Vermelho Melides

The place

Tucked into the village of Melides, this is Christian Louboutin's hotel, drawn up with architect Madalena Caiado. It reads as a maximalist take on local architecture — vibrant color, artisanal detail, history layered in rather than smoothed away.

The 13 rooms and suites are dressed one by one. Custom tiles in each, vintage furniture, curated antiques, pieces from the designer's own collection. Italian Frette linens, Kama Ayurveda bath products, a stone bathtub.

Outside, a pool and private gardens for doing very little. Xtian, under chef Emanuel Machado, cooks Portuguese food through a local lens. The bar was crafted in silver by Villareal Goldsmiths; the cocktails are its own invention.