Alentejo Marmòris Hotel & Spa in Vila Viçosa

The northeastern edge of the Alentejo isn’t on most people’s radar. There’s no sea, of course, and there’s not all that much going on. But what little is going on there is, in fact, rather interesting. The sleepy town of Vila Viçosa, just a few kilometers from the Spanish border (and 60km from Évora), is a center of marble production, which makes for some interesting sites—quarries, marble dealerships along the road—and one of Portugal’s most endearingly eccentric luxury hotels, the five-star Alentejo Marmòris Hotel & Spa.

Marble, in terms of luxury design, can be a bit overwhelming. Except that here, it isn’t. The hotel is owned by marble mogul António Alves, and it’s clearly his celebration of the beautiful material that did him well. And so the mosaics of different-colored marble in the lobby make sense. The salmon-pink marble bathrooms in the guest rooms make sense. The rugged quarry walls on view from the dining terrace make sense. The stone theme in the spa makes perfect sense.

(at top) Reception (above) Double Deluxe Room, Arabic Suite and Spa

A big reason to make a detour to this place (as many locals do, especially Porto residents en route to their Algarve holidays) is to dine at the restaurant, Narcissus Fernadesii (the Latin name for a local flower). It already has a listing in the Michelin Guide, and the skilled head chef, Pedro Mendes, and Sr. Alves are gunning for a star. With a varied, meticulously sourced menu (bonus points for adding a vegetarian tasting menu this year) and precise cooking techniques , the restaurant, despite its overly formal dining room, certainly delivers on deliciousness and delight.