L'And Vineyards - Relais & Châteaux5

L’And Vineyards draws travelers with its striking contemporary architecture and the serene ambience of Portugal’s Alentejo wine region. Guests cherish falling asleep under a star-filled sky thanks to the retractable roofs in the Sky Suites and soaking up views of the tranquil lake and medieval Montemor castle. Yet behind the luxurious façade, recurrent organizational slip-ups, inattentive staff, and signs of interior wear mar an experience that commands five-star rates. The hotel leaves a contradictory impression: a magnificent design vision coexisting with an urgent need for cosmetic refurbishment.

Key Observations

Trajectory: The hotel is expanding its facilities — reviews from 2026 happily note the arrival of a modern gym, whose absence had drawn criticism in previous years. The rollout, however, is uneven: rooms still show worn plumbing fixtures, and a recent change of executive chef is affecting the consistency of the restaurant service.

Unique Architecture: Futuristic villas and buildings of natural stone and timber, designed by renowned architects, create a deep sense of oneness with the bucolic Alentejo landscape.

Sky Over the Bed: Sky Suites with their retractable ceiling dome give guests an unforgettable chance to gaze at the starry sky straight from the bed.

Wear and Tear & Cleanliness Issues: Rooms periodically reveal everyday flaws — from cobwebs on dark slate walls and dust on the ceiling curtains to discoloured joints in bathrooms and faulty doors.

Strict Access Policy: Management rigidly restricts outsiders’ access to the property, denying transit travellers and EV drivers use of lobby facilities or restrooms, which frequently sparks conflict.

Main Pros

• Spacious, stylishly appointed suites with private terraces and fireplaces.
• Lavish welcome gifts: personalised bottles of the estate’s wine bearing guests’ names, fresh fruit and sweets.
• An excellent wine-themed spa with high-quality treatments, a sauna and a hammam.
• A varied breakfast and refined cuisine at the main MAPA restaurant.
• Attentive pet-friendliness (the hotel is fully pet-welcoming).

Main Cons

• Housekeeping oversights: forgotten requests (e.g., flower delivery or fireplace kindling), mixed-up names on welcome cards.
• Infrastructure maintenance issues: a broken floor lamp in the hammam, jammed doors at the indoor pool, cold water in the outdoor pool.
• Long waits for restaurant dishes (dinner can stretch to 2–3 hours, which is inconvenient for families with small children).
• Poor chimney draughts in the villas, causing rooms to fill with smoke.

Overall Grade: B

Hotel Overview

Basic Information:

• Name — L'And Vineyards - Relais & Châteaux
• Address — Estrada Nacional 4, Herdade das Valadas, Montemor-o-Novo, 7050-031, Portugal
• Contact details — Phone: (+351) 266 242 400
• Number of rooms — 35 suites and 9 villas with pools
• Positioning & category — 5-star design wine resort and wellness hotel

Description: Designed by architecture studios Promontório and Márcio Kogan, the hotel is conceived as an exclusive wine retreat, harmoniously woven into the landscape. Interiors feature natural wood, stone and works of art, including paintings by Michael Biberstein. Room rates usually include welcome gifts, spa access and breakfast.

Target Audience: The hotel is ideal for couples seeking romantic seclusion, aficionados of contemporary architecture, fine wine and spa treatments. Families with young children may find it less comfortable due to drawn-out restaurant service and the lack of a developed children’s infrastructure.

Location & Transport

Location: The resort lies in the secluded countryside of Montemor-o-Novo, amid the hills and vineyards of the Alentejo. It is a wonderful place to escape Lisbon’s urban bustle, but there is no developed infrastructure around, so guests need a car.

Key Points of Interest: The historic centre of Montemor-o-Novo and its castle are about 3 km away (roughly 5–10 minutes by car). The UNESCO World Heritage city of Évora can be reached in 30 minutes. Lisbon Airport is approximately 80 km away (about an hour’s drive).

Transport: There is no public transport nearby. Guests use private cars or taxis. Tesla Supercharger stations are installed on the premises.

Walkability: On foot you can only stroll around the hotel’s extensive grounds — round the lake and along paths through the vineyards. No pedestrian conditions are provided for going beyond the resort.

Grade: A-

Rooms & Cleanliness

Spacious suites ranging from 75 to 120 sq. m win guests over with contemporary minimalist design, an abundance of natural materials (slate, wood) and huge bathrooms. The real highlight is the retractable stargazing roof in the Sky Suites and the cosy patios with outdoor fireplaces in the Land Suites. Cleanliness, however, raises questions: guests notice cobwebs on the dark slate walls and dust that falls onto the bed when the automated curtains open. Bathrooms show signs of wear — darkened sealant, leaking baths and cracks on the walls.

Grade: B

Service

Staff treatment leaves a mixed impression. On the one hand, guests praise personnel for thoughtful touches — evening cookie delivery to the rooms, birthday wishes with cake and champagne — and single out the exceptional friendliness of baggage attendant Osman. On the other hand, coordination often fails: orders are forgotten, activity times are changed without notice. Particularly noteworthy is the rigid stance of management (notably manager Miguel) towards Tesla Supercharger users: transit travellers and their children are uncompromisingly denied access to restrooms or the lobby bar, ostensibly to protect guest privacy — a policy that frequently leads to altercations.

Grade: B-

Dining

Breakfast is served as a buffet and universally delights with the quality of the ingredients, excellent pastries and a well-balanced chef-designed menu. The MAPA restaurant offers high-level gastronomic tasting menus with professional presentation of every dish. The lakeside bar pleases with pleasant snacks and outstanding cocktails (guests especially recommend the pisco sour). On the downside, during peak hours breakfast may see a shortage of clean crockery, and à la carte dishes can be served at an unnecessarily leisurely pace.

Grade: A-

Facilities & Amenities

The resort boasts a well-developed wellness area: a heated indoor pool, a gym, a sauna and a hammam. The wine spa offers high-quality grape-based treatments. Paddleboards are available on the lake, and trails for walking and horseback riding are laid out. Some elements, however, need repair: doors in the spa area are warped and hard to open, and the water in the lakeside outdoor pool is considered too cold by many.

Grade: B+

Important Notes

• Room rates at the resort are high (sometimes exceeding 1,000 € per night), so guests’ expectations regarding service details are justifiably strict.
• Villas and suites show signs of ageing materials and require cosmetic renewal.
• Fireplaces in the villas can smoke heavily due to poor draught, and there are no smoke detectors inside the rooms.
• The hotel is closed to transit visitors who are not overnight guests.

Practical Tips for Guests

• When booking a lake-view suite, ask for a room number with an index above 4 (e.g., Suite No. 1 has a severely restricted water view).
• If you plan to stargaze from the bed in a Sky Suite, request that the staff thoroughly clean the glass dome over the bed before check-in, as dust tends to accumulate on it.
• If travelling with infants, bear in mind that restaurant dinners start no earlier than 7:00 PM and last around 2–3 hours. It is advisable to order in-room dining or plan feeding times in advance.
• Be cautious when using the hammam in the spa: pay attention to the condition of the floor tiles and light fixtures.
• Tesla EV drivers should remember that the charging stations are on the property, but that without a room reservation you will not be permitted to use the hotel’s facilities (not even the bar or a WC).

Final Verdict

L’And Vineyards is a stunning design project in the heart of the Alentejo that offers a unique sleeping-under-the-stars experience, but it requires more attentive service management and timely maintenance to live up to its high standing.

Overall Grade: B

Breakdown: Location: A- | Rooms: B | Service: B- | Dining: A- | Facilities: B+ | Value for Money: B-

Best for: Romantic couples, design lovers, wine connoisseurs and those seeking a quiet, secluded country escape.

Not for: Families with young children (due to a lack of entertainment and slow service), transit travellers, and anyone who expects flawless five-star service without everyday imperfections.