In Alentejo, a wine-grape-growing region in central Portugal, storks possibly outnumber people. They build their nests on whitewashed bell towers with blue trim (believed to ward off the devil) and on the wide chimneys traditionally used to smoke hams in medieval hilltop towns.
Here, in a quiet landscape of olive trees and vineyards, Quinta do Paral has recently opened its doors. Its views extend across hills and vales to the village of Vila de Frades and beyond, to the more bustling town of Vidigueira. Renowned for its white wines, Vidigueira is also linked to the great explorer Vasco da Gama, who was granted the title count of Vidigueira by Dom Manuel 1 in 1519.
For Dieter Morszeck, the owner of Quinta do Paral, travel has been a constant all his life. A passionate pilot since an early age, he is the grandson of Paul Morszeck, who founded the luggage brand Rimowa in 1898. The company’s motto was “Never still,” and Dieter Morszeck, who sold 80 percent of Rimowa to LVMH in 2016 for $716 million, has certainly been on the move.
First, he acquired 138 acres of vineyards, some of which were more than 50 years old. Together with winemaker Luis Morgado Leão, he aimed to create wines that capture the soul of the Alentejo. Along the way came a fruity, extra-virgin olive oil that glints gold from its confident, Chanel No. 5–like bottle. And then he founded the aviation company Junkers Aircraft, which produces sports planes made of lightweight aluminum with the distinctive Junkers groove design that long ago inspired Rimowa.
Now there’s the hotel, skillfully restored and designed by Lisbon-based Saraiva + Associados. Most of the 22 rooms and suites are located around the old manor house. (With just four bedrooms, the manor house itself is ideal for families or groups of friends. The hotel can arrange for a chef to prepare dinner in its Bulthaup kitchen.) There’s also an outdoor swimming pool, an indoor gym designed by Technogym, and a restaurant where a local chef, José Júlio Vintém, cooks tempura green beans with coriander aioli, a melt-in-the-mouth Mertolenga-beef carpaccio, and guinea hen stuffed with Alentejo sausage. Sommelier Pedro Bonito pairs dishes with wines from the estate.
Quinta do Paral’s relaxed attitude encourages visitors to unpack, stay a while, and get to know, in Morszeck’s words, “the Tuscany of Portugal.” Most rooms are located around a central courtyard, where fountains trickle and bougainvillea blooms. The signature suites are the ones to book. With views of the sunset, they come with egg-shaped bathtubs made of travertine marble, and indoor-outdoor showers open to the blue sky. (There are privacy screens made of celosia terra-cotta.) Bedrooms are decorated in soft earth tones, while bathrooms are made of blue slate, the same hue as the tails of the Iberian, azure-winged magpies that flit around the garden.
Finally, there’s the plane. A 10-seater PC-12 Pilatus monogrammed in gold will collect guests from the airport in Lisbon or shuttle them to Morocco or Spain for a day trip. Perhaps best of all, let it stay close to home and provide an aerial view of this beautiful corner of Portugal that Morszeck wants to introduce to the world.
Rooms at Quinta do Paral begin at $450 per night, including breakfast
Mary Lussiana is a Lisbon-based writer and reviewer of hotels
