What’s your favourite hotel worldwide?
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!
Where do you tend to go on holiday?
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.
We fell in love with your breakfast, very impressive! Can you tell us a bit about it?
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.
Any plans for the future?
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.
How did Ernesto the donkey end up here?
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.