Paradise In Portugal - Santa Clara-a-Velha

Nature-focused lakeside retreat with guided birdwatching in Santa Clara-a-Velha

Rooms That Reflect the Surroundings

Paradise in Portugal offers family rooms that sleep up to four guests, each named after a local bird species like Andorinha (Barn Swallow). Every room has a private bathroom with hand-painted tiles and a small veranda that overlooks the lake, gardens, or surrounding cork-tree hills. Daily housekeeping keeps the spaces spotless, and the beds are reported by guests as exceptionally comfortable.

Dining as a Shared Experience

Dinners are served at a single long table where guests eat together, fostering conversation among birders, artists, and travellers from around the world. Daniela and her team prepare three-course meals using produce from the on-site garden and local suppliers, accommodating vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets. Lunch is a buffet with hot and cold dishes, and breakfast includes fresh juice, cheese, and seasonal fruit.

Outdoor Adventures on the Lake and Beyond

The hotel's private beach on Santa Clara reservoir gives guests free access to a fleet of canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards from its floating dock. Professional guide Frank McClintock leads half-day and full-day birdwatching trips into Alentejo plains, cork forests, and coastal lagoons, where guests have recorded over 139 species in a single week. On clear nights, the absence of light pollution turns the hotel's helipad into a prime stargazing spot.

Wellness and Relaxation Facilities

A dedicated spa building houses a sauna, steam room, hot tub, and a treatment room where Shiatsu massage and full-body massage are available by appointment. A yoga shala with a wooden floor and open sides overlooks the lake, while a separate yurt is used for sound-bath sessions led by Daniela. Two outdoor swimming pools - one with a shallow end for children and both with pool/beach towels supplied - offer year-round swimming.

What Makes Paradise in Portugal Unique

Frank built two bird hides on the property and near the village of Santa-Clara-a-Velha, where guests can watch golden orioles, water rails, and other species at close range. The hotel operates with a strong environmental ethos: it is solar-powered, collects its own water, and grows much of its own food. The communal dining setup, the host-guided excursions, and the relaxed check-in and check-out policies distinguish this eco-lodge from conventional hotel stays.

• Location: Secluded lakeside property in Alentejo, 6 km from Santa Clara-a-Velha
• Rooms: Unique animal-themed rooms with lake or mountain views
• Dining: Communal family-style dinners with local ingredients and dietary accommodation
• Activities: Guided birdwatching with expert Frank, free canoeing and paddleboarding
• Wellness: On-site spa with sauna, massage and a heated helipad for stargazing
• Ideal for: Nature lovers, birdwatchers, yoga and art retreat groups

Licence number: 1465/AL