Casa-Mae Lagos Portugal

Restored townhouse luxury boutique hotel

Located in the heart of the rustic seaside town of Lagos, southern Portugal, Casa Mae is a newly  developed boutique hotel. The traditional building has been restored and transformed into a minimalist, chic, yet still very much Portuguese haven nestled amongst the historic surrounds.The interiors have been sourced to perfection; using local fabrics and furnishings, not to mention the stunning yet discreet swimming pool outside the main building. There are three buildings which make up the premises: the main old house, the cabanas and the newly opened modern apartments. 

Saute'ed Prawns

As for the dining experience, the bar was set high for us as we’ve been coming to this part of Portugal for the best part of 10 years and having previously owned a house in the area, we’ve learnt what little gems lie in the town serving up great quality and incredibly inexpensive seafood. To our delight, the unfussy menu did not disappoint here at Casa-Mae. Breakfasts consisted of modern, creative dishes like avocado served with fresh lime, dried orange and chia seeds, perfectly paired with rustic bread and poached eggs upon request. The lunch and dinner menus did not leave us short of choice, every dish looked amazing. Personal favourites were the sautéed prawns of all different sizes (a nice visual touch) and the open air ‘Churrasqueria’ which served up a delicious plate of charcoal grilled Corvina (croaker fish) with a side of kale and roasted vegetables.

Julio the farmer

Poached Monkfish & Broccoli

What is really amazing about the food at Casa Mae is its local sourcing with most of the fruit and vegetables being grown at their nearby farm. The farmer, the nature-loving Julio Machado, grows Kale, Strawberries, Cabbage, Beetroot to name just a few and hand rears chickens for delicious eggs too. The chickens here were some of the best kept we’ve seen! Not only do they roam the grounds freely but they also have a luxury hen house, complete with antique-style chairs and a chandelier fit for any French interior design show! Julio’s hard work and genuine care for his farm comes out in the incredible flavours of everything he produces, a lovely man with a simple yet incredibly idyllic lifestyle…we’re jealous!

Overall, our stay at Casa-mae has been an absolutely incredible experience. Not only is it in our favourite part of Portugal, styled to feel just like the town we know and love, but it is a friendly, calming oasis to kick back and relax in the dry heat of the sunny Algarve. We’re already counting down the days until we can come back !