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The
Pousadas of Portugal - Pousadas de Portugal
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Pousadas
de Portugal is a chain of luxury, traditional or historical hotels.
Formerly run by the state, they are now run by the Pestana group, which
in September 2003 won a public bid for the sale of 37.6% of mother company
Enatur and for a 40-year running concession.
 The
Pousadas were envisaged and created in the early 1940's by Government Minister
António Ferro, also a poet and playwright, who had the idea of creating
hotels that were both rustic and genuinely Portuguese. His first Pousada
was built in Elvas,
in the Alentejo, which would be the first of what Ferro called "small hotels
that look nothing like hotels". This Pousada is still in use.
The
Pousadas are divided in four main groups, according to their architectural
specificity, their surroundings or even their concept:
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Pousadas
Históricas (Historic Pousadas), located in well preserved yet unspoilt
national monuments, such as convents, monasteries, castles or fortresses;
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Pousadas
Históricas Design (Historic Design Pousadas), also in monuments,
castles, convents, fortresses and palaces that were vastly renovated, sporting
artistic and contemporary decoration and facilities;
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Pousadas
Charme (Charm Pousadas), located in areas of romantic, unique atmosphere;
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Pousadas
Natureza (Nature Pousadas), in natural countryside locations.
In 2005,
the first Pousada de Portugal outside of Portugal opened in Brazil, in
a historic building and fort built by the Portuguese. Although this is
by far the biggest hotel in the chain, in Brazil pousada means a cheaper
hotel, more like a bed and breakfast, which may lead to confusion.
Choose
your region from the
menu above or the links
below... and begin exploring these wonderful, historic and luxurious hotels!
[ Pousadas
of Alentejo] [
Pousadas
of the Algarve] [
Pousadas
of the Azores Islands]
[
Pousadas
of Central Portugal ] [
Pousadas
of Lisboa] [
Pousadas
of Northern Portugal]
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