Never has “going abroad from within” made so much sense as it does now… So, I decided to set out to discover the best that Portugal has to offer and, once again, share it with you.
I started in “my hometown”. Whatever you may say, it was here that I learned to walk, swim and surf. Although I grew up in a beautiful village 20 minutes away, it is in Baleal that I feel at home.
About 7 years ago, a wooden hotel for surfers “grew up” here on Avenida do Mar. It was very different from the other surf camps that existed at the time. With beautiful contrasts between the rustic wood and the smoothed cement of the walls, full of light and beautiful art, Surfers Lodge became a reference within the Boutique Hotel category in Portugal.
At the invitation of the beautiful Annie, a talented artist who swapped California for Baleal, wife of John, the bold Swede who one day decided to innovate in Portuguese lands, I spent the last 2 nights on some well-deserved “staycations” at Surfers Lodge.
I might be biased in saying that I felt at home, as I was always surrounded by familiar faces, but I think anyone would feel that way in this space. The suites are super comfortable and the entire building is beautiful inside and out. The staff is friendly and attentive. They all wear masks during their shifts and are constantly disinfecting the surfaces in the restaurant and reception.
In the summer, on the rooftop, they held the most famous sunsets in Baleal every week - obviously now
they won't start again (thanks, oh covid). Right now, in this place, we can enjoy the view of the “north sea” of Baleal, the jacuzzi and the pool with water the same color as the beaches of the Maldives.
Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by the hospitality of the Food & Beverage Manager, Adriana Marques, who has a gift for hospitality. Lunch was prepared by the ever-smiling chef Ana Marques with the help of Luísa, who cooks in full view of everyone, and even with the mask covering her mouth, we could still see her smile in her eyes. As a starter, we had beetroot hummus, followed by a BBQ burger for Zé Miguel and a divine braised tuna salad - it was so good it didn't even seem like a salad... The menu is very original in terms of the ingredients used and is made with the best of local agriculture, without forgetting the vegan crowd (after all, the boss doesn't eat meat ;)
At breakfast, everything was wonderful: from the homemade granola, made by dear Charlie, to the fresh orange juice, everything tasted of sun, beach and love. I loved it.
As for activities, they have surfing lessons for adults and children (I think it goes without saying that Peniche is the best place in Europe to surf...), Yoga classes that are a must in this Zen environment and massages or treatments like reiki, which I'm yet to try.
This place is perfect for a getaway or a different vacation, whether you're a surfer, a surfer's girlfriend or even if you don't want to know anything about surfing at all hahah Take advantage of it because there's a discount on the website, until the end of this month, at surferslodgepeniche.com/pt/
Kisses,
Sara