35 Best Hotels in Évora and the Alentejo, Portugal

The beautifully restored 17th-century manor house on Castelo de Vide's main square features a buttery yellow facade and stone stairways to intricately decorated rooms with period antiques. Set in the old stables, the breakfast room has a traditional clay-tiled floor and a huge fireplace. The hotel is the pride and joy of Victor Guimarães, whose family has owned the building for generations.

This manor house sits across the river and offers stunning views of the city at sunset. Ask for a back room with views over an orange grove. Common areas have a cozy fireplace where you can read a book or socialize with other guests. The friendly owners are avid bird-watchers and can help you arrange excursions.

Its labyrinth of passageways, whitewashed walls, vaulted ceilings, and interior open courtyard reflect the Arabic influence in this 200-year-old manor house near the Igreja do Salvador. The breakfasts are special with fresh orange juice, honey from the region, and queijadinhas (cheese tarts). The manor is in the center of town and within walking distance of restaurants. Owner Miguel Bentes has several apartments on an adjacent street, which are a good choice for large families or groups who want more space and access to a kitchen.

This 17th-century home has stone arches and thick walls with original murals depicting scenes from the Alentejo. Drinks are served on a panoramic terrace overlooking the valley, the ideal place to relax after a day of sightseeing. In winter, you can retreat to the crackling fireplace in the cozy lounge. The adjacent restaurant, Varanda do Alentejo, is run by the same family and serves excellent Alentejan cuisine.

This small and surprisingly sophisticated guesthouse—a true romantic hideaway—occupies a whitewashed row house in the center of the walled town. The exquisite rooms are filled with antiques and decorated each according to a different Portuguese explorer's destination, including Macau, Goa, Mombasa, Dili, and Asilah. The fantastic valley views and the sunsets are worth the price of a room.

A five-minute walk from the beach, this two-story complex features several apartments and villas with fireplaces and other unexpected amenities. Some also have balconies or rooftop terraces where you can enjoy the breeze. The restaurant and bar, with its rustic beams and stonework, serves delicious regional cooking. There's a gym and spa, along with an indoor pool.

Just outside town sits this sprawling establishment that is a great option for families—there are huge swimming pools (both indoor and outdoor) and lots of activities for the kids. Parents aren't left out, as you can join wine tastings, city tours, and excursions in the countryside. The modern guest rooms are generously proportioned and have balconies. Public areas are light and spacious, as is the dining room, which presents a delicious buffet of regional specialties on Sunday.

This whitewashed country house is on a huge farm estate surrounded by cork and pine trees, about 3 km (2 miles) outside Alcácer do Sal. Red-and-white-striped curtains and bedcovers elegantly match the red-clay-tile floors, while bathrooms are decorated in blue-and-white Alcobaça tiles. Game lovers can feast in the on-site restaurant. There's also a vineyard and wine-tasting room.

Founded in 1889, this little inn along Beja's pedestrian shopping strip retains its old stone doorway covered in vines and vibrant pink flowers. The entryway and lobby—along with some rooms—are lined with gorgeous hand-painted tile murals of country life around Beja. A common room upstairs has a long brick fireplace and wood beams, the perfect spot to sip a complimentary glass of port in the evening. Rooms are flowery and spacious, and some have lovely wall murals. The abundant breakfast of homemade cakes, fruit salad, toast, and eggs is served in a bright breakfast room on the second floor.

Five of the rooms in this 200-year-old inn inside the castle walls have eye-popping cliff-side views—they're well worth requesting in advance. All are decorated with locally made furnishings, tile floors, wood paneling, and heavy draperies. The restaurant is open to the public only for dinner, serving regional fare.

The only five-star hotel within Évora's old city walls, this property's luxury is unmatched, with sleek, modern decor that echoes the city's medieval character. Just inside the lobby, you can look down through a glass floor to see the ruins of an ancient cistern preserved under the building, on the site of a 16th-century palace. Rooms are spacious, with views over a wonderful central courtyard and swimming pool surrounded by an orange grove. The building seamlessly connects to the city's old walls and aqueduct, of which most rooms offer spectacular views. There are three upscale restaurants and two bars with terraces. Aqueduto offers an array of activities, from Alentejan cooking classes to horseback or bicycle tours of the countryside, and wine-tasting trips to a nearby convent.

Often overlooked in favor of its glitzier sister hotel, the Hotel M'AR de AR Muralhas is a gorgeous oasis with balconies and terraces facing a secluded swimming pool and a pretty garden. This is where the storied Hotel Cartuxa once stood, and renovations have kept that longtime favorite's charm while adding gleaming whitewashed walls and all the modern conveniences. The location is great, within the city walls but far enough to be surprisingly tranquil. Modern rooms retain rustic touches like authentic Alentejo textiles.

Housed in a gleaming white 17th-century convent just inside the city walls, this is Elvas's most luxurious hotel. Each room is unique, and some have medieval wood screens, converted fireplaces, and headboards made of blue-and-white azulejos. Two pools and a terrace are tucked behind the city ramparts.

No matter where you are in this popular hotel you're likely to have a water view, be it the Mira River, the Atlantic Ocean, or the glistening swimming pool. The restaurant, open only to hotel guests, has panoramic views of the sea that are spectacular on a clear day. Good, down-to-earth Portuguese dishes include açorda de marisco (seafood porridge), sopa de peixe (fish soup), and a variety of grilled fish that the Portuguese prepare so well. You can't beat the location, which is right across the street from the beach and a short walk to the town center.

A mile from the historic quarter, this hotel is housed in an 18th-century manor house with sprawling gardens, a heated outdoor swimming pool, and plenty of period charm. Bicycles are free for guests who want to cycle up the road to the walled old city. The main building has colonnaded Arabic-style arches out front, huge hearths and tiled floors inside, and is chock-full of local antiques. You can rent a room or a suite in the main building, or an entire cottage out back. It has one of the biggest, best breakfast spreads in town, with homemade bread and jam.

In a restored 19th-century manor near the old city walls, this lodging has a huge swimming pool and patio overlooking vineyards and farmland that slope down from the edges of Estremoz. Some rooms have their own fireplace and whirlpool tubs. The lovely restaurant, open to the public, is decorated with intricate tile mosaics and a roaring communal fireplace. The luxurious spa is decorated similarly. Friendly, multilingual Belgian-Portuguese manager Evangeline can help arrange wine or ceramics tours, or hiking trips into the neighboring countryside.

If you need to sleep on your decision about which carpet to buy, consider an overnight stay in this picturesque pousada housed in a 16th-century convent that has been beautifully restored and tastefully updated with modern comforts. Although most of Portugal's other pousadas retain their old style throughout, the Arraiolos hotel seamlessly blends old and new, with stark modern decor like Japanese platform beds next to 400-year-old fireplaces. The staff is particularly attentive here, and on request can arrange activities like horseback riding.

Also known as Pousada de Loios, the former monks' cells in this luxurious convent-turned-pousada have been polished with modern conveniences, retaining their old-world style but leaving no trace of monastic austerity. Opulent period furnishings dot bedrooms and elegant public spaces. Order a glass of tawny port and perch by the fireplace in the charming, fit-for-a-king lobby. Superbly prepared Alentejo specialties are served in the restaurant, a marvel of Manueline details.

If you're hooked on Vila Viçosa's history, this 500-year-old convent next door to the Paço Ducal has all the period atmosphere you could want. There are marvelous half-restored frescoes to peruse as you walk down the long hallways. Ask reception to let you peek into a secret chapel from the late 16th century where nuns could pass into the main church undetected. Each room is unique, including one with a tiled passageway and iron bars separating a nun's living quarters from visitors, with a turnstile through which pilgrims could pass gifts. Even if you can't stay the night, you should sip a glass of port by the salon's huge fireplace.

If there's one pousada in all of Portugal that you splurge on, this should be it; dubbed the "museum of all pousadas," this hotel is housed in the medieval Castelo de Estremoz. Each room is different, some with massive four-poster canopy beds and all of them decorated with lavish 17th- and 18th-century antique furnishings that comprise a world-class collection in their own right. The ornate dining room seats 260, amid stone pillars and high arched porticos adorned with chandeliers. From the floor-to-ceiling windows behind velvet curtains in the bar area, or outside on the sprawling terrace with its swimming pool, you have a view across Estremoz below and out across what was once the king of the castle's domain. Another architectural highlight is the soaring, blue-and-white azulejo-bedecked stairway leading from reception to the second floor. The restaurant's emphasis is on traditional Alentejo dishes like perdiz caçador (partridge in red wine).

In the ancient castle overlooking the Sado River, this very attractive pousada has comfortable and tastefully appointed guest rooms with elegant wooden furniture and beautiful handwoven rugs. Public areas are medieval-inspired, with brick walls, stone floors, and torches. 

Several old houses within the city walls were joined to create the Pousada de Santa Maria, one of the area's prettiest lodgings. Guest rooms are decorated with traditional Alentejo furnishings, and the restaurant serves some of the best regional dishes in the village. The back of the hotel is encased in glass, with gorgeous views of the mountains and countryside. 

The essential architectural elements of a castle—including crenellated battlements and massive round towers—have been retained in this pousada located within the walls of the fortress at the edge of the village. Vaulted ceilings, red-clay-tile floors, oil paintings with gold-leaf picture frames, and red-and-gold-patterned upholstery add to the medieval atmosphere. Rooms fit for a king have beautiful arched Manueline windows and stone window benches. More than any other pousada, this really feels like you're staying in a 15th-century castle, with window seats set in thick walls that look out onto rolling plains. The cozy restaurant, open to the public, serves a variety of Alentejo specialties, including an excellent bacalhau caldeirada (codfish stew).

Surrounded by spacious gardens, this former 13th-century convent has been tastefully converted into a comfortable pousada. The former chapel has been preserved and incorporated into the complex. Alentejo dishes fill the menu in the impressive restaurant, with vaulted ceilings and a regular piano player. The bacalhau com natas (salt cod cooked with a cream sauce) is delicious. There's an outdoor pool, tennis court, and a game room for kids.

This sprawling horse farm and vineyard is 7 km (4 miles) from Portalegre, but it feels like it's way out in the countryside, with 360-degree views of rolling hills, rows of grapevines, and forests from the swimming pool. The family-run hotel is a rural oasis in the Mamede mountain foothills, with an outdoor brick oven and trellis-laden patio. The Portuguese owner, Nuno Malato Correia, and his Spanish wife make their own wine, an excellent peppery red, which is served with wine and cheese in the early evening or with dinner on request.

About 8 km (5 miles) outside Elvas, this palm-shaded estate makes for a restful overnight stop near the Portugal–Spain border. The property covers more than 30 acres, with a sprawling main building, 18th-century chapel, and outdoor swimming pool. There's a good restaurant serving traditional Alentejan fare, and an even better bar with huge cozy fireplace. The staff can help you book horseback riding, hiking, or bicycle excursions.

Some guest rooms in this former mill have balconies overlooking the Guadiana River, while others face the town. The friendly management can help arrange canoeing, jeep excursions, or fishing trips and can rent bikes or kayaks.