A casa e a localização são fantásticas. A casa está muito bem equipada, é espaçosa, simples e bonita. Fomos muito bem recebidos e passámos uns óptimos dias numa paisagem lindíssima, entre o alpendre e a piscina.

The second time, this time in the summer, did not disappoint and even managed to exceed expectations. The lovely, well thought out, and very clean house, swimming pool and grounds are the best. All the thoughtful details such as the coal bags ready by the grill, or the bread/cheese/butter/wine are a wonderful welcome. Even the ubiquitous flies don't come near you or your food inside and outside the house due to pest control they do. Lawrence is a very honest and attentive host. I'm sure this was only the second of many stays.

Adorámos os dias que passámos na casa do Lawrence, estava tudo perfeito, a casa é excelente (as fotos não fazem justiça), super confortável e bem equipada, numa localização maravilhosa, com vistas sobre os campos em redor e sem ninguém por perto. O Lawrence é um excelente host que providencia todas as informações necesárias e os caseiros, a Vera e o Franclim são muito simpáticos e prestáveis, sem nunca serem intrusivos. Adorámos, tivemos imensa pena de vir embora e planeamos voltar no verão para aproveitar a piscina.

Very quiet edge of village location (car essential). Very spacious and well maintained throughout. Excellent kitchen/dining facilities, well equipped with modern and attractive rustic features. Very useful to have the utility room as well. All bedrooms excellent, with lovely fresh crisp linen. There is also a toilet and shower equipped for those with mobility issues. The lounge is spacious with three sofas and a TV hidden in a cupboard. If the TV is a necessity, being in the cupboard only works for those sitting at one end of the lounge ( can’t be seen due to the cupboard). Excellent outdoor facilities with a deep pool. Beware, the steep motor path from the secure gates up to the property is just a bit tricky , but we got used to it and managed without any problems. If you are looking for a getaway destination, this is perfect. Some really interesting places of historical significance within reasonable driving distance, and we found a fantastic beachside restaurant, if you care for a drive to the coast. A visit to Evoura and Vila Vicoca are not to be missed. Overall, an excellent experience. Recommended venue.

recomendo vivamente

What an amazing stay we had at this villa! In the middle of rural Portugal - very peaceful indeed! The pool was gorgeous, the sunsets were remarkable. The house was beautifully clean when we arrived. The chilled beers in the fridge were a very welcomed touch. Although a very sleepy looking village near-by, the little shop provided fresh bread every morning which we pre-ordered the day before and the drive to the beach was very doable for the one day we fancied venturing out of the villa. Would highly recommend this villa to anyone wishing to get away from the madness and find some inner peace. or for those who love a bbq with a stunning sunset! Brilliant host.

The house stands at the top of a hill and is surrounded by olive trees, cork oaks, all manners of shrubs and flowers and beautiful sheep and cows. You can hear birdsong everywhere and the air is alive with swallows and jays and hoopoos and the beautiful azure winged magpies which you find only in Iberia. The house is open plan, full of light, well ventilated and has all amenities. The kitchen is large and well equipped so you can cook all kinds of dishes without the usual rental house frustration of bad knives, no robot, too small pots, etc... and you have a whole choice of places to stay outside catching the morning or evening sun or the shadow of the olive tree. All in all it is a great place to stay which I would warmly recommend.

The house is even better than you would even imagine on the pictures. Comfortable, spacy, homely and very clean. Sitting on the top of a small hill. Views on the country side 360°. Thank you!

We would love to come back! The house and pool are great. You are just outside the town, but we walked into town a couple of times. The house is well stocked and has nice appliances. Lawrence is extremely responsive and was great to deal with. 😊

We shared the very positive experiences of previous travellers for our five nights' stay. The property is spacious and comfortable. We were two couples and had plenty of room to spread out. Although it was quite hot while we were there, keeping blinds down during the heat of the sun, and opening up doors and windows in the later afternoon to get a cross-breeze, meant we rarely needed air conditioning. It is a bit of a drive to get anywhere other than the local town, but we found the roads to be in very good condition (if occasionally narrow) and the driving between towns generally quite pleasant. We could happily have spent more time enjoying the sights of the Alentejo from this charming property. Lawrence was a very communicative and helpful host from a distance, and wins the prize for most clear and thorough driving directions (including the always challenging directions to get out of the airport car rental lot).

Brilliant! That one word sums up our two weeks at Monte do Telheiro: the house is a gem, perfectly located on a hill with lovely views of the nearby village, Santiago do Escoural and surrounding fields. It’s spacious, very well appointed, and we very much appreciated the welcome package of bread, cheese, tea, coffee, sugar, milk, wine and beer. All you need on the first day. Everything, from washer, dryer to dishwasher and aircon is in tiptop shape as are the 4 very comfortable deck chairs near the pool. The villa is superbly decorated with touches of Asian art throughout and the living room furniture very comfortable. We were a group of 4 adults, but the villa is equally well suited for families with children. Lawrence, the owner, is extremely responsive in answering any questions you may have, which is a huge plus. Vera and Franclim, the resident caretakers who live just down the hill, are very helpful in solving any immediate problems you may have. We discovered that 5 words of Portuguese went a long way getting the message across as did Google translate, but we would have loved being able to chat with them more about the village and the Alentejo region. Monte do Telheiro is perfectly located, only a 1 1/4 hours from the airport on well maintained, quiet roads. It is the perfect place to relax, unwind, read, and watch spectacular sunsets. There are several very interesting little towns nearby: Evora, Monsaraz, Evoramonte and Estremoz and superb vineyards like Herdade do Esporao and Monte da Ravasqueira, both well worth a visit. Santiago do Escoural has several little cafe’s serving superb espressos and a Portuguese, very addictive, delicacy called Pastel de Natas, a little egg tart dusted with cinnamon. Our favourite for dinner was O Cholinha, where Dona Nilda serves very tasty, regional food at very reasonable prices. All in all a great holiday at a magical spot.

Brilliant! That one word sums up our two weeks at Monte do Telheiro: the house is a gem, perfectly located on a hill with lovely views of the nearby village, Santiago do Escoural and surrounding fields. It’s spacious, very well appointed, and we very much appreciated the welcome package of bread, cheese, tea, coffee, sugar, milk, wine and beer. All you need on the first day.Everything, from washer, dryer to dishwasher and aircon is in tiptop shape as are the 4 very comfortable deck chairs near the pool. The villa is superbly decorated with touches of Asian art throughout and the living room furniture very comfortable. We were a group of 4 adults, but the villa is equally well suited for families with children. Lawrence, the owner, is extremely responsive in answering any questions you may have, which is a huge plus.Vera and Franclim, the resident caretakers who live just down the hill, are very helpful in solving any immediate problems you may have. We discovered that 5 words of Portuguese went a long way getting the message across as did Google translate, but we would have loved being able to chat with them more about the village and the Alentejo region.Monte do Telheiro is perfectly located, only a 1 1/4 hours from the airport on well maintained, quiet roads. It is the perfect place to relax, unwind, read, and watch spectacular sunsets. There are several very interesting little towns nearby: Evora, Monsaraz, Evoramonte and Estremoz and superb vineyards like Herdade do Esporao and Monte da Ravasqueira, both well worth a visit.Santiago do Escoural has several little cafe’s serving superb espressos and a Portuguese, very addictive, delicacy called Pastel de Natas, a little egg tart dusted with cinnamon. Our favourite for dinner was O Cholinha, where Dona Nilda serves very tasty, regional food at very reasonable prices.All in all a great holiday at a magical spot.

This home is absolutely perfect, and we had an incredible time here. The house is so well-thought out - it is beautiful and has everything you need. It was perfect for us with our 3 young children, as there is a good safety fence around the pool, a huge bathtub, travel cots and high chairs. I also really appreciated the thoughtful touches the owner includes, like hand soap in all the bathrooms, toilet paper, some laundry detergent and dishwashing pods. Even some welcome items in the fridge! The property is gorgeous and it is so easy to truly relax. Plus you are close to lots in the Alentejo, so it was easy to do some nice lunches, visit the nearby Escoural cave, see Evora, and go to our favorite beach, Comporta. If you want to experience country, beach and history, this house is in the perfect location. Lawrence was one of the best hosts we’ve ever had the pleasure of dealing with when renting a house. He has everything ready for you, all the information you could need, and is available if you have any questions or need help. Thanks again!!

I don't even know where to begin ... The house is gorgeous, immaculate, has everything you need for your stay. Simply the most peaceful vacation I've ever had. Details: the house is much larger than you might think, looking from the outside. The master is at the opposite end from the other bedrooms, so plenty of quiet and privacy. The living room is huge, looking out at the pool; again plenty of room so that you can be together, but separate when you need to. The kitchen is huge and well-appointed. There's internet, satellite TV, DVD player; so we did not want for "entertainment." But mostly we all picked our favorite spot -- the hammock by the pool! -- and read. The property is at the top of a hill, so you look out and over miles of countryside. Such peaceful isolation. And, at night, it's so dark that the stars just pop out of the sky. (I'm so glad I had a constellation identification app on my iPad! We spent many hours looking up, identifying, and then exclaiming!) The village is quaint with several places to eat. I do recommend learning some Portuguese phrases; English is not common in these rural areas. It's an easy drive (10 miles) into a larger town with grocery stores, pharmacies, ATM's, etc. We alternated eating out and eating in. We cooked, both indoors and grilled outdoors. Frankly I would have been satisfied sitting out on the patio with a pizza and a bottle of wine. Barely a day had gone by when we started discussing when we could come back. And we will. I can see returning every couple of years for a needed refresh.

We had a lovely stay here in early July. The pictures do not do justice to the comfort, simplicity, and elegance of the house. It is situated at the top of a hill, providing amazing views of the countryside and the adjacent small village. This siting -- and the many windows and doors -- allowed for a continuous breeze, which, along with the pool and bedroom a/c, kept us cool even on the hottest days. The house is in a terrific location for exploring the region, with many delightful small towns nearby and Evora within an easy half-hour drive. Lawrence was a perfect host - so organized and responsive, providing great directions and suggestions. He really has thought of everything that you might need, and the house is well-equipped. It was also great to have Vera and Franclim, the caretakers, available on-site, though nothing arose that needed their attention (to note: they don't speak English but we managed well with googletranslate). Returning home to the pool after a day of exploration was especially great for our boys (ages 9 and 10). They loved being able to swim with sheep grazing in the pasture next to them (of course, with the lovely rural location comes country creatures like the occasional lizard or field mouse - all outdoors, though!). And we, the adults, enjoyed the beautiful sunsets and the easy walk into the village for dinners. Highly recommended vacation stay for families with children and would be a wonderful longer stay for anyone (writer, artist, etc) seeking a peaceful and inspiring location for their work.

Highly recommend this rambling, comfortable house well situated for exploring nearby prehistoric caves, Evora and other points of interest in the region. House is clean and well-equipped, but caretaker is nearby to handle any need. Owner is knowledgeable of region and generously offers suggestions on restaurants and other highlights (the Comporta beach is one of the best I've visited). If you want to explore and experience the Alentejo with ease, this should be your home base.

We were sorry to leave this gorgeous house. It is filled with light, beautifully decorated and well kept, and so spacious. In our many trips to Europe, we have never stayed at a home that was better equipped. The kitchen had everything anyone could need and it was fabulous having a clothes dryer-- truly a first for us in our travels. We awoke every morning to a view of nearby cows staring at us. Lambs were born on the property while we were there. The sunsets were indeed gorgeous and the pool is large and pristine. The weather was a bit borderline, but some of us swam anyway. We absolutely loved Evora and all of the small towns nearby, plus wandering the countryside looking at prehistoric sites. The hiking from the house is pleasant and peaceful. We were two couples and the house has three bedrooms and bathrooms, so we had more than enough space. The outdoor shower is lovely, by the way.

This was an absolutely wonderful place to stay which lived up to, and in many ways exceeded, expectations. From the initial booking, I felt confident that the property would match initial descriptions and this proved to be the case. All instructions and recommendations from Lawrence, the owner, proved to be spot-on (even down to a particular dish in one of the local restaurants!). The house was extremely clean, very comfortable (particularly the beds) and tastefully furnished. Great book collection, too! This really is a very unique holiday house. The best thing about the property, however, has to be the exterior and the setting. There is an amazing view from every aspect; we had genuinely never seen such sunsets. Another bonus was the chance for starlight swims! The pool won our vote as best pool of the holiday (we stayed in three places) because of the diving pool and the depth. Our children are now teenagers, so safety is not the same issue, but we could see a safety fence available if needed. We didn't see much of the caretakers (everything worked like clockwork so we didn't need to) but they were friendly when we did see them and were obviously keeping an eye on the place. We have other commitments next year, otherwise we would have been considering returning to this lovely place. It would suit many types of groups as the living space is very flexible. Fantastic place - really can't recommend it enough.

After a very busy week in Paris we decided to relax in Portugal. On the advice of both Conde Nast and Travel and Leisure magazine I decided to look in the Evora area. This is NOT a tourist area which was perfect for us. Instead it is quiet, beautiful, pastoral area. The closest village to the house is Escoural. Evora is about 30 minutes away over country roads. This is a great location to do short day trips out and spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool in the warm sun. We found the house immaculate with everything we needed for our first evening including complementary wine, coffee, tea, cheese and bread. There is a grocery store in route from Lisbon. There are activities to do in the area and I would suggest that you take a trip to the cromlech (megaliths ala Stonehenge) and for sure see the Escoural Grotto that has cave paintings and etchings from 30,000 years ago. This is a by schedule only visit that can be reserved at the office in town. We also enjoyed watching the sheep, goats and cattle that roamed in pastures adjacent to the home. From our first contact with the owner, Lawrence, he provided us with extremely responsive service. The booking was easy and he provided us with information about the area. The home is beautiful and every was as described. Each window framed a lovely view to the outside. The soaker tub in the master suite was an added plus. A caretaker and his wife were at hand to assist with any issues that arose (we had virtually none) and welcomed us as we arrive. The owner quickly returned our deposit upon exit. I would strongly urge you to rent a car for this location unless you are planning on spending your entire visit at the house. The owner will supply you with explicit directions to follow from the airport. Have already recommended this home to friends...

We had a very relaxing 2 week holiday in August/September 2015 with our friends and their little boy. The villa is as described and easy enough to find following the excellent and detailed instructions provided by the owner. The building itself is very well laid out and has lots of good design features to keep it cool even on the hottest days. A good sized kitchen with a large fridge makes big dinners easy enough and the barbecue got used on a couple of occasions to extremely good effect. You can get great fresh fish from the local market (only one morning a week) that go very well on the bbq. The property was clean and very well-maintained by the couple who live at the bottom of the property, although they don't speak any English at all so miming, phrase books and a translation app on the phone were very much required. The only negative was that the pool net was broken when we arrived and not replaced. The pool was a good size and excellent for diving and doing laps but for us was too cold on arrival (24C). There is a solar heating system that the owner had turned on for us but it is slow to heat the pool and took several days to raise it a few degrees. Having said that depending on your preferences it could be fine. The pool safety fence was excellent and very useful to stop little boys from falling in. It also kept out one of the older members of the party until they were shown how to use the gate! The owner was always available by email before and during the holiday to provide copious amounts of invaluable information to any questions we asked such as best places to park and the like. He also provides lots of details of the local area and things to see and do in the welcome packs. Local amenities are good with many restaurants and supermarkets in Montemor-o-Novo if you want to self-cater. The village also has a couple of very welcoming restaurants and some small shops. Evora is not far and has lots to keep you interested, and the local pre-historic sites are breath-taking. There is a local cave with neolithic cave art just outside the village but you do need to book with the visitor centre in Escoural for a guided tour at least 24 hours in advance. Arraiolas is also not far and has been a centre for rug and tapestry making for many centuries. Would definitely recommend this property to a friend or relative.