5 Reasons to Visit Casa Mae in Lagos, Portugal
Nearly three years ago I took a trip to Portugal with my Mom for the very first time. We boarded an early morning flight from London and arrived in Porto just in time for lunch at the lovely Bacalhal overlooking the Douro River. After a full day in Porto, a short stay at the fabulous Qunita do Vallado (more on this later), and a few nights in Lisbon, it’s fair to say I was hooked on all things Portugal.
A month or so after our holiday, my Mom came across a short write-up in the New York Times travel section on a new boutique hotel based in Portugal’s southern coast, the Algarve. As soon as I read the article on Casa Mae, I knew I had to plan a trip! Though it took me longer than expected to finally make it to Casa Mae, I can say with complete confidence that it was absolutely worth the wait. Below are 5 reasons to make Casa Mae your next holiday destination:
1. The Story
Born in Paris, Veronique Polaert worked as an investment banker in London before saying goodbye to her city life and making the ultimate career pivot to purchase a run-down property in the heart of Lagos. Working closely with her team and a host of local artisans, Veronique transformed the historic site into a modern-day boutique hotel complete with 3 guest houses, a beautiful dining room, a local artisan boutique & an onsite organic garden.
2. The Food
There are few things I enjoy more in life than a delicious hotel breakfast, so I was in for a real treat when I strolled into Orta, Case Mae’s dining room, at 8AM each morning, took a seat in one of the cushioned booths and placed an order for a pour-over coffee, two poached eggs, farm-to-table spinach, and the occasional overnight oats. In addition to offering a great brunch menu, Casa Mae hosts guest pop-up dinners in their dining room on a regular basis. As it turns out, I booked my stay the same week Casa Mae invited the owners of Local to come down from Lisbon and cook up a scrumptious 5-course dinner using ingredients picked directly from Casa Mae’s onsite garden. It was a meal to remember!
3. The Ambiance
A huge part of what makes Casa Mae such a special place to visit is the overall ambiance of the venue and its natural surroundings. From the dream-inducing music echoed throughout every building to the carefully curated bath products dotted around each room, it’s impossible to leave Casa Mae feeling anything other than relaxed, inspired & truly cared for.
4. The Location
Casa Mae is located just inside the historic fortress walls of Lagos, making it very easy to access the rest of the city and coastline by foot. Almost all restaurants can be reached within 10-15 minutes and you’ll find a handful of beaches less than 25 minutes away.
5. The Staff
In almost all situations in life, the people you’re surrounded by have the power to make or break your experience. Fortunately (but not at all surprisingly), the employees at Casa Mae belong to the former camp - they’re warm, inviting and eager to share all of their tips for making your stay at Casa Mae one you’ll never forget.