Casa de São Lourenço originally one of the first Portuguese pousadas built by the government in the 1940s, is now a stunningly designed 5-star hotel. Located in Serra da Estrela Natural Park, this is a true year-round destination, about 200km away from Oporto Airport and 315km from Lisbon. We had it for quite some time on our ‘must go-to’ list, and this summer, we decided to finally spend a few nights here. It was a very special occasion for us ( 10 years together!), and luckily, Casa de São Lourenço went above all of our expectations!
We stayed at the Premium Panorama Room, with some outstanding views of the valley – even from the shower! Every room is unique, with distinctive pieces of design from Portuguese artists like Marco Sousa Santos. The hotel’s architecture is perfectly integrated with the landscape, making it a sustainable project that adds value to the surrounding community and Natural Park. We had a very informative chat with the owners’ son, who explained the history of Casa de Sao Lourenço and its relationship with wool and burel. It was truly amazing to understand their impact on jobs in the region and their contribution to the promotion of Serra da Estrela and its local products.
Guests can join a free guided visit to the Burel Factory to get to know more about their mission, processes, and heritage. It was definitely an inspiration to us.
Our days went by more quickly than we desired. Between superb breakfasts, complimentary guided walks in the mountains, afternoon teas, and spa treatments, suddenly, it was already time to go home. Now, it’s just a matter of “when” and not “if” we will come back. We would love to experience Casa de São Lourenço during the winter, so maybe we will meet this top-notch staff again in a couple of months.
And we couldn’t finish this post without saying this: you need to have dinner at the hotel’s glass-fronted restaurant. Yes, the views are jaw-dropping, but just wait until you try the food (our compliments to the head chef Manuel Figueira!)
Add a Comment