IF you challenged me to turn my grandad’s house into a hotel inspired by his memory, I’m not sure it would win any awards.
But when Carlos Fernandes and his sister Vania inherited their grandparents’ home in the Ria Formosa Nature Park near Faro in Portugal’s Algarve, something special happened.
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Combining local materials with memories of their grandfather and architect Vania’s eye for minimalist design, the pair created stunning nine-bedroom retreat Casa Modesta.
The 3* hotel features stucco walls, terracotta tiles and sparse wooden furnishings.
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The curated memories and trinkets range from ornaments in the kitchen to cartoon family portraits behind the check-in desk and hand-me-down tableware.
Bright crochet-covered urns, made using an old fishing wire technique, hint of grandfather Joaquim’s life as “an old sea dog” who would sell his catch from a small market building on the property.
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The market is now a communal kitchen with secret wine cellar below the terracotta floor.
It houses an honesty bar and a traditional fire used for baking classes run by 85-year-old grandmother Carminda.
Rooms have private rooftop patios with ocean views over the olive and lemon trees.
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The pool is eco-friendly and kept clean with copper, not chemicals, so the excess water can be used on the garden.
Eating breakfast at the communal family table, Grandad’s old casa truly feels like a home.
