Pensão Agricola
EAST ALGARVE / HOTEL / TRIED & TESTED
Just a short journey from the Eastern Algarve’s protected natural water inlets of the Ria Formosa & the sprawling deserted beaches beyond sits Pensão Agricola, a small rural farm turned small, slow hotel. Originally built in 1920 as a wedding gift for the former owners' only daughter, the farm maintained its agricultural activity until 1970. After 40 years of closure & ruin, it has since been adopted by two friends, who, along with Lisbon-based architectural firm Atelier RUA, have breathed a fresh & cool of lease life into what is now one of the region’s coolest collectives.
The white-washed main house is beautifully revived & decorated with vintage photographs, prints, posters & books found & skillfully integrated into modest yet calming & crisp bedrooms. A pretty terrace & restaurant is where breakfast is served on mismatched crockery each morning, homemade by the ladies who prepare supper each evening & an honesty bar means local gin-tonics served with foraged rosemary can be taken by the pool (which is dreamily heated in winter) before dusk.
Room Service
Location: Tavira, Algarve.
Price: Rooms from 180€ per night.
Highlights: The decor at Pensão Agricola is effortlessly chic meaning that that ‘at home’ feeling infuses into your stay with insatiable ease.
Services: While there is not a formal reception as such, all other services are as hotel-like as you would expect. Breakfast is served daily & dinner is available on request. There is also a pretty Vespa & a tuk-tuk to rent to zip around the local beaches.
Photography by Design Escapes.
The Neighbourhood: The hotel is framed by avocado farms, orange, fig, almond, strawberry & carob orchards, a beautiful rural setting yet just a fifteen-minute drive to some of the best beaches in the region. Pop into Tavira on a Saturday to visit the market & wander the historical streets.
Things to know: While rooms are utterly beautiful none are particularly huge, but for what they lack in size they certainly make up for in style.
The Map
Pensão Agricola is located close to the fishing town of Tavira, around a thirty minute drive from Faro. Fly to Faro & rent a little car to take a road trip while finding some freedom while you’re there.
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