Vermelho Hotel

 

Christian Louboutin’s first hospitality project – Vermelho Melides – is nestled in the heart of Melides, a very intimate village in Alentejo, Portugal, a region that he is particularly fond of. He first discovered Melides a dozen years ago, on his way back from the Santiago’ hospital after cutting himself badly while sketching a new collection in his retreat in Comporta. Mesmerized by the dreamy atmosphere of Melides’ sand pine forest and the unique beauty of the sunlight on the rice lagoon, he restored a small fisherman’s shack and has returned every June since to design his winter collection.

Each room is individually designed and flaunts its own tonalities and identity. Within their walls we find frescoes, rare artworks handpicked by Christian Louboutin, local Alentejo tiles and, above all, a story waiting to be told. Which will be yours?

The home-like experience to which guests are invited will extend to the restaurant, baptized Xtian, where the culinary treasures of Portugal can be discovered, and the Vermelho bar, where cocktails, wines, and spirits can be tasted. Finally, should they wish, care treatments and massages will be available to guests to ease both body and soul.

In Detail
Not chosen by chance, the name of the hotel –Vermelho, red in Portuguese –is a tribute to the creator’s signature color. The name almost sounds like the French word “merveille”–a marvel in English–but also like vermeil, a goldsmith’s term that refers to silver plated with a thin layer of gold.

This unique sensitivity is marked by an eclectic, maximalist aesthetic that he has made into a true art of living. Hence, without any complexes, he juxtaposes styles, eras, materials, and colors in the different houses he owns around the world to make them into warm living places in which he loves to receive guests. 

After Christian Louboutin saw the one-of-a-kind ceramic fountain Giuseppe Ducrot created for the Sirenuse Hotel in Positano and for La Galerie du Passage in Paris, he decided to give him carte blanche to decorate the Vermelho hotel’s facades. At Vermelho, Ducrot has created a gigantic bespoke décor imagined as a promenade in a baroque or Renaissance Garden, including elements that are integrated into the architecture itself, his frescoes referencing imaginary goddesses and caryatides for a spectacular mise en scène.

Over the centuries, the azulejos which decorate Portuguese palaces, parks, convents and public buildings have become the most emblematic decorative element of Lusitanian identity. More than a simple ornament, these patterned ceramic tiles incarnate on their small surface the multiple foreign influences that enamel the country’s history. First imported from faraway lands, azulejos have been manufactured in Portugal since the 16th century.

Gardens & Pool
Brimming with life, Vermelho’s gardens are an enticing setting for days spent basking in the Melides sun, on the banks of the heated natural pool. Bursting with color and local flora, Vermelho’s gardens are a peaceful sanctuary in which to escape from the mundane. With an impressive portfolio including locations such as the Gardens of Versailles, renowned French landscape architect Louis Benech has been responsible for every last detail of Vermelho’s colorful yet natural gardens, which blend in perfectly with the Melides landscape.

Restaurants & Bars
XTian
As for the cuisine, the Portuguese Chef David Abreu offers an exclusive gastronomic experience at Xtian, the new epicurean meeting place in Melides. David Abreu’s rise through the ranks in the restaurant business began in his home country of Portugal, where he brought his flair to the kitchens of several renowned luxury hotels, including the Pestana Viking Beach & Spa Resort, the SANA Malhoa Hotel, the Grande Real Villa Itália Hotel & Spa and the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. Chef David’s signature dishes include Vegetable Ramalhete, The Duck & the Rice, Tia Fatima’s wild boar stew and the Imperial Wine Drunk Pear.

Spa
Hidden within these walls is a refuge where the sacred stones that once adorned ancient churches harmoniously blend with the luxuries of French cosmetics and the serenity of Indian mindfulness techniques.

Location & Directions
R. Dr. Evaristo Sousa Gago 2, 7570-635 Melides