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The essence of the Quinta is a small, intimate, holiday retreat for peace and relaxation. It boasts a blend of traditional hospitality, "International home-cooking" cuisine and a friendly atmosphere with excellent, friendly service. Set in a beautiful lakeside location, the Quinta is surrounded by unspoiled countryside with a wide variety of wildlife and rare birds in its gardens and surrounding countryside. In short it's Paradise in Portugal.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English, French, German, Portuguese
Location
Quinta do Barranco da Estrada, Santa Clara a Velha 7665-880 Portugal
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Paradise In Portugal is celebrated by guests for its exceptional cleanliness and charming atmosphere, with its well-kept rooms and gardens earning high marks. The hotel's amenities, including comfortable rooms with stunning lake views and a variety of activities, receive consistent praise.
Reviewers are enchanted by the tranquil, wildlife-rich location and the personalized, attentive service that makes every stay memorable. The unique decor and private patios of the rooms further enhance the experience for many travelers.
Location
Secluded
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Abundant
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This is a truly magical property, nestled among cork trees overlooking a beautiful lake, operated and owned by the most lovely people. We stayed here for a week long yoga retreat and were cared for as though we were family from the day we arrived to our departure. You can feel the immense level of care all over the property: the huge yoga shala that looks out to the lake; the cozy yurt perfect for sound healing; the paths lined with beautiful flowers, buzzing bees and singing birds as you meander down to the sauna or the water. All of the rooms are comfortable and clean, each with its own little patio perfect for sipping tea made from fresh herbs out of the garden while enjoying a good book. Every meal was delicious, abundant, nourishing and prepared with so much love. There is so much about this property that can’t be described in words, you simply must experience a stay here to fully understand how special it is. We cannot wait to get back to Paradise in Portugal!
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We enjoyed our stay in Portugal and at Paradise in Portugal very much. The quinta is in a very quiet location, surrounded by unspoilt countryside - we loved driving through the miles of wooded hills in the area around it. There was a warm welcome and our room was comfortable and decorated in charming style. The quinta grounds are lovely and we enjoyed bird-watching in the garden. The food was good and plentiful, Daniella’s cakes were especially delicious and she was most accommodating to our dietary requirements. Frank organised a truly wonderful and forever memorable day of birdwatching for us at short notice and went out of his way to make sure we saw as many birds as possible. He also helped us to go birding on our own, recommending locations and lending us some equipment. Our hosts could not have tried harder to make our stay as nice as possible.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We stayed four nights at the Quinta do Barranco da Estrada to relax and do some birding with host Frank McClintock, an accomplished birder and wildlife photographer. Our room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. The Quinta is “off the grid” but everything ran without a hitch on their solar and generator powered system. The meals at the Quinta were excellent, as co-host Daniela is an accomplished chef.
Frank took us birding on the Alentejo plain south of the Quinta, along rural roads, and also along the Atlantic coast. We were there in October, the tail end of birding season, but we saw lots of birds.
The Quinta is situated on a ridge top up an unpaved but well-maintained road a couple of miles from the nearest town and overlooking a huge reservoir lake. Steps from the Quinta lead down to the water. The premises have a lush garden that attracts birds and butterflies. Quinta staff met us at the Santa Clara-Saboia train station when we arrived and took us back to the station for our return trip to Lisbon. There is also local taxi service. Another couple who stayed there while we were there drove their rented car to the Quinta.
In short, the Quinta do Barranco da Estrada merits the name the hosts bestowed on their business: “Paradise in Portugal.” We had a good time there and enjoyed interacting with the hosts and with the other guests.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed three nights at the Quinta and should have stayed longer. We wanted to combine some circular walks on the Rota Vicentina with some opportunities to see birds. We were not disappointed. The atmosphere at the Quinta is relaxed, friendly and informal but everything works like clockwork. The bird trips are well-organised and one benefits from Frank's 35 years of experience of birding in Portugal. The food is wonderful with a buffet breakfast and a vast communal evening meal. Lunch (which we never needed) can be arranged. The Quinta is self-sufficient with solar power and has its own water supply. Both water and power are plentiful. WiFi access is good. The rooms are clean and there are hand-painted designs of birds and butterflies on the tiles in the bathroom. The gardens are beautiful and stacked with flowers a few of which are cut to decorate the rooms. The site overlooks an enormous lake which is quiet and unspoilt. The Quinta has facilities for fishing and paddle boarding and other water activities (which we did not use). The site is remote and the nearest village is 20 minutes away. The grounds are on a slope which might be tricky for those with significant mobility problems. The hospitality shown to us by Frank and Daniella and their team was exceptional. All over the Quinta it is clear that great thought has gone into the design. There are too many beautiful details and touches to mention them all individually.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:The Quinta is superb-relaxed, informal but also efficient.
The site is on a slope which may not...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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It is indeed a paradise. 15 minutes of bumpy road and suddenly this breathtaking view of the lake, and this house among the flowers. It's not really the ideal place to explore Portugal because you're a bit far from everything: but that's precisely what you need to come here for: peace, silence, contemplation. You have to enjoy the tranquility of the place and recharge your batteries. Take a long swim in the lake, borrow the canoes provided. Read, meditate. Our children were old enough to enjoy the place as well. So it was a very pleasant stay.
The rooms are beautiful and spacious, meals (absolutely delicious) are taken together in the evening, at a large table d'hôte where all nationalities come together.
We really enjoyed leaving early in the morning in the surrounding countryside and following Franck so that he could show us the birds.
A big thank you to Franck and Daniela for their warm welcome.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I chose Paradise in Portugal for the birding excursions that you can book with Frank and because his location is on a lake. The birding and Quinta far exceeded our expectations. The lake is clean and water was perfect temp even in April. We paddleboarded all around the lake and many others canoed or kayaked. The setting is a verdant oasis surrounded by rocky, dry hills. Frank’s place has many different paths and sitting areas, some looking like English garden and some almost jungle like. Every room has a patio from which to watch birds and a view of the lake from elevation. Frank and Daniella have worked very hard to provide attractive plants for the birds that serve as a feast for the eyes. The room was very comfortable with plenty of hot water and comfortable bed. The dinners are a unique experience. All guests eat at the same large candlelit table, being served a delicious 3 course meal prepared by Daniella. I loved being able to interact with the other guests from all walks of life and different countries. Evenings are quiet as many guests have been up early (4:30 AM) to go birding. The birding was fantastic. Frank and Tony covered huge areas to ensure we got some rare offerings - cuckoos, cetti’s warbler, rollers, Wryneck, water rails, purple swampies, gorgeous bee eaters, I got somewhere around 90 lifers The half day local birding was my husbands favorite- a real taste of rural, real life Portugal. The days are long, but packed full of varying scenery, good conversation and birds birds birds. Frank was very accommodating, picking us up at airport in Faro and birding all the way back to paradise. We got a drop off at Santa Clara train station for an easy ride to Lisbon. Only downside- our time was too short.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The whole facility was a single large ornate garden on a hillside. The rooms were small and simple but nice rooms with large and fresh bathrooms with breathtaking views of the lake and mountains. It was a very nice host couple who created a family atmosphere with places for both socializing and reflection. The food was well cooked and varied and there were good wines available with the food. The bird watching was facilitated by our knowledgeable, friendly and flexible guide and that there were a couple of hiding places available.
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Date of stay: October 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Frank McClintock, Owner at Paradise In Portugal
Responded 19 Oct 2021
Tack Inken & Lars - jag älskar dig, 😉
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The quinta is rather isolated if you don't have a car but it is very peaceful and quiet. We slept very well. The rooms are rustic but perfectly functional. The gardens are lovely and we enjoyed swimming and kayaking on the lake. The bird watching with Frank was excellent; he is very good at knowing where to go including many tracks which would be almost impossible to find on your own. We saw more than 90 species in 4 outings. The food is good and the communal evening meals were particularly enjoyable with lots of interesting conversation.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have travelled all over the world and I have to say this stay was one of the best retreat settings have experienced. First, the location is stunning. The area, happily off the beaten path, is idyllic and full of flora, birds and trees unique to the area including the local cork. The view from all rooms (and individual porches) is of a lake and hills. It is built on the side of a slope and despite that they have easy paths that do not require a lot of work with little outdoor rooms to sit and admire the views all the way to the lake where you can paddle away on their kayaks/canoes or take a dip in the lovely waters even in October.
The Villa was built stone by stone by Innkeeper Frank, Daniela and their community. The decades labor of love shows in the best way possible. The rooms are unique and decorated with what I assume what they picked up over time locally and on their own travels. Frank is quick to offer a story if asked of the adventure associated. He is a bird expert and offers bird tours. There is a bird hide on property as well as a plunge pool, outdoor yoga studio, and fantastic yurt where it is a treat if Daniela offers a 'sound bath' before bed- don't miss that opportunity. All impeccably maintained and laundry services offered.
They also have community meals. I was there for an art holiday. This was a special time of the day and to discuss the day and hear about others local adventures. The food was cooked by Daniela and team and outstanding. We agreed at dinner with Frank she should write a cookbook.
Frank also offered in addition tour art class, a gentle walk in a local area to get inspiration as well as a tour to a local potter. Overall, very laid back. If you want a retreat, to bird, water sports, fish, relax, do art, yoga etc. and get away, go to Paradise!
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:The wild boar room was a bit bigger and lovely. Had a side room for kids
Be sure to try the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paradise in Portugal is exactly that....Paradise!! We were a multigenerational family of 8 adults traveling from the US to spend time together birdwatching and just relaxing and enjoying each others' company. We had 1 true birder in the group; the rest of us were ready and willing to just enjoy nature. We had 3 days of amazing birding (50+ species the first full day). I am not a morning person and yet here I was up at 4:30 AM to get started!! I saw 3 sunrises in a row!! After birding we played in the lake (canoeing, paddle boarding) followed by our family's own little happy hour. No TV's and we did not miss them either. We did not rent a car so had all our meals at the lodge - the food was amazing. We did not miss the stress of finding a restaurant, stressing about seating for 8 etc. Various food diets (vegetarian, gluten-free) were easily accommodated. We highly recommend including some local wines - incredibly affordable and delicious. For an extra (and very reasonable charge) we were provided transfers for all 8 of us to/from the Lisbon airport. I made all of our arrangements via email and 1 quick whatsapp phone call with Frank. Nothing was a surprise except maybe the fact that all of our expectations were met. Thank you, Frank and Daniella, for making this vacation one of our most memorable.
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Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
"The wild boar room was a bit bigger and lovely. Had a side room for kids
Be sure to try the sound bath (optional)
It's a true immersion in area, not a tourist trap. "
There are more places to choose from in the Santa Clara a Velha area.
PRICE RANGE
£124 - £129 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
quinta do barranco da estrada hotel santa clara a velha
LOCATION
PortugalAlentejoBeja DistrictSanta Clara a Velha
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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