Solar de Santa Isabel (AL 153403)
House in Portimao
24 guests · 12 bedrooms · 13 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
About this house rental
Solar de Santa Isabel is a renovated 16th century manor house in the centre of Portimao old town. This large house is furnished with antiques but features modern bathrooms and amenities, including an 11 by 4 metre pool set in a beautiful walled garden with a fountain, large sun bathing terrace and summer house. The pool can be heated at additional cost. The house is on a narrow cobbled street just off the main square and waterfront, with its abundance of restaurants, cafes and bars. The post office, banks, taxi rank and bus stops are within walking distance. The famous beach resort of Praia da Rocha is a five-minute taxi, car or bus ride away.
Facilities in the house: There is a barbecue in the garden. We also have sets of plastic tableware for use around the pool. The kitchen has crockery and cutlery for 24 persons and a full range of saucepans, frying pans etc. All the bedrooms have sprung mattresses with protectors and have cotton bedlinen. Blankets are also available. Sets of towels are provided in the bathrooms but WE DO NOT PROVIDE BEACH OR POOL TOWELS. At the beginning of each stay we stock the fridge with a range of basic items, including tea, coffee, milk, butter, bread and jam, and supply some bottles of local wine for you to sample. Further supplies (including additional toilet paper and washing powder) should be purchased by guests. There is wireless broadband access in the house which is available for guest use.
Local amenities: Close to the house are a number of small cafes which can provide snacks. Around the square at the bottom of the street are a number of inexpensive restaurants and local bars. There are two or three medium-sized supermarkets within a five minute walk and a large hyper-market about 15 minutes walk away in the modern part of Portimao.
Boat trips and boat hire are available from the quay and marina which are at the bottom of the street.
There are several golf courses around the town including the Penina course and the Gramacho course.
More information: There is no garage at the house, but parking is possible in some of the streets around the house. There are several large car parks within 2-5min walk: one to the south of the square at the bottom of the street and an underground car park behind the church at the top of the street (Praca Alameda). There are more pictures of the house and a map of the location on our web site, please, contact for the address. We employ a housekeeper who speaks English and will be happy to assist you with any queries or emergencies and will greet you on arrival. Please note a refundable damage deposit of £300 will be required with all bookings.
Facilities in the house: There is a barbecue in the garden. We also have sets of plastic tableware for use around the pool. The kitchen has crockery and cutlery for 24 persons and a full range of saucepans, frying pans etc. All the bedrooms have sprung mattresses with protectors and have cotton bedlinen. Blankets are also available. Sets of towels are provided in the bathrooms but WE DO NOT PROVIDE BEACH OR POOL TOWELS. At the beginning of each stay we stock the fridge with a range of basic items, including tea, coffee, milk, butter, bread and jam, and supply some bottles of local wine for you to sample. Further supplies (including additional toilet paper and washing powder) should be purchased by guests. There is wireless broadband access in the house which is available for guest use.
Local amenities: Close to the house are a number of small cafes which can provide snacks. Around the square at the bottom of the street are a number of inexpensive restaurants and local bars. There are two or three medium-sized supermarkets within a five minute walk and a large hyper-market about 15 minutes walk away in the modern part of Portimao.
Boat trips and boat hire are available from the quay and marina which are at the bottom of the street.
There are several golf courses around the town including the Penina course and the Gramacho course.
More information: There is no garage at the house, but parking is possible in some of the streets around the house. There are several large car parks within 2-5min walk: one to the south of the square at the bottom of the street and an underground car park behind the church at the top of the street (Praca Alameda). There are more pictures of the house and a map of the location on our web site, please, contact for the address. We employ a housekeeper who speaks English and will be happy to assist you with any queries or emergencies and will greet you on arrival. Please note a refundable damage deposit of £300 will be required with all bookings.
Amenities
Pool
Air conditioner
Pets allowed
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Smoking allowed
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Dishwasher
TV
Wheelchair accessible
Garden
Map of Portimao
$$$$
Ratings and reviews
Summary of reviews
Simply superb house with a huge pool, perfect location near shops and restaurants, great for large families and family reunions.
5.0 / 5.0
We had a wonderful time, Galina our housekeeper was very helpful, letting us check in early and very understanding with our very large and diverse group! The house was perfect, giving everyone their own space and wonderful communal spaces to gather and eat together! The pool was the highlight of course, and Portimão had wonderful restaurants and the people were so friendly. Loved every moment!
4.0 / 5.0
We had a lovely week here, the location is great for the town and marina.
There were 21 of us (ages ranging from 6 months to 80) and there was plenty of space to be together or find time to be alone.
The property manager Galinda, was amazing and helped out with any questions we had really promptly.
Just a couple of downsides - the property is advertised as having air-con, but in fact only one room had it. The rest only had ceiling fans - which in 34˚ heat, didn't really do a lot.
The antiques and artefacts are fitting with the property, but the amount of photographs and other items that are placed on all the surfaces make it difficult to find space for your own belongings.
5.0 / 5.0
Simply superb. Wonderful house, host, housekeeper.
The pool is huge. The location is perfect for access to shops and restaurants.
I have been twice and booked for next year for a large family of 24.
5.0 / 5.0
The house was absolutely perfect for our large family holiday. Everything we needed was supplied and the woman who looks after the property was extremely helpful. The pool was also perfect and was an absolute favourite for all the children and adults. Evening drinks on the terrace became a nightly love. And finally, Portimao was a fantastic and wonderful surprise suppling us with a perfect family holiday.
5.0 / 5.0
Very good stay.
5.0 / 5.0
We had a family reunion of 3 generations, all adults. The house was big, spacious, and offered lots of private places, both indoors and out, for quiet chats, big meals together, and lounging by the pool. We ate all our meals outside at the various covered patios. All bedrooms were ensuite and most had private sitting rooms. Definitely old world charm, but functional and comfortable with good plumbing, lots of hot water, and tons of glasses and place settings to be found in the kitchen. We used the electric juicer every morning for oranges and lemon aid. The location was perfect - walk out the door to cafés, restaurants, and convenience store, steps from the sea/river promenade. The housekeeper was there each day, discrete, nice to have the garbage taken out, our beds made, and washrooms freshened up. I would like to see pool towels available, we used our bathroom towels and bought some beach towels. A great stay!
5.0 / 5.0
Full of character and comfort. Close to local and tourist restaurants. Galina, our housekeeper was great! Thank you
5.0 / 5.0
Fantastic location and great villa large and spacious
4.0 / 5.0
Charming house steeped in history with an incredible patio.
very warm welcome and great availability of the housekeeper. Very clean rental.
Small inconvenience, room on the street side a bit noisy.
5.0 / 5.0
A mixed group of 12 adults ranging from 18 to 82, every one enjoyed the villa, it's location and especially the garden and pool area. Kitchen was well equipped but only negative was the washing machine which needs repairing or replacing. Overall a lovely villa and would visit again.
5.0 / 5.0
What a gem!
Amazing gem of a property! Perfect for a large holiday with family and friends.
Walking distance to tons of restaurants and shops in Portimão. Wonderful pool for many hours of entertainment.
Hope to come back many times.
5.0 / 5.0
Fabulous Villa in wonderful Portimao
Wonderful 16th century Villa full of antiques in quiet neighborhood but walking distance to restaurants, markets,shopping, etc. No need for a car and Ubers are very inexpensive.
Housekeeper Galina is a true gem and a lovely person. We ranged in age from 17 to 84 and all loved it. The pool is big and was enjoyed tremendously. The owner, John, is Very helpful and quick to respond. The Villa has a fascinating history. We stayed for a month (with people coming and going) and no one wanted to leave!!! Many of us live on Maui, BTW, but still wanted to stay there forever! Best vacation and accomodations ever for us! People are friendly and helpful and were patient and kind with our few phrases of Portuguese! We felt almost like "locals" after a month and we cried and so did new friends when we had to leave at the end of our glorious month!
5.0 / 5.0
A great week in Portimao
We had a wonderful stay in this quirky Manor House. There we 17 of us with ages ranging from under two to eighty six.
The area is more of a local town but Alvor and Praia de Rocha were all within a short cab ride. Local amenities were all within walking distance. We ate at some great local restaurants which were all reasonably priced. We also made use of the BBQ next to the pool.
The rooms were spacious and clean.
John the owner kept in contact throughout the booking process and was quick to reply to any questions we had. He asked for a cot and a high chair and they were available on check in.
Gallina helped us to keep the place clean and tidy and was there everyday. She would go out of her way to help with any problems or queries. She even tried to help us sort out our tests for our return. She is a great asset to the house.
5.0 / 5.0
Maison très agreable
Nous avons tous beaucoup aimé. On s’y sent comme dans une maison de famille.
Les enfants ont beaucoup aimé cette maison pleine de recoins. On est très indépendant les uns des autres même a 17
5.0 / 5.0
Manoir à Portimao qui vous présente son histoire de part ses œuvres et tableaux.
Un manoir plein d’histoire.
Pour fêter nos 20 ans de mariage accompagnés de nos amis et proches nous avons passés un excellent séjour dans ce très beau manoir situé en centre ville et très proche de la « rua das lojas » mais également de l’esplanade pour de belles promenades en bord de mer.
Emplacement idéal.
Chambres spacieuses toutes dotées d’une salle de bain. Belle piscine extérieur et un personnel à la hauteur. Un grand merci ! Je recommande vivement.
5.0 / 5.0
Amazing! Great location
We couldn't be happier with our stay at Solar De Santa Isabel. The owners (John and Mark), Property Manager (Ala) and Housekeeper (Galina) were all extremely helpful in making sure we had a great vacation.
We had 10 adults and 8 children and there was plenty of room for everyone. We also enjoyed the pool.
We appreciated the fact that we were walking distance to shopping, great restaurants, etc and a short drive to explore the rest of the Algarve. We all felt that Portimao seemed very authentic compared to some of the other Cities we were initially considering.
We would definitely stay at the Solar De Santa Isabel again and would strongly recommend this rental property.
5.0 / 5.0
Fantastiskt hus
Mycket trivsamt och vackert. Praktiska rum med både toalett och dusch till varje enhet. Innergården med poolen är helt underbar och en ren njutning att vistas i.
Det som kunde ha fungerat bättre är möjligheten att laga mat till det antal personer som huset är dimensionerat för.
Spisarna gick inte att reglera riktigt och det fanns bara en plåt till ugnen.
Men, vi älskade ”vårt” hus❤️
Det hade varit intressant och roligt med någon ytterligare information om husets historia. Man blir nyfiken av alla tavlor, fotografier och övrig inredning.
Med vänlig hälsning,
Lise- Lotte o Micael Wolf
5.0 / 5.0
Emplacement idéal Maison tout confort
Emplacement idéal autant pour visiter les centres d’intérêt de l’Algarve (Benagil, Sagres, Lagos..) que pour profiter de l’animation, du centre de Portimao.
Spacieuse et très agréable maison.
4.0 / 5.0
Un très bon lieu pour des retrouvailles !
Parfait pour les grands groupes et/ou grandes familles ! Des tablées agréables près de la piscine. Et des chambres grandes qui permettent une bonne intimité après des moments en groupe.
4.0 / 5.0
Geweldig
We hebben een fantastische week gehad. Heerlijke bedden.wat ik heel belangrijk vind. Er warenzoals beloofd 2kinderstoelen. De kinderbedjes waren niet aanwezig,maar ze werden heel snel gehaald, zodat de kleintjes op tijd naar bed konden. Zeker aan te bevelen.
5.0 / 5.0
Amazing stay in a magical place
Just stayed with friends in the house, we felt at home with each our space to relax and even when the weather was not cooperating, we all found a spot to ourselves. Thank you for making this friendship reunion a great one to remember !
5.0 / 5.0
perfect for a large group
We stayed at Solar de Santa Isabel for a whole week with 22 people so filled the place up to the top. We are a group of friends between the age of 23 and 30, we were all pretty happy with the place.
The house is large enough to host such a big group although I recommend going with a slightly smaller group. A few "double beds" are nearly too small (1,20m) to sleep two people comfortably next to each other, but would suffice for a couple!
The house has a lot of old antique furniture and paintings which gives it a certain flair, but it could do with a few updates like working locks on the (bath-) rooms and a few brighter lights inside.
There is a cozy living room upstairs, which comfortably sits around 15 people, but there is more space on the balcony upstairs which a several seating areas. The downstairs dining room only sits 16-18 adults, so we had to improvise at dinner, but that was easy enough. The kitchen has 2 stoves and ovens, 2 fridges for drinks, one big one for food, a freezer and most things you would need for cooking/eating in such a big group.
The outside area and the pool are very nice and are perfect for relaxing. There is also a BBQ, which can be used. We went in October, so we wanted the pool heated, which was no problem, but it takes around 2 days - so probably I should have asked before.
Solar de Santa Isabel is in walking distance to a lot of small, very good restaurants and the town Center. The beach, which is also great for surfing is 45 minute walk or a 10 minute drive away.
We also took day trips to Lagos, Faro and the west coast, which is all in 20-60 minute driving distance. I recommend renting a car for the whole time, as it give the flexibility and shopping for a bigger group would be impossible without.
All together the location is great (could do with a few upgrades), the communication is easy, the price is absolutely fair and we had a great holiday.
Thank you!
4.0 / 5.0
Un super séjour
Nous étions 16 personnes : 9 adultes, 3 enfants et 2 bébés qui ont eu chaises hautes et lits d'appoint.
La maison est très bien située, dans une petite rue toute proche du port.
Le quartier est calme et il n'y a pas de vis-à-vis, nous avons pu profiter de la piscine à toute heure et faire régulièrement des barbecues.
Il y a des chambres situées au rez-de-chaussée pour les personnes ne pouvant pas monter les escaliers.
La gardienne est sympathique, discrète et efficace.
Possibilité de se garer en bas de la rue.
Chacun de nous a pu prendre ses aises... avec une salle de bain dans chaque chambre.
Je vous conseille cette maison fort agréable.
2.5 / 5.0
We stayed in the house with a group of 22 youngsters and had an incredible time. At first we were unsure about the size of our group and didn’t know which of the two houses (Solar de Santa Isabel or Casa da Viuda, which belong to the same owner) we should rent. There was a lot of see-saw but the owner was very helpful and very patient. Finally we rented Solar de Santa Isabel. The house is fantastic; it is huge and offers enough privacy for everyone. It is particularly convenient that every room has its own bathroom. The garden was also beautiful; an excellent place to relax and enjoy the sun or to have a barbecue. Another highlight was of course the swimming pool in which we spent most of our days.We were also amazed by the friendliness and the helpfulness of the housekeeper.The location is great too. It is in the heart of the old town of Portimao, in a quiet street. The water front is just a couple of meters down the road and you will find nice cafés and restaurants there. To go to the beach by car takes only 5-10 min., and taking a taxi costs just about 4 Euro. Altogether we spent a wonderful week in this house which exceeded our expectations. I can absolutely recommend it to any kind of group especially because the price is totally fair!
5.0 / 5.0
Amazing stay
We stayed in the house with a group of 22 youngsters and had an incredible time.
At first we were unsure about the size of our group and didn’t know which of the two houses (Solar de Santa Isabel or Casa da Viuda, which belong to the same owner) we should rent. There was a lot of see-saw but the owner was very helpful and very patient.
Finally we rented Solar de Santa Isabel. The house is fantastic; it is huge and offers enough privacy for everyone. It is particularly convenient that every room has its own bathroom. The garden was also beautiful; an excellent place to relax and enjoy the sun or to have a barbecue. Another highlight was of course the swimming pool in which we spent most of our days.We were also amazed by the friendliness and the helpfulness of the housekeeper.
The location is great too. It is in the heart of the old town of Portimao, in a quiet street. The water front is just a couple of meters down the road and you will find nice cafés and restaurants there. To go to the beach by car takes only 5-10 min., and taking a taxi costs just about 4 Euro.
Altogether we spent a wonderful week in this house which exceeded our expectations. I can absolutely recommend it to any kind of group especially because the price is totally fair!
5.0 / 5.0
Enchanté
Nous avons passé un séjour trés agréable, votre maison a beaucoup de charme et de caractère et elle a grandement participé au succés de nos vacances.
Je suis venu dans l'Algarve avec un à priori, j'en repart enchanté. Un grand merci à Tina également pour sa disponibilité et sa discrétion.
Si la vie nous est favorable, j'espère revenir chez vous, une prochaine fois.
2.5 / 5.0
We had a wonderful stay here in October 2010. A large group of friends, we wanted somewhere where we could relax and enjoy each others company but have easy access to shops and restaurants with no need to hire a car. This house achieved all of that. A 5 minute walk to the harbour and restaurants plus lots of shops to keep us occupied. We also visted the museum. One of the group became unwell and the housekeeper could not have been more helpful, finding a doctor and arranging a taxi. The resident, very friendly, dog is a lovely touch and the perfect excuse for lots of walks. The only slight niggle was the kitchen facilities. Fortunately the weather was good so we could use the barbecue but it would be difficult to cook for a full house otherwise. But who wants to do much cooking anyway! Communication with the owner was good and he was very helpful.
5.0 / 5.0
Perfect retreat
We had a wonderful stay here in October 2010. A large group of friends, we wanted somewhere where we could relax and enjoy each others company but have easy access to shops and restaurants with no need to hire a car. This house achieved all of that. A 5 minute walk to the harbour and restaurants plus lots of shops to keep us occupied. We also visted the museum. One of the group became unwell and the housekeeper could not have been more helpful, finding a doctor and arranging a taxi. The resident, very friendly, dog is a lovely touch and the perfect excuse for lots of walks. The only slight niggle was the kitchen facilities. Fortunately the weather was good so we could use the barbecue but it would be difficult to cook for a full house otherwise. But who wants to do much cooking anyway! Communication with the owner was good and he was very helpful.
2.5 / 5.0
Four families rented this property together for one week. We were 7 adults and 7 children. Overall, we loved the place and really enjoyed our stay, so much that we hardly left the house, except for a couple of excursions, and visits to the supermarket. There was plenty of room for everyone, no loss of privacy, and enough space to all eat together. The pool was great fun for children and adults alike. The caretaker next door was extremely helpful and friendly, even helping us prepare freshly caught fish. Only criticisms were that the kitchen could have been slightly better equipped - eg dishwasher soap dispenser didn't work properly, oven was hard to regulate, knives not sharp enough etc, but these were minor problems.I would recommend the place to any large group.
5.0 / 5.0
Solar de Santa Isabel
Four families rented this property together for one week. We were 7 adults and 7 children. Overall, we loved the place and really enjoyed our stay, so much that we hardly left the house, except for a couple of excursions, and visits to the supermarket. There was plenty of room for everyone, no loss of privacy, and enough space to all eat together. The pool was great fun for children and adults alike. The caretaker next door was extremely helpful and friendly, even helping us prepare freshly caught fish.
Only criticisms were that the kitchen could have been slightly better equipped - eg dishwasher soap dispenser didn't work properly, oven was hard to regulate, knives not sharp enough etc, but these were minor problems.
I would recommend the place to any large group.
5.0 / 5.0
fantastic house
This is an amazing house it totally blew us all away, there were 27 of us 10 adults and 17 kids and we all had a ball. The pool is gorgeous, the decor stunning, the trust the owners have to rent this out with all the antiques and beautiful furniture is astounding. we were concerned that the plumbing might not be great in such an old house but it was perfect. Highly recommend this house and Portimao is a nice town not far from Alvor and Praia de rocha. We may be back !
5.0 / 5.0
Two visits already and we'll be returning!
We've visited Solar de Santa Isabel twice now - the first time our 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' all girls (ok, I use the term 'girls' with a little poetic license!) trip in 2006, with 12 ladies and then, because we loved it so much, we brought our hubbies and some other friends along in 2008 as a mixed group. The house and location are perfect for everyone - we range in age from early 20s to late 50s - singles and old marrieds - so you can't get more of a diverse range of people than us - and it suited everyone. There are lots of good restaurants locally, great beaches and livelier bars/clubs just a bus or (cheap!) taxi ride away (all available within about a five minute stroll). The house itself is quirky and interesting, all 12 bedrooms have en suites and there are interesting furniture, photos, curios and pictues etc all over the house. Pay to have the pool heated and you can have a lovely warm mid-night swim - fantastic! The couple of reviews that mention the 'small' kitchen make me smile - the kitchen is absolutely fine if you only want to prepare snacks and continental breakfasts to eat in the beautiful garden, and the main thing is that there's plenty of fridge room for wine and cocktail ingredients. To be honest, there are so many great eating places in Portimao and the various other towns/villages just a stones throw away, I can't imagine anyone wanting to prepare full on meals. We didn't even get round to BBQing although that would be wonderful in such a lovely environment. In a nutshell, this is a great venue for a big party of people and would pretty much suit any demographic. And ladies, as if all that wasn't enough, there's a fabulous designer shoe outlet shop just one minute further along the street - pretty much the icing on the cake if you ask me!!!
5.0 / 5.0
town house
We were a group of 12 people over 60s had a wonderfull time right by all the amenities just a perfect place we hope to go back one year
5.0 / 5.0
Excellent holiday rental
Solar de Santa Isabel is an excellent rental choice in the heart of the Algarve. The house itself, with its authentic period charm, is a stones throw from both the town centre of Portimao and the marina.
The house offers everything a large family group could want. All the rooms were en-suite, large dining areas, private garden and pool.
We felt right at home, close to nightlife and restaurants and yet able to hold bbq's in the comfort of this wonderful house.
The staff and of course Pepe the dog could not have been anymore helpful to us.
All round a great house in a great location.
5.0 / 5.0
Hola Santa Isabel
We have had two fantastic group holidays at Santa Isabel in 2006 and 2007 and although the kitchen is small it is possible to cater for 16 people very well. All rooms are delightfully quirky and are kept spotless by the resident housekeeper - the first floor drawing room is delightful. The owner is very helpful and friendly and Tina his friend who lives next door is wonderful - thanks for introducing us to Fada! I cannot recommend this house highly enough - great location, excellent local restaurants and bars, gorgeous pool and patio - perfect for that early morning swim and late afternoon G&T! Plus you get the added bonus of the wonderous Don Pepe the resident house dog! We will be back in 2009 to celebrate yet another milestone birthday! All in all a Stately Home experience on a semi-detached budget :-)
4.0 / 5.0
central location with access to many attractions
Santa Isabel is an excellent base for a large family or group wishing to walk to all amenities yet explore further afield, Its 12 ensuite bedrooms are possibly unique across the Algarve each with its own character offering a good choice for singles and doubles.
The downside is the kitchen which is far too small to accommodate such a large group. Also the appliances and units are in much need of an upgrade.
We will certainly consider going back but would want to see the kitchen facilities upgraded.
FAQs
How much does this house cost compared to others in Portimao?
The average price for a rental in Portimao is $118 per night. This rental is $646 above the average.
Is parking included with this house?
Parking is not specified as an available amenity at Solar de Santa Isabel (AL 153403). For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this house?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at Solar de Santa Isabel (AL 153403). Enjoy the water!
Is Solar de Santa Isabel (AL 153403) pet friendly?
Yes! This house is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at Solar de Santa Isabel (AL 153403)?
We found 13 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, air conditioner, pets allowed, kitchen or kitchenette, and internet / wifi.
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