{"id":78103,"date":"2021-06-25T14:38:29","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T18:38:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/?p=78103"},"modified":"2026-01-23T16:16:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T21:16:35","slug":"world-champions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/","title":{"rendered":"World Champions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<figure style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210623\/Extramuros.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Villa Extramuros<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4><em>It\u2019s reasonable to say that Portugal&#8217;s boutique hotels are the most compelling in the world, pound for pound. But it might be more accurate to suggest that Portugal&#8217;s boutique hotels are the most compelling in the world, period.<\/em><\/h4>\n<p>Not Italy, not Spain, not Germany, and not France \u2014 not even Sweden or Japan, nor the US or UK. None of these countries has a collection of trailblazing boutique hotels that can beat what&#8217;s popped up in Portugal over the past decade. Despite being quite a bit smaller than those other places, both in area and in population, Portugal punches way above its weight when it comes to cutting-edge accommodations. Even more surprising, the most innovative and inventive hotels in Portugal aren\u2019t located in the larger cities, where you might expect them. No, they\u2019re spread throughout the countryside in forests and valleys, on beaches and islands \u2014 places where they have room to experiment and where creativity isn&#8217;t limited by the cozy confines of urban space.<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ve written often about Portugal&#8217;s legendary run of rural hotels, listing these <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2026\/01\/rural-legends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">extraordinary examples<\/a>. Today we\u2019re taking a closer look at five of the more interesting boutique hotels from that selection.<\/p>\n<p>When we describe these hotels as boutique, we mean it in the original sense of the word. These aren\u2019t the chains or the sub-brands of the established players, looking to fill out a portfolio. These are one-off hotels that could exist nowhere but on their very specific plot of land in their very specific place, built with the care and intensity of a hotelier in love with the country. These are passion projects \u2014 and each one is a unique exercise in advancing the field of hotel design.<\/p>\n<p>And just in time, too. Thanks to its cost competitiveness, stable political situation, and bounty of natural wonders (among other reasons), Portugal has quickly grown into one of the world\u2019s most desirable tourist destinations. And thanks to the passionate hoteliers you&#8217;ll meet below, it also now has unique hotels in every corner of the country, ready to host all those new guests.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/arraiolos-hotels\/villa-extramuros\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Villa Extramuros<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Arraiolos, Portugal<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaExtramuros-6.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Extramuros\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaExtramuros-4.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Extramuros\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaExtramuros-5.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Extramuros\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaExtramuros-3.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Extramuros\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaExtramuros-2.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Extramuros\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Case in point \u2014 <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/arraiolos-hotels\/villa-extramuros\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Villa Extramuros<\/a>, a modernist marvel located in Arraiolos, not far from the historic city of Evora, surrounded by the cork forests of Alentejo. When Fran\u00e7ois Savatier, the French hotelier behind this tiny masterpiece, began work on the hotel in 2012, \u201cit was one of the first contemporary small hotels in the countryside,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n<p>Savatier had a marketing background, but a lifelong love for architecture. Villa Extramuros, a striking edifice in a gorgeous slice of remote natural landscape, is his dream come true. It\u2019s been joined by others in its mold in subsequent years, but Villa Extramuros stands out still, a magnet for architecture buffs and designers, a showcase for local art and handicrafts within a contemporary villa inspired by the 20th-century masters (look up Le Corbusier\u2019s Villa Savoye and you\u2019ll see some of the inspiration). But Francois didn\u2019t ask for anything too specific from the architect \u2014 what he wanted most was simply \u201csomething different and new,\u201d a \u201cmodern house in the middle of olive trees,\u201d forests, and wineries. He got it.<\/p>\n<p>Arraiolos is a tiny town perhaps most famous for its picturesque medieval castle. The staff will recommend a visit, and they\u2019ll point you towards other traditional, surrounding villages, the type of wineries you dream about when you think of the Portuguese countryside, and \u2014 if you\u2019re staying for a while \u2014 to a beach about an hour away. But if you\u2019re just stopping by, drawn by the fascinating contemporary edifice, the private terraces in each room, the several outlying, cork-built cabanas, and the bright, colorful interior design, you might want to spend the majority of your days sipping a local vintage by the pool or taking in a massage.<\/p>\n<p><em>Book <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/arraiolos-hotels\/villa-extramuros\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Villa Extramuros<\/a> on Tablet.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/fatima-hotels\/luz-charming-houses-fatima\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luz Charming Houses<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">F\u00e1tima, Portugal<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/hotels\/slideshow_images_staged\/large\/1444599.jpg\" alt=\"Luz Charming Houses F\u00e1tima\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/LuzCharming-1.jpg\" alt=\"Luz Charming Houses F\u00e1tima\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/LuzCharming-2.jpg\" alt=\"Luz Charming Houses F\u00e1tima\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/LuzCharming-4.jpg\" alt=\"Luz Charming Houses F\u00e1tima\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/LuzCharming-5.jpg\" alt=\"Luz Charming Houses F\u00e1tima\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In the city of F\u00e1tima, it\u2019s the rise of tourism itself that serves as inspiration for one of the most intriguing boutiques, <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/fatima-hotels\/luz-charming-houses-fatima\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luz Charming Houses<\/a>. Here, locals Ana Alves and Pedro Silva felt a nagging desire to preserve, amid all the development, the type of quaint towns they grew up in. Their solution was to create one of their own, creating from scratch \u2014 with the help of history books, old newspapers, and faded photographs \u2014 a small village.<\/p>\n<p>An architectural reimagining of traditional forms, their mission was to preserve, within the bounds of the estate, the \u201csimple and casual environment between neighbors that used to live with open doors.\u201d Visit and you\u2019ll find terra-cotta buildings within a wooded landscape of fruit and olive trees. Take the tour and you\u2019ll stand within a town grocery store. \u201cEvery village had one,\u201d the hotel tells Tablet, \u201cso in \u2018the village of Luz Houses,\u2019 you can find one too.\u201d Theirs is full of local crafts to benefit the region.<\/p>\n<p>The original idea was to recreate and reinterpret the village of Aljustrel. Everything on the property was built from scratch with that in mind, with the \u201cMotherhouse\u201d hosting a dining room and public lounge space, as well as the grocery store full of crafts and artifacts sourced from the local community. Accommodations are anything but antique, with immaculate, nearly all-white decor, polished concrete floors, and open floor plans (suites add a kitchen and private porch). And while Fatima, the town that hosts this cozy little town, is known as a place of pilgrimage after three children witnessed a series of Marian apparitions in 1917, the hotel is consciously irreligious \u2014 even if they hope the feeling of relaxation rises to one of casual, spiritual revelation. To that end, you\u2019ll find little messages (\u201cwhy don\u2019t you try sleeping on the other side of the bed?\u201d) printed around the decor. Why not?<\/p>\n<p><em>Book <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/fatima-hotels\/luz-charming-houses-fatima\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luz Charming Houses<\/a> on Tablet.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/povoa-de-penafirme-1-hotels\/areias-do-seixo-charm-hotel-residences\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Areias do Seixo Charm Hotel<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">P\u00f3voa de Penafirme, Portugal<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/AreiasDoSeixo-sq.jpg\" alt=\"Areias do Seixo Charm Hotel\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/AreiasDoSeixo-5.jpg\" alt=\"Areias do Seixo Charm Hotel &amp; Residences\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/AreiasDoSeixo-2.jpg\" alt=\"Areias do Seixo Charm Hotel &amp; Residences\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/AreiasDoSeixo-3.jpg\" alt=\"Areias do Seixo Charm Hotel &amp; Residences\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/AreiasDoSeixo-4.jpg\" alt=\"Areias do Seixo Charm Hotel &amp; Residences\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There is perhaps no better example of pure passion than <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/povoa-de-penafirme-1-hotels\/areias-do-seixo-charm-hotel-residences\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Areias do Seixo<\/a>. Owners Marta Fonseca and Gon\u00e7alo Alves wanted nothing more than to introduce the world to their coastal hometown of Santa Cruz. It took them some eight years to build that dream into a tangible, modern hotel amid the farmland and ocean and dunes \u2014 a dream nearly interrupted at one point by a viciously destructive storm. It didn\u2019t stop them. Today, steel plates ripped from one of the villas make up the ceiling lamps in the restaurant, and uprooted trees form benches for guests at the nightly bonfire.<\/p>\n<p>Marta and Goncalo describe this setting, with its \u201cwild Atlantic ocean, rocky cliffs, golden sand dunes, and lush pinewoods,\u201d as their natural habitat. They\u2019ve created a place that honors that habitat, welcoming tourists while relishing in the fact that this particular corner of the country is anything but overrun. It\u2019s the kind of place where a \u201cCircle of Fire\u201d sing-along finishes out the day, where guests gather around a bonfire with a glass of wine for a serenade led by the owners. If it sounds a little bohemian to you, you wont be surprised by the focus too on sustainability, where the rooftop garden supplements an organic farm and greenhouse, and natural materials \u2014 regional stone, pebble, glass, and wood \u2014 pervade the charming design.<\/p>\n<p><em>Book <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/povoa-de-penafirme-1-hotels\/areias-do-seixo-charm-hotel-residences\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Areias do Seixo Charm Hotel<\/a> on Tablet.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/sesimbra-hotels\/villa-epicurea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Villa Epicurea<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Sesimbra, Portugal<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaEpicurea-sq.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Epicurea\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaEpicurea-3.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Epicurea\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaEpicurea-2.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Epicurea\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaEpicurea-4.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Epicurea\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/VillaEpicurea-5.jpg\" alt=\"Villa Epicurea\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Another decidedly tiny hotel, five rooms, in decidedly rural surroundings (not far from Lisbon) the <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/sesimbra-hotels\/villa-epicurea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Villa Epicurea<\/a> takes its name from the philosophical system of epicureanism. It&#8217;s a philosophy wherein the ultimate goal is pleasure through a simple life, and when it comes to ancient Greek theories of thought in modern hotels \u2014 we think that&#8217;s a pretty solid one.<\/p>\n<p>Marianna, the Russian owner with a background as a photographer, dreamed of opening a sustainable hotel in the midst of nature. That she did, and though it\u2019s less than an hour south of Lisbon, the activities on offer are anything but urban. Excursions throughout the region include birdwatching trips (250 bird species include flamingos), river cruises in the Estu\u00e1rio do Sado natural park (you may spy a dolphin), surfing, diving, snorkeling, and of course winery tours. Stay on site and you\u2019ll indulge in the organic restaurant and marvelous green views from your balcony or terrace.<\/p>\n<p><em>Book <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/sesimbra-hotels\/villa-epicurea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Villa Epicurea<\/a> on Tablet.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/alvados-hotels\/cooking-and-nature-emotional-hotel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cooking and Nature Emotional Hotel<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Alvados, Portugal<\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210623\/CookingNature.jpg\" alt=\"Cooking and Nature - Emotional Hotel\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/CookingNature-4.jpg\" alt=\"Cooking and Nature - Emotional Hotel\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/CookingNature-2.jpg\" alt=\"Cooking and Nature - Emotional Hotel\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/CookingNature-1.jpg\" alt=\"Cooking and Nature - Emotional Hotel\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20210626\/CookingNature-5.jpg\" alt=\"Cooking and Nature - Emotional Hotel\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Finally, in the midst of the Serra D&#8217;Aire and Candeeiros Natural Park, there&#8217;s the <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/alvados-hotels\/cooking-and-nature-emotional-hotel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cooking and Nature Emotional Hotel<\/a>. Another gorgeous destination in the middle of the country, another location nonetheless not undrivable from Lisbon. The design is sleek and beautifully appointed, but you\u2019re probably curious about what makes it so <em>emotional<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>That would be the rooms, each inspired by one of twelve emotions, or perhaps more accurately, feelings or conditions. Take one room \u2014 Sensuality \u2014 inspired by French cabarets and decorated with deep reds and golds. Or another \u2014 the Happiness room \u2014 where you\u2019ll find a whimsical, mushroom-shaped nightstand and a medley of electric blues and greens. Cooking lessons, with the assistance of a modern chef and local cheese, olive oil, and garden-grown ingredients, fill out the rest of the title.<\/p>\n<p><em>Book <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/alvados-hotels\/cooking-and-nature-emotional-hotel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cooking and Nature Emotional Hotel<\/a> on Tablet.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Forward Into the Future<\/h2>\n<p>Portugal has been one of the hottest destinations for travel in the past half decade, if not more. But those in the midst of its rise say it hasn\u2019t nearly reached its peak. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen a lot of [travelers] coming to Portugal over the last five years,\u201d Savatier, of Villa Extramuros, tells Tablet. \u201cBut I think it\u2019s only the beginning.\u201d The golf courses, the beaches, and the big cities have been thoroughly discovered throughout the rise of Portuguese tourism \u2014 but will the remote rural regions and their incredibly designed hotels get the travelers necessary to fill all of their guest rooms for years to come? Savatier thinks so, and is confident that the interest is about to explode beyond what we&#8217;ve already seen. We\u2019ll have to see how it plays out. One thing we do know is that the hoteliers are ready to share.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>See our entire list of <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2026\/01\/rural-legends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Portugal&#8217;s cutting-edge countryside hotels<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s reasonable to say that Portugal&#8217;s boutique hotels are the most compelling in the world, pound for pound. But it might be more accurate to suggest that Portugal&#8217;s boutique hotels are the most compelling in the world, period.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":78199,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3643],"tags":[3073,3691,3642,3265],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-78103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hotel-spotlight","tag-design","tag-destination-hotels","tag-hotel-spotlight","tag-portugal"],"acf":{"new_subtitle":"Portugal\u2019s Bounty of Boutique Hotels","property_id":[{"id":"8144"},{"id":"7912"},{"id":"5811"},{"id":"9304"},{"id":"8182"}]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Portugal\u2019s Bounty of Boutique Hotels \u2014 by Tablet Hotels<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Portugal\u2019s Hotels Punch Above Their Weight\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It\u2019s reasonable to say that Portugal&#039;s boutique hotels are the most compelling in the world, pound for pound. But it might be more accurate to suggest that Portugal&#039;s boutique hotels are the most compelling in the world, period.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Tablet Hotels | The Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tablethotels\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-06-25T18:38:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-23T21:16:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/portugalsso-copy.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mitchell Friedman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@tablethotels\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@tablethotels\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mitchell Friedman\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mitchell Friedman\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/abb5312ebc20aa7c118d94648b02d8ac\"},\"headline\":\"World Champions\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-06-25T18:38:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-23T21:16:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/\"},\"wordCount\":1747,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Extramuros.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Design\",\"Destination Hotels\",\"Hotel Spotlight\",\"Portugal\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Hotel Spotlight\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/\",\"name\":\"Portugal\u2019s Bounty of Boutique Hotels \u2014 by Tablet Hotels\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Extramuros.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-06-25T18:38:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-23T21:16:35+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Extramuros.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Extramuros.jpg\",\"width\":1072,\"height\":1072},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2021\/06\/world-champions\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"World Champions\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Tablet Hotels | The Magazine\",\"description\":\"Bold opinions. 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