Vermelho

In the small Alentejo village of Melides, Vermelho is Christian Louboutin’s deeply personal ode to Portugal. Behind its whitewashed walls, thirteen individually designed rooms bring together hand-painted azulejos, antique furniture, frescoes, art and the work of Portuguese and Iberian craftspeople, while the kitchen looks to the produce and culinary traditions of the surrounding Alentejo.

Story

Christian Louboutin’s relationship with Portugal began long before Vermelho. He first travelled through the country as a teenager and later spent summers with friends in the Alentejo, eventually buying a home in Comporta almost two decades ago. Over time, his connection shifted towards quieter Melides, whose village life, landscape and people captivated him.

Vermelho itself happened almost by accident. Louboutin originally bought a plot in the centre of Melides intending to create a restaurant. When the local mayor suggested the land was large enough for a hotel too, he agreed — and what began as a restaurant became his first hotel, opening in 2023.

Working with architect Madalena Caiado and craftspeople from Portugal and across the Iberian Peninsula, Louboutin created just thirteen rooms. Portuguese tiles, locally made ceramics, carved and painted details, antiques and pieces collected through his travels fill the interiors. Even the building was conceived to settle naturally into the village, using Portuguese materials, lime and reclaimed roof tiles so it would appear to have always belonged there.

Why we selected Vermelho

Portuguese craftsmanship takes centre stage

Hand-painted azulejos, locally crafted ceramics, metalwork and other artisanal details turn the hotel into a showcase for skills and makers whose work remains part of Portugal’s cultural identity.

A deeply personal connection to place

Vermelho grew from Louboutin’s decades-long relationship with Portugal and his affection for the people and slower rhythm of the Alentejo.

Food tells the story of the Alentejo

Seasonal regional produce and ingredients from the local market anchor the menu in Portuguese culinary traditions, complemented by tableware handmade by local artisans.

Created as part of the village

Vermelho sits in the centre of Melides. Its architecture was intentionally designed with Portuguese materials and reclaimed elements to feel integrated into the existing village.

Local life & traditions

Melides belongs to a quieter Alentejo, where village life is still closely connected to farming, fishing, food and the surrounding landscape. Rice fields, cork-oak forests and vineyards stretch inland, while the Atlantic coast has long supported fishing communities and a simple cuisine built around seafood, bread, olive oil and whatever the land produces seasonally.

Craft is equally embedded in Portuguese culture. The hand-painted azulejo is perhaps its most recognisable expression, but pottery, metalwork, weaving and decorative painting remain part of a much broader tradition of making by hand. Vermelho celebrates these skills throughout the hotel, from its locally painted tiles to artisanal tableware and bespoke metalwork.

The result places guests within the everyday culture of Melides — morning coffee in the village, local markets and vineyards, long lunches and evenings shaped by the famously unhurried rhythm of the Alentejo.

Authentic experiences in the area

Taste the wines of the Alentejo

Visit nearby vineyards and producers to discover one of Portugal’s great wine regions, from indigenous grape varieties to the landscapes and families behind them. Vermelho can arrange local wine tastings.

Explore Melides by bicycle

Take one of the hotel’s bicycles into the village and surrounding countryside with a picnic prepared by the kitchen, passing rural landscapes, fields and the Atlantic coast.

Ride along the Alentejo coast

Explore the wild coastline around Comporta on horseback, experiencing the dunes, pine forests and long Atlantic beaches that give this stretch of Portugal its distinctive character.

Meet the makers behind Melides

Discover local pottery, ceramics and traditional craft, connecting the handmade pieces throughout Vermelho with the culture of making that inspired them.

Protecting culture & land

At Lupaia, preservation begins with restoration. Centuries old farmhouses have been carefully revived rather than rebuilt, retaining original stone walls, timber beams and terracotta floors, safeguarding rural Tuscan architecture.

Surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, the estate protects the agricultural character of the landscape, resisting overdevelopment and honouring traditional cultivation. Local produce, regional wines and Tuscan craftsmanship keep economic and cultural value rooted in place.

Small in scale and intentionally restrained, Lupaia protects not only land, but the rhythm and spirit of the countryside.

Location & surroundings

Vermelho sits within the village of Melides on Portugal’s Alentejo coast, between the Serra de Grândola hills and the Atlantic. Beyond the village lie rice fields, vineyards, cork and pine forests, lagoons and immense stretches of sand, while Comporta lies further north and Lisbon can be reached in around 90 minutes by car.

Key details

Address

Rua Dr. Evaristo Sousa Gago 2
7570-635
Melides, Portugal

Getting here

By plane: Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport

By car: Around 1 hour 30 minutes from Lisbon

Transfers: Private transfers from Lisbon Airport can be arranged

Facilities

Xtian restaurant and Vermelho Bar

Outdoor swimming pool

Bicycles available to hire

Wellness area & treatments

Tailor-made local experiences

More

13 individually designed rooms & suites

Portuguese garden designed by Louis Benech

Words from Christian Louboutin, Founder

“I truly think you can’t love a place without loving the people who live there.”

Every stay booked direct keeps value with the people of this place, so they can reinvest in culture, community and land

We believe travel should give back more than it takes; that it can protect cultures, not erode them.

That is why we connect you directly with each hotel’s own website. By booking direct, value remains in the hands of those who shape these places, enabling reinvestment into local culture, community, and land.