Last Updated on March 1, 2021 by WFD
Craveiral Famhouse is the passion project of the founder Pedro Franca Pinto, a Lisbon lawyer who had dreams of becoming a farmer.
A life defining project, he bought the land over 10 years ago, taking an unloved field of carnations and transforming it into Craveiral Farmhouse. More than a luxury hotel, it is dedicated to leaving a positive impact on the world, providing unique experiences for guests looking to connect with nature and understand rural life.
A sustainable quinta in the hills of Odemira in Alentejo, the unspoilt region offers guests the opportunity to experience an authentic Portugal with plenty on offer for travellers in search of a private getaway.
The area is known for its verdant olive and cork fields, rugged landscape, beaches, charming fishing towns and nature parks. An unsung culinary destination, Alentejo’s cuisine is famous throughout Portugal for good reason.
Craveiral Farmhouse is located on nine acres of land, a collection of 38 whitewashed self-contained cottages with simple wooden terraces which are surrounded by pine forest and fruit trees. The interiors pay homage to Portuguese design with local furniture brands such as DAM and WeWood.
There are four swimming pools, a well-being area, an educational farm with animals (donkeys, horses, pigs and goats to name a few), an orchard of indigenous trees, a permaculture garden, nature centre and small shop.
Plenty of activities are on offer, guests are encouraged to ride the farm’s horses and donkeys there are 4×4 and quadbike tours, picnics with homemade products and BBQ’s. With a concept of luxury through simplicity, there is emphasis on connection with nature and serenity.
Respecting the environment has been a priority since the hotel’s conception, sustainability plays an integral part of the property’s DNA.
There are a wide host of eco initiatives including the collection of filtered rainwater, reuse of the restaurant’s organic waste and burning of old trees as fuel for wood burning stoves. It is fundamentally a nature experience, guests are offered the chance to help at the educational eco farm, caring for the animals and assisting at the vegetable garden and orchards.
Craveiral recognises the importance of playing an important role in the community as it strives for a fairer and more inclusive society. The social project at the hotel, Craveiral Pizzeria com Vida by In Bocca al Lupo employs young people with autism, asperger’s and down syndrome. For each meal bought at the hotel’s organic pizzeria, 1€ is also donated to the charity, Associação Vila.
New this year, the hotel has opened the Craveiral Farm Table by Alexandre Silva which is set to become a destination restaurant at the forefront of Portugal’s culinary scene.
The Michelin Starred Head Chef, Alexandre Silva has designed a menu which promises generous and authentic food experiences dedicated to challenging the pallet. With an emphasis on locally produced ingredients, the seasonal produce is sourced from Craveiral’s own eco farm and orchard in addition to local producers. Silva aims for seventy percent of the menu’s ingredients to come from the gardens and orchards at the hotel.
With a number of projects in the pipeline, Craveiral plans to make products under its own brand that explore the culinary, medicinal and cosmetic potential of the fruit and plants grown on the land. Further details to revealed later in the year.
Craveiral Farmhouse is located 15 minutes from the beaches of Zambujeira do Mar and Carvalhal, in the Southwest Alentejo. The nearest airport is Faro.