L’AND Vineyards

Modernism in the Alentejo

L’AND Vineyards could easily have become another polished wine resort. Instead, it feels like a piece of architecture that happened to grow out of the landscape. Set near Montemor-o-Novo, about an hour from Lisbon, the estate stretches across vineyards, olive and oak groves, lake, and open Alentejo countryside. The broader masterplan was conceived with Promontório, while Brazilian architect Márcio Kogan of Studio MK27 gave the hotel its defining architectural character. Low, geometric, and deliberately horizontal, the buildings echo the traditional montes of rural Alentejo without imitating them. White plaster, dark slate, timber, and deep overhangs keep the architecture grounded. The horizon does the rest.

Márcio Kogan, Softened by Craft

Kogan’s interiors are restrained but never cold. Oak and eucalyptus, heavy-cut black slate, hand-tufted rugs from Reguengos de Monsaraz, and tactile natural finishes soften the clean geometry. Furniture and lighting by names including Tom Dixon, George Nakashima, Vladimir Kagan, Jorge Zalszupin, João Serodio, and João Santa Rita introduce a more cosmopolitan layer without overwhelming the local identity. Art by Michael Biberstein and photography by artists including Daniel Blaufuks, Fernando Marante, and Marcio Villela complete the atmosphere. The result is richly designed but visually quiet. Architecture first. Objects second. Landscape always.

Sleep Under the Stars

The Sky Suites are L’AND’s defining gesture. Above the bed, a section of roof retracts to reveal the Alentejo sky. In a region with remarkably little light pollution, that means sleeping beneath a dense field of stars without leaving the comfort of the room. It is romantic, certainly. But more importantly, it is architectural. Rather than adding spectacle to the suite, the design removes part of the building and lets nature take over. Elsewhere, large patios, outdoor fireplaces, plunge pools, and broad terraces extend the rooms into the landscape. Inside, stone, timber, linen, and generous proportions create a mood of quiet luxury. Nothing feels rushed. Nothing feels cramped.

Wine as the Spine

Wine is not branding here. It is infrastructure. L’AND is a working estate with vineyards planted with varieties including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah, and Verdelho. The winery, tastings, cellar experiences, and wine pairings connect guests directly with the land around them. The Sousa Cunhal family, whose roots in the region go back generations, built the project around that relationship between hospitality and agriculture. The estate’s wines are therefore not simply something poured at dinner. They are part of the reason the hotel exists.

MAPA and the Table

Dining has evolved into one of L’AND’s strongest reasons to visit. MAPA, the fine-dining restaurant, interprets Portuguese cuisine through a contemporary lens, drawing on ingredients from the estate, nearby biodynamic producers, and the coast around Setúbal. The culinary direction has been shaped by chefs including Miguel Laffan and, more recently, David Jesus, with the restaurant continuing to build its identity around Portuguese flavour, technique, and travel. Wine naturally plays a central role, with pairings guided by the estate’s own production and a wider Portuguese cellar. Café da Viagem offers a lighter counterpoint: more casual, more open-air, and more suited to slow afternoons under the pergola.

Vinotherapy, Without the Gimmick

The spa takes the vineyard connection seriously. The 800-square-metre Vinotherapy Spa uses grape-based treatments alongside natural products by Austrian brand Vinoble Cosmetics. Timber, muted materials, and controlled light keep the spaces calm, while the indoor heated pool, sauna, hammam, and treatment rooms continue the hotel’s understated design language. Outside, the pool and lakeside areas reconnect wellness to the landscape. Again, the concept only works because it remains grounded. The grapes are not a decorative theme. They come from the estate.

Why It Works

L’AND Vineyards succeeds because every part of it points in the same direction. The architecture is low, calm, and landscape-led. The interiors are sophisticated without becoming self-conscious. The vineyards are real. The spa grows logically from the wine culture. The food is rooted in Portuguese ingredients and regional identity. And the Sky Suites do something exceptionally simple and memorable: they remove the roof and give you the stars. In a country now crowded with design-led rural retreats, L’AND still feels distinct—modern, sensual, and deeply tied to the Alentejo.