Developing a chic farm stay hotel in Portugal
Build at €388K/key and sell at €724K/key in 7 years.
Hello dearest readers -
Excited to share the third issue of “Investment Committee”, which features a boutique farm-to-table style hotel in the Alentejo region of Portugal. Just before sending this, I saw that one of my favorite travel writers,
(who has incredible recs for Europe), published this piece in Vogue about another hotel in the region called São Lourenço do Barrocal. Funny timing!What you can expect in today’s newsletter: an overview of a sustainable luxury boutique hotel concept in Portugal along with my hot takes on hospitality in Portugal.
For those of you who are new to The Stanza, “Investment Committee” is a column in which I share (hopefully constructive) feedback on the pitch decks you guys send me. If you’ve ever raised money before, you’ll know the feeling of sending out your pitch deck and getting ghosted after taking meetings. For this column, I hope to share some honest feedback that investors would rather avoid spending the time to tell you, along with suggestions to maximize your chances of successfully raising capital. I’m currently prioritizing boutique hospitality concepts in UK/EU.
And who knows - maybe an investor reading this column will want a warm intro to you. Submit yours here.
Development overview
Project QDZ is a circular boutique luxury hotel in the Alentejo region of Portugal. The site comprises 27 acres of land and the finished project will include a 41-key hotel, a farm-to-table restaurant, and indoor/outdoor wellness. Think horseback riding, hiking, surfing, wine tastings, and all the other activities you’d want to indulge in here. The property is designed by an architect recognized by Arch Digest and all materials used to build the property and furnish the hotel will be derived from organic materials - think algae tiles, citrus fiber sheets, seashell ceramic, etc.
The sustainability piece is important as the project qualifies for energy tax credits and ESG funds, in addition to receiving support from regional government entities.
The project is currently 40% built - meaning any planning approvals have already been granted, site has been acquired, and construction is underway. The operating team are seeking to raise ~€3.2M to complete the remaining construction and are targeting December 2025 for a soft opening.
