The one of a kind, HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA Country House & Spa, is not just a hotel — it’s a unique and extravagant space that offers experiences, pleasures, tranquility and travel with exclusive amenities that make your stay unforgettable for a lifetime — place where dreams come true.
HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA is owned by the Soares family and located in Albernoa, Beja, Baixo Alentejo region.
Rich in color and full of sunshine, Baixo Alentejo is one of Portugal’s best kept secrets. Occupying one third of the country’s territory, Baixo Alentejo is a place of immaculate and boundless landscapes of inestimable beauty, renowned for its excellent food, wines, respect for the environment and preservation of ancient traditions and customs.
Here, in the heart of the region, HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA reveals its splendor, an estate surrounded by 450 hectares of vineyards and wild fields that fit perfectly into its natural environment.
DREAMS COME TRUE WHEN THEY ARE SHARED WITH OTHERS
The dream of the Soares family was to find a place where reality would surpass imagination, where nature brings peace and time is not in a hurry. In 1998, their dream came true when they turned a long abandoned land in Alentejo into a place that gives new life to authentic high quality products. This is how the magnificent HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA appeared with its luxurious rooms, spa, restaurant, vineyards, olive grove and endless fields.
Perfect harmony with the idyllic landscape is combined with the modernity and uniqueness of the interior decoration of the estate, which consists of separate hotel buildings & guest houses — each with its own name and character, scattered in different corners of the vast territory but united by time, nature and their authenticity.
“More than anything Malhadinha is a life project, a philosophy. We created this project in one of the less populated regions in Europe with a strong tendency for desertification, and our aim since the beginning was to bring a new life to the space, to improve the endogenous characteristics over time and to be an example to others leaving a legacy, — says HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA CEO Rita Soares, — so the respect for the space, nature, tradition and culture were always our guidelines, and all this missionary spirit made it unique naturally.”
RECEPTION — STARTING POINT OF HAPPINESS
The first building that a guest will enter upon arriving at the luxurious estate of HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA is the Reception, built on the site of an old stud farms that has retained the metal ceiling trusses, bringing us back to the building’s original construction and functionality.
With a variety of furniture, lighting, carpets, fabrics, indoor and outdoor wall & floor coverings, decorative or utilitarian items, the creators of the hotel have given shape to stories from the past, present and future, so that each guest will feel life among nature in a space that is lost on an endless horizon.
Here, the hospitable hotel team greets you with a welcome glass of wine, juice or soft drink, introduces you to the map of the territory and gives full information about all the hotel’s options. For communication between the reception, restaurant, houses and other hotel options, Private Buggies are at the disposal of guests, which will be delivered to the right place at any time.
WINE — ORIGINS OF MALHADINHA NOVA
The main building is not only a reception, this space is for sharing experiences connected to the wine produced at MALHADINHA through organic agriculture.
Wine tastings are held here to the relaxing music of the lounge area, and an excursion to the winery, which is located nearby, can also be carried out upon request.
Ideal weather conditions of Alentejo, good fertile soil, as well as carefully selected grape varieties — Turiga Nacional, Aragones, Alicante Boucher, Tinta Miuda, Baga, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah (red grape varieties) and Arinto, Rupeiro, Antao Vas, Alvarino, Verdello, Viognier and Petit Manseng (white grape varieties) — make up the MALHADINHA NOVA terroir with unique conditions for the production of wines with a special character and excellent quality.
The uniqueness of each bottle of wine also lies in the fact that labels depicting funny animals and birds for each type of wine are hand-drawn by the children of the Soares family.
In addition to the experience associated with wine, there is a Shop where you can buy any wine you like from MALHADINHA NOVA collection, as well as other products made from MALHADINHA’s own raw materials — olive oil, honey, wheat flour. Souvenirs are also presented here, both from famous Portuguese brands and from other countries — clothes, shoes, bags, ceramics, scented candles.
ACCOMMODATIONS — MODERNITY, CHARM & REFINEMENT
HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA offers six guest houses, five on the estate and another one five kilometers away in the village of Albernoa.
They all depict different chapters in the history of a family project built around wine.
All different yet all the same, with a unique character and purpose, the central planks connecting the different spaces together are privacy, exclusivity and luxury.
“There are never any difficulties for us as a family managing our projects, but the most important thing was to determine the project strategy from the very beginning, — says Rita. — The project of the first hotel was developed right at the first moment, but it was decided to start with the production of wine and the winery, strengthen the brand and quality, and only after that, 5 years after the opening of the winery, the hotel business started. We began to expand new hotel facilities, restore houses. Our intention was to create a project of high value that will last for many years and bring joy to guests.”
All houses are surrounded by nature, creating a sense of calm and balance. This is reflected in the interiors of houses, where mainly natural materials are present. Furniture from the famous Belgian brand Ethnicraft, specializing exclusively in solid wood due to its excellent aging properties, resistance and special charisma. The same applies to sofas and textiles, which also use beautiful, natural, handcrafted materials, perfect for a Portuguese sanctuary.
CASA DO ANCORADOURO — HOUSE OF TERRACOTA
Casa do Ancoradouro is an icon of Alentejan architecture. 7 suites (100m2) with a private terrace reaching out to and overlooking an ocean of Alicante Bouchet and Touriga Franca vines, and to Ribeira de Terges in the other direction.
The terracotta floor, made of reddish clay, created from the soil on which the house stands by a master artisan from Beringel, is the trademark feature of this replica of MALHADINHA Original.
Located at the highest point of the estate, the amply sized pool gives the sensation of hanging, immersed in the surrounding landscape.
The room has all the amenities for a comfortable stay: Large double bed, Living room with seating area and table, Complimentary WiFi, Satellite television, BOSE sound system, iPod dock, Underfloor heating and air conditioning, Safe, Tea & coffee machine.
En-suite bathroom with bathtub and separate shower, Makeup mirror, Hairdryer, Bathrobes and slippers, Hermès bathroom toiletries, Fresh fruit and flowers.
Guests are also provided with linen beach dresses, bags and towels for sun loungers (if desired, any item can be kept for a fee).
Casa do Ancoradouro has a common space for all residents — a Bulthaup kitchen, a Steinway & Sons grand piano from 1900, a Living Divani sofa and a lamp designed by Marcel Wanders.
In the morning excellent breakfasts are served in the kitchen, at a large table or on the terrace overlooking the pool and endless horizons.
A large assortment of snacks, pastries, cheeses, deli meats, egg dishes of choice, tea, coffee, fresh juices and sparkling wine.
During breakfast guests can enjoy Olive oil and Honey from MALHADINHA NOVA estate.
During the day you can drink tea or coffee with the cake of the day, and in the evening you can relax on sofas and armchairs with a glass of wine or feel like a bartender by preparing your own cocktail from the items offered in the “Honesty Bar” trolley.
DINING — HAUTE CUISINE FROM LOCAL PRODUCTS
The main restaurant is located next to the reception building, where panoramic windows offer the best views of vineyards and fruit trees, between which majestic peacocks importantly stroll, and graceful storks look out of their nests, twisted on the tops of trees.
In terms of décor, the restaurant has a split personality: one half looks rustic, with wooden furniture and a fireplace, the other is modern, with glass walls and white and emerald wicker chairs.
It’s the fruit of mutual work of renowned Michelin-starred chef Joachim Koerper, owner of restaurant Eleven in Lisbon, and the resident chef Rodrigo Madeira, a cook with vast knowledge of traditional Alentejo recipes.
Inspired by the local regional cuisine, all of the food is created with the organic produce grown on the estate – from the fields, vineyard, olive grove and pastures.
From honey to free-range eggs, olive oil to bread, pennyroyal to tomatoes and the other myriad produce from the vegetable garden, it also includes fish and the Alentejo’s own black pork and beef.
Experienced House sommeliers always happy to enhance every dinner with exquisite selection of MALHADINHA’s wines, including vintages from different years.
EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE AT MALHADINHA NOVA
When creating their project, the Soares family also took care of an interesting and versatile holiday for their guests — horseback riding, hot air ballooning, parachute jumping, canoeing on the Guadiana River, a romantic picnic in the vineyards, a cooking class, children’s activities.
COOKING MASTERCLASSES
Before preparing any dish, together with the chef in a rural car, the guest sets off on a journey through the expanses of HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA.
To get to know local winegrowers and farmers, look at curly-haired sheep and grunting pigs, extend a hand from the car towards running horses or laugh at the frolicking calves.
Guests can observe Sheep, goats, cows, pigs, oxes, chickens, horses while visiting MALHADINHA NOVA’s own farm.
And finally, with baskets in hand, go picking fruits and vegetables for your lunch. After working up an appetite and putting on a chef’s hat, together with Chef Rodrigo Madeira preparing a summer Gazpacho soup and enjoying it with a glass of cold wine.
GOURMET PICNIC IN THE VINEYARDS
To further enjoy the scenery of Malhadinha and touch Mother Nature in her purest state, you should definitely book an elegant picnic in the vineyards.
The hotel team will take care of this by setting the table and spreading blankets and pillows underneath for extra rest during a hearty meal.
All meals are prepared by the hotel’s chef team. Delicious feast in the middle of nature is complemented by MALHADINHA NOVA’s wines.
SPA — TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD
For the ultimate and pampering experience, treat yourself with a visit to the Spa, where you will be offered a kaleidoscope of massage programs and a journey through various therapies practised all around the world — from India to Polynesia, Japan, Brazil and Sweden. It’s the starting point for stretching, reinvigorating and rejuvenating your face, hands, feet, skin and muscles.
Exotic wood, bamboo, heated stones, oils, shea butter, hot candles, shells and wine are some of the natural elements that combine with skilful hands to provide a balance between body and mind.
AWARDS
In the first edition of the Apeno/Ageas Seguros National Wine Tourism Awards, HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA was awarded “Best Wine Tourism in Portugal” and “Best Holiday!”.
HERDADE DA MALHADINHA NOVA has also been recognized with the highest accolade given to the hospitality industry in Portugal, in what is considered the Oscar of Portuguese Hospitality and Restaurants: A Chave Platina, awarded by Jornal Expresso’s Boa Cama Boa Mesa guide.
Rita Soares: “We love what we do and we enjoy working together. The key, without a doubt, is the creation of a clear strategy and its professional implementation, setting your own standards and continuous learning. We are proud to be members of Relais & Chateaux, one of the most prestigious hotel associations in the world. All members of Relais & Châteaux have the same mission: to create emotions and unforgettable moments. When it comes to hotels, Relais & Châteaux claims to attach great importance to the word “maison”, a warm and welcoming residence where we feel ourselves at home. When travelers come to us, they should understand that they are not buying a room, but a completely unique space with an example of respect for nature and the environment, and at the same time, in every corner they will learn about the local culture, the natural balance of organic farms that produce local products, and enjoy a beautiful and carefully designed space and excellent service.”
Herdade da Malhadinha Nova
Address: 7800-601 Albernoa, Beja, Portugal
Contacts:
Hotel: +351 284 965 432
Adega: +351 284 965 210
reservas@malhadinhanova.pt
Instagram: @malhadinhanova
Text: Marina Timo
Photo courtesy: EATWEEKGUIDE
