Vermelho Hotel

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Vermelho Hotel *

Inside Christian Louboutin’s Glamorous First Hotel in a Hidden Corner of Portugal.

5-star

The Portuguese village of Melides still feels like a well-kept secret. Despite being just an hour and a half south of Lisbon, and 20 minutes from its buzzy neighbor Comporta, the sleepy hamlet appears as if frozen in time from the 19th century. At its center is a cobblestoned square, where a whitewashed church spire looms over tiny family-run restaurants with outdoor terraces and rows of terracotta-roofed cottages with wrought-iron balconies. On a warm spring day, it’s entirely deserted—as is the beach, a golden, windswept slice of the Alentejo coast, that’s only a 10-minute drive away. 

But change is afoot. Wind down the town’s meandering lanes, past orange trees and closed shop fronts, and you reach an imposing door carved out of dark wood. Behind it is a hive of activity, as the final touches are put on a property that is guaranteed to draw in a stylish new crowd and slowly transform this region into one of the hottest destinations in the country: Vermelho, the first hotel from the legendary shoemaker Christian Louboutin.

The designer, who’s owned homes in Lisbon and Comporta since the ’90s, stumbled upon Melides just over a decade ago. The story goes that he’d had an accident and was driving back from a local hospital when he noticed the picturesque town, bordered by lush forests and an expansive lagoon. He bought a fisherman’s house on its shores soon after and continues to return twice a year, both to work and unwind (his now-extended compound includes an atelier with panoramic views of the water). Louboutin’s hope, with Vermelho, is to share the raw natural beauty of his surroundings with visitors who might previously have bypassed this province in favor of Portugal’s largest cities or the Algarve—but he’s equally keen to preserve the tranquility that brought him here in the first place.

This is a short stop over to a larger city such as Porto, Sevilla or Costa Del Sol, (2 or 3 days) or for an intimate affair with friends, rooms available.

Transportations

 

Beja Airport

Prearrangements Military Airport

Accepts private upon request with FBO 24hrs.

 

Resort

Travel Advisory
March 3, 2025

Portugal - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

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