The large sitting room is airy in the heat of Summer, or warm and cosy around the enormous fireplace in Winter, the guesthouse is welcoming all through the year. The day begins with a good breakfast, featuring home-made jams made from fruit harvested on the land, local breads and cheeses. This may be served in the grand Dining Room or taken "al fresco"

The six bedrooms all have large ensuite bathrooms and central heating. Five of them have their own independent entrances from the gardens. Decorated with imagination, they reflect the rustic style of the Alentejo of yesteryear.

On hot sizzling Summer days, guests may dip into the spring-fed pool to cool down - or spend lazy hours in the comfort of the shady porches or under the ancient trees that shelter the house from the intense Alentejan heat.

In the gentle days of Spring when the Alentejo is in full bloom, guests can enjoy mild, easy countryside walks and rides, perhaps to the villages of Arcos and Borba, or the town of Estremoz through a palette of infinite colour which covers the mellow hills in a continuous tapestry of wild flowers. Visit the Borba Cheese Fair in April.

Summer time, and the living is easy. Come Autumn is harvest time. Time also to visit the local wine cellars, preparing for the pressing. Guests may still enjoy beautiful warm days and relax at their leisure to the sounds of birdsong and passing goat herds in the distance. In Winter, feel the peace and warmth around the log fires under the high wooden ceilings, reading, listening to music or relaxing in good company. Attend the Festival of Alentejo Wine, held in November in Borba. Other activities available in the surrounding area: horse riding, golf, hiking and bird-watching.