose much more to keep it as a surprise.
It’s all about the detail.
From the top of my head I’d say Posada del Faro in Jose Ignacio, Uruguay. And another one which is very different, a bit bigger – Hotel Raya in an island called Panerea, in Italy. The location is the most important thing. There’s no point in going to a beautiful hotel in a horrible place, although you also wouldn’t want to go to a beautiful location and stay in an ugly hotel!
I love travelling and I like to try a bit of everything. The last trip I went on was to Nicaragua where it’s all about eco-lodges and the jungle. But I also love New York and big cities. I like to explore, I value authentic places with a lot of character. Places with a story, with their own cuisine and culture. Places which are well looked after and of which its own people are proud of.
The breakfast is simple but high quality. Fruit, cakes, fresh bread and juice, seasonal fruit and then we give it a little touch. It’s something all the guests love and mention but it’s actually quite simple. It’s more about the quality of the produce and the presentation.
We want to build more rooms and offer more experiences such as Tuk Tuk tours and being able to hire a classic car or a vespa. Even in high season it’s possible to access desert islands, we want to be able to take our guests there and leave them with a hamper and parasol and for them to give us a call when they’re ready to leave. We want people to come and enjoy the Algarve even in the busiest seasons.
Ernesto was a 40th birthday present for Nuno and for the farmhouse. He was then a 5 month old donkey. We just got a girlfriend for Ernesto and they’re both moving in this summer too. We’re planning to start a donkey family.
Faro (FAO) – 47km
Lisbon (LIS) – 307km
Porto (OPO) – 593km
It’s a 40-minute drive from Faro to Pensão Agrícola. Hiring a car is highly recommended to get to the hotel and explore the region and the beautiful beaches and villages nearby. Otherwise, you can take a taxi or the hotel can arrange a transfer from the airport.