Casa Ella

A Breezy, Beachy Compound Built for Lounging

A cluster of three cottages that make up one home, this villa for rent in Portugal is located minutes from the Alentejo coastline in the middle of a pine forest. Better still, it's situated on a private 11.5-hectare estate, with plenty of space for lounging, both inside and out. Interiors were designed by Marta Mantero, a local decorator who specializes in Moroccan arts but draws influences from the rest of Africa, as well as India. 

We love the natural wood of the exposed walls, ceilings and terraces that, along with the palapa roofs, lend the spaces a weathered beachy feel. Other notable details include the gently shimmering walls of tiles (aqua on the terrace and cream in the kitchen), the vibrantly patterned headboard in the master bedroom, and the soft, natural textiles that give the home a deliciously laid-back vibe.

This property is made up of three cabanas. The first houses two living rooms, an open-plan kitchen with a dining table for up to 14 guests, and the master bedroom, with its own private veranda and a bathroom with shower and soaking tub. The second house has two guest suites with queen beds, shower rooms, and a veranda that's shared between the two. House three is for the kids, with one bunk and two single beds in each of its two bedrooms, with a shared bathroom and veranda.

Outside there's a terrace with another large dining table and an expansive pool deck with sunbeds, shades, and plenty of places to lounge in the sun.

This villa for rent in Portugal is a great space for large groups who want to enjoy space and privacy, while also relaxing and socializing together.

AROUND

Casa Ella is located in the Muda Reserve, a residential community that combines countryside living with proximity to the beach. It's between Comporta and Grândola, only 5km from the Alentejo coast, and one hour from Lisbon. It's quiet and off the beaten track, but it's also within easy reach of supermarkets and restaurants.

Comporta is nearby, the buzziest village in Portugal’s Alentejo coastal area, the region regarded as one of Europe’s only remaining unspoiled coasts. The land around Comporta was once owned by Portugal’s king and became the property of a prestigious family in the 1950s that welcomed their jet set friends to the rugged coast and its agricultural inlands. Still small and pretty, Comporta has become a favorite spot for those in the know who come to enjoy its boutique atmosphere, art galleries and cafes. The nearby coastline is pristine, striking in its wide expanses of empty beaches.

Historically a rural area with an agricultural focus, this region is known as Portugal’s breadbasket. Rice paddies are surprisingly abundant, and the countryside is covered in fields growing asparagus and grains (wheat, rye, and oats), as well as grapevines and olive trees. Twisting cork oak stands line the roadways, many of the trees recently harvested for cork making, revealing their unique, orange cores. Designers and artists have moved to the area in recent years, and the New York Times recently dubbed the Alentejo coast “what St. Tropez used to be in the 1950s,” authentic and untouched.

LOCATION

Muda Reserve, Comporta, Portugal. Nearest airport: Lisbon (128km).

BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to October. The house is not available between December and February.