The Convento do Espinheiro (hereafter the CE) is a grande experience that is “different”. It is not your typical holiday resort with beach chairs and pina coladas. It is one where you find peace, an overwhelming sense of history, a sense of pride that breathes through the halls of the grounds… and yet still with the refined luxury & service that one would expect from the Luxury Collections group. It is not en route to your typical holiday destinations (Venice, Mallorca, Santorini etc) but it is every reason for you to “re-route” for a visit to the historic town of Evora. I would return in a heartbeat.

Getting here is easier than it may seem. Once you arrive in Lisbon, get to the express bus terminal (Sete Rios) and approach the ticket counter for a ticket to Evora. Buses are plentiful, cheap and are all wi-fi enabled for a relaxing trip for 2 hours. If you are staying at the CE, they will actually be happy to pick you up from the bus terminal when you arrive. Let the CE know in advance. From the bus terminal in Evora it is about a 15 min drive to the resort. Very easy access from Lisbon.

We were in a suite in the historic wing. The rooms in the new wing are more spacious but we wanted to lie our heads in the very building where the kings used to. The room was large with two balconies looking out to Evora and to the resort gardens. For those who are willing to splurge a little, I would highly recommend these rooms. It has oil paintings, chandeliers, antique-looking furniture and a dining area and is HUGE. Amenities were of high quality too. My favourite part was the bathroom with a view of the historic town of Evora. Nothing like taking a nice hot shower and drying yourself whilst looking out into one of the best preserved medieval towns bathed in the morning sun. Oh, speaking of which, the shower pressure is excellent which is rare for a hotel set in a 15th century building.

The staff are great, not only because they are efficient but because they feel a lot more personal when you interact with them. They don’t talk to you because it is a part of their job to, but because they want to (or at least that is how it feels). All at the same time, they maintain the level of ‘class’ that never gets too relaxed. The same waiter that you have joked around with for three evenings in a row will still treat you royally on the fourth night. The bartender and the Sommelier were particularly note-worthy, with their service, depth of knowledge and willingness to exceed expectations. By the way, I am told that my standards for service are very high coming from Asia and frequenting cities like Bangkok and Seoul (famous for staff bending over backwards for you).

The dining options are not as diverse (especially since we visited during winter when the outdoor dining options were N/A) but you can count on their quality. One thing to note is that the resort grows many of its ingredients on site. One morning I was swimming in the indoor pool which if you look to the side you can see the kitchen to the restaurant Divinus. I could see the chefs running out of the kitchen, into the garden, and coming back and with produce (tomatoes, lettuce etc). Do yourself a favour and ask either the chef or the sommelier for suggestions. They know what’s fresh, what’s in season and what ingredients are in blossom from their gardens. At one night, we were surprised with creations that were not even on the menu – right down to the dessert. They were so good that my wife and I did what we hardly ever do – ask to speak to the chef and convey our thanks directly for a great meal. I am not sure if the following helps paint how much we enjoyed dining at the CE: we never got to go to the super famous Fialho! We cancelled our intentions to visit a restaurant often considered the best in Portugal simply to enjoy the service and the fresh food from the CE.

Facilities are great with various saunas (dry and wet), two pools with Jacuzzi and great treatment rooms etc. But one thing that the CE has that other resorts do not is the daily guided tour of the resort. It took about 40 mins and took our breath away to realize how much depth and history was embedded in the CE (saints, wars, pillages, miracles, the Vatican all come into the narrative) . It is run by either the GM or one of the managers and is very insightful and will get you to look at the property differently. Do not miss it! Another thing not to miss is a wine tasting session by the Sommelier that happens daily. It is different from your typical St. Regis wine appreciation sessions because the Sommelier takes you through the story of the bottle he is opening. He also answers any questions (it is really up to the guests to decide how long this lasts). He will open two bottles and get your palates to appreciate the difference of the Alentejo wines. We stayed for five nights (which is ten bottles in total) and have become Portuguese wine fans.

Lastly, there are gems scattered around the region from the CE, the trips to which are easily organized through the concierge desk. Make sure you visit Monsaraz and at least one winery and do not spend all your time going just to Evora, although it is a town enough to encapsulate you for at least three different trips (a cup of coffee in front of the 8000 year old monument, anyone?). Alentejo is a hugely under-rated place dotted with breath-taking scenery and medieval towns that dwarf many other better-known European cities. Don’t believe what others say about the CE not being worth a >3 trip! We spent five nights and were very say to leave. Don’t forget, that the CE is happy to arrange for complimentary shuttle to Evora which is a big $ saver.

I could go on and on (as you can tell), but I will halt here and just say that this was the best resort experience to date (it used to be the Schloss Fuschl, Salzkammergut). The negatives? The fact that they played the same CD in the restaurant for our entire stay and that parts of the grounds were not upkept well enough (overgrown grass etc)… but if grass and music CD are the biggest complaints I can think of, then the CE must have done an awesome job in serving one of the pickiest guests. Two thumbs up and a sincere “see you again soon”!