Casa de São Lourenço · Manteigas, Portugal

Located 1,250 meters above sea level, the hotel’s construction acts as a device allowing the guests to observe and connect with nature—from anywhere in the building. The result of close cooperation between architects P-06 and Site Specific, the emphasis in the project was placed on preserving the history of the building and how it integrates into the surrounding landscape, following the original project by Rogério de Azevedo from 1948. The modern addition to the building is based primarily on clean concrete, equipped with several local references in its interior. The geometry of the hotel creates large glass surfaces and generous exterior spaces in all of its rooms and social areas, offering outstanding views and a unique, serene atmosphere: almost like one is retreating in the sky.

The hotel’s founders and owners, Isabel Costa and João Tomás have been passionate about the area, both geographically and culturally. They first bought the old sanatorium that today belongs to the hotel group: Casa das Penhas Douradas, located just ten minutes away from Casa de São Lourenço. Soon after, they decided to rebuild a 19th-century wool mill located in Manteigas—today the Burel Factory—where the 19th-century looms still produce a variety of woolen products and burel, a typically Portuguese fabric whose roots date back to the 11th century. The renovation of the mill became a passion project for Isabel and its fruits can be visible throughout the interiors of Casa de São Lourenço: from the fabrics in the rooms to decorations in common spaces, the wool is an essential part of the hotel’s spirit.

Casa de São Lourenço has 17 rooms and 4 suites, whose interior design combines the old with the contemporary, wood with concrete, and burel with wool. Guests can choose among various separate relaxation areas, private balconies, and access to a garden of indigenous species, reminding them of the presence of the mountains at all times. The hotel guests can also use the minimalist SPA that allows the mind to entirely wind down, whether during relaxation at the pool or in saunas, or through one of the carefully composed SPA treatments. An undoubted highlight is also the hotel’s restaurant, named after the Patron Saint of Cooks (St. Lawrence), and focused on the seasonality of local upland ingredients, such as trout, salt cod, and goat. With a menu designed by Chef Manuel Figueira, the restaurant offers contemporary flavors and is inspired by traditional Portuguese dishes, such as fish soups, duck rice (arroz de pato), and seasoned mashed bread (migas de pingo).

In addition to the spa, there are over 250 km of walking and mountain biking paths signposted from the hotel that can be used with or without a guide, allowing anyone to discover unexplored places, summits, valleys, and the lakes of the Serra da Estrela. The hotel offers tailored tours for the guests, and a visit to the Burel Factory, which offers a closer look at the production process of the fabrics used in the hotel, is an absolute must.

The stay at Casa de São Lourenço is a truly well-rounded experience, offering both the charms of its unique surrounding landscape and an insight into the local culture and heritage, all contemplated from its stunning modern interiors.

Address:
Casa de São Lourenço
Estrada Nacional 232, km 49,3 Campo Romão
6260 – 200 Manteigas Portugal