The day when your red-bottomed shoes match your ultra-chic vacation home is finally here. World-renowned fashion powerhouse Christian Louboutin has launched his very first hospitality project, a boutique hotel called Vermelho.
Located in Melides in southern Portugal’s Alentejo region, the hotel offers 13 rooms and an interior decor that pays homage to the designer's iconic work, with his signature red-coloured details adorning the tiles, doorways, and furniture.
The quaint village of Melides, which is just an hour and a half away from southern Lisbon and 20 minutes from Comporta, is home to cobblestoned streets, family-run restaurants, a golden beach, and welcoming shopfronts. Christian Louboutin’s hotel is expected to draw in a stylish crowd, slowly transforming the region into a must-visit on everyone’s travel wishlist.
The designer has owned homes in Lisbon and Comporta for decades now, so he knows the area well. According to Vogue, Louboutin came across Melides for the first time while driving back from a local hospital after having an accident. Soon after that, he bought a fisherman's house by the shore, which he visits twice a year. The magazine says that Louboutin hopes to both preserve the tranquillity of the place and share its raw beauty with people who have never stopped by.
The fashion magnate has decorated the hotel with his own personally sourced furniture, art, and ceramics, paying special attention to celebrating Portuguese talent and traditions. So, those who book a stay are sure to get a more intimate understanding of the designer’s aesthetic.
The activities available in and around the hotel include wine tastings at local vineyards, exploring the nostalgic village squares, sunbathing in the hotel gardens, a well-deserved spa break, or dining at the Xtian restaurant overseen by Portuguese chef David Abreu.
Louboutin has already bought a second property overlooking the lagoon just minutes away from Vermelho – and he’s supposedly also working on a third property nearby, too. So, travellers heading to Portugal can expect plenty of chic staycations in the coming years.
Did you hear that this could be ‘The White Lotus’ hotel for season three?
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