Santiago do Cacém, Portugal
Santiago Hotel – Cooking & Nature
Foodie Fave
What it is
A sleek 32-room locavore delight near the sea, with its own vegetable gardens and a terrace overlooking rolling farmland and olive groves.
What it isn't
Actually by the ocean. But with a pristine turquoise infinity pool and room balconies that peep out on the red tile roofs of town, you won’t miss it.
What we think
It’s hard for food-obsessives to find hotels that match their own gustatory ardor. But Santiago Hotel Cooking & Nature puts it right there in the name: this is home for anyone with lives to eat. Architect Francisco Aires Mateus created a streamlined, geometric canvas—with floor-to-ceiling windows and light-reflecting white walls—to serve as the ultimate tablescape on which the hotel’s deliciousness could unfold. We particularly love that their activities list is largely about what you’ll eat next, whether you want to learn how to bake Alentejo-style bread from scratch or ‘cue on a local Ofyr grill.
You're here because
It’s thoroughly of its place; the neutral guest rooms feature work by regional artisans, including hand-hewn baskets, cork pieces and locally sourced marble.
The Moment
You never willingly get up at dawn on vacation, but this morning, you couldn’t help yourself. The surrounding gardens were cast pink in the morning glow, the birds chirping, the olive groves fragrant—and if you ever wanted to stroll through fields like in some Portuguese version of Under the Tuscan Sun, this is it.
Restaurants & Bars
A Terra Restaurant - Traditional cuisine
Location
In the medieval village of Santiago do Cacém, an easy stroll from coffee shops of your Instagram dreams (try the aptly named Kafe Cafe) and Ruínas Romanas de Miróbriga, crumbling Roman ruins on a nearby hillside.