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The front of Hoopoe House | 
View from roof terrace |
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View to lagoon | 
Patio waiting for you |
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Living room with computer | 
Kitchen with atmosphere |
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The shared pool | 
Our playground |
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Ria Formosa from the air | 
Nearby beach |
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A real Hoopoe | 
Kitchen with atmosphere |
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 Click here to see offer details
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Property |
Location |
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Hoopoe House |
Olhão, Algarve, Portugal |
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One-off feature |
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Located in the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve, this 250 year old house enjoys sea views and a seclusion rarely found these days along the Algarve coast. Stay put if you are content with sun, pool and peace. Alternatively, head to the long sandy beaches and birdlife of the nature reserve.... |
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Property Info |
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Accommodation Type:
| House / Villa |
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Property Setting:
| Near the Sea / Beachfront / Village / Rural |
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Holiday Type:
| Relaxing / Family |
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Bedrooms:
| 1 |
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Guests:
| 4 |
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Catering:
| self-catering |
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General Info |
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At Casa Flor de Sal we have three apartments: Hoopoe House in one end of our 250 year old farmhouse, and Stork House and Flamingo House in a newer building, kept in traditional Algarve style. Casa Flor de Sal is an old house. The oldest part of the house was built in the late 18th century and has been extended, changed and modernised many times since then which gives the house great charm and character. The farmhouse is, as many rural houses in southern Portugal, built as a "monte". That means one family built the first part, and more was then added for children, old parents or other family over the years; the newest part is from around 1900. The farmhouse is divided in two parts – Hoopoe House and our own house. The annex cottage, which contains Stork House and Flamingo House (each 4 persons), is more modern, but traditionally furnished. |
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Details on the area surrounding the property/accommodation |
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Apart from swimming and walking, there are plenty of roads suitable for cycling. Golf is of course big in the Algarve, and the choice of courses is endless. The lagoon near Fuseta (3.5km) is also used for kitesurfing and there is also a sailing school. You can of course also bring your own windsurfing, canoeing or sailing gear. If you are interested in birds, there are plenty to watch in Ria Formosa.
This is also fine terrain for more challenging mountain biking. The theme park Zoomarine has dolphin-, bird- and seal performances, and if you want to see dolphins in their natural environment you can try a trip. A trip to Sagres and Cabo de Sao Vicente gives you a view of a different Algarve, and the coast north of here is wild and fancied by surfers. Alternatively, shopping, bars, restaurants and architecture at your fingertips in the nearby towns. |
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Getting there & away/local amenities |
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Getting There:
| Fly to Faro Airport, hire car or taxi to the house. Casa Flor de Sal is about 40 minutes by road from the Spanish border. The city of Seville is less than 2 hours away and the whole of Andalusia is within easy reach. Lisbon can be reached in two and a half hours by road. The nearest town is Olhão at 5km. |
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Nearest airports:
| Faro 22km |
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Nearest train station:
| Fuseta-A 3km |
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Nearest bus stop:
| N125 |
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Car Hire:
| Advised |
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Nearest restaurant:
| 1km |
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Nearest beach:
| 4km |
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Nearest shop:
| 1km |
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Nearest market:
| 4km |
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More Info |
Owner Info |
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Name |
Martin Sorensen |
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Contact Phone No. |
+351 915 857 029 |
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Accommodation details |
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Activities Nearby |
Beach within 30km / Birdwatching / Cycling / Fishing / Golf within 30km / Walking / Watersports
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Interior Facilities |
Air Con / Cot / Highchair / Dishwasher / DVD player / Internet Access / Linen provided / Television
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Interior Details |
Hoopoe House is the western end of Casa Flor de Sal. It consists of en-suite double bedroom, spacious living room with sofa bed for two more persons and kitchen. The bathroom has a shower. The kitchen is well equipped and includes a dishwasher. There is satellite TV, CD player, internet access and a PC for guest use.
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Exterior Facilities |
Balcony / BBQ / Garden / Parking / Swimming Pool / Terrace
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Exterior Details |
Hoopoe house has a traditional Algarvian terrace on the roof. In addition, there is a patio in on the south side of the house and a BBQ area. Garden, pool, parking and children's play area is shared between guests and the owners, who live in the property. The pool is about 4 x 8 metres (1.5 metres deep). We also have a petanque pitch.
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Further Details |
Casa Flor de Sal is placed in the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve, a labyrinth of lagoons separated from the sea by a coastal dune system which is broken up by various natural inlets. Ria Formosa has had status of Nature Reserve since 1978. This means that even though it is close to well known tourist resorts and cities, it is a fairly quiet area, and the small roads and footpaths invites for gentle walks or bicycling trips. Even if you are not a dedicated birdwatcher, it is hard not to enjoy the rich birdlife in the area. You can also swim in the Lagoon or cross to the sandy islands. A short walk from Casa Flor de Sal takes you to the lagoons, which offer protected swimming in clean water which is a few degrees warmer than the open Atlantic on the south side of the barrier islands - this is particularly an advantage early in the season. From both Fuseta and Olhão, you can take a ferry and cross to Ilha de Armona (the island in front of Casa Flor de Sal). These ferries cross the lagoon on regular intervals. Where you get off the boats there are some cafes/restaurants, and if you find it too crowded the solution is simply to wander a bit along the broad white beach.
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Conditions of
Rental |
Minimum rental period 3 nights. (7 nights in July & August). Smoking only outdoors. 25% of rent is paid at booking, remainder two months before start of rental. Cot, highchair, baby bath and toys available on request. A few bicycles are available to rent for €5/day or €20/week (we also have child seats). If you need to do your Laundry, you can use our large 8kg machine for €5 incl. detergent. Bed linen and towels provided. Light cleaning and change of towels once a week included. , €200 breakages deposit (refunded on departure). Arrival from 3pm, departure from 10am.
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Other Information |
Child Friendly / Other rental properties on site / Short breaks available
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What visitors have said about Hoopoe House |
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'Thank you for sharing your second home (it definitely felt like more than just a house) with us - it was a privilege to be there. We all commented that we used to think how silly it was that people would go back to the same place every year, but now we understand.'
L. Moore, Germany, Jan 2008 
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"For anyone who enjoys peace, tranquility and being surrounded by nature then this place is perfect. We had a brief stay in Stork house and thoroughly enjoyed it. The apartment was spotless and had everything you could possible want. Martin was an extremely knowledgeable, helpful host and made our stay very comfortable indeed. As keen bird watchers the accommodation was very close to many good bird watching sites and the pair of nesting White Storks were a delight to watch from the rooftop terrace. A nearby cafe/grill served good wholesome food especially the freshly caught fish. If you want to explore the surrounding area or further afield then a car is a must as the property is in a very rural situation but, for us, this was part of its charm."
K. Langbridge, UK, Feb 2011
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"We found Hoopoe House through a websearch and can't believe our luck! The site doesn't do it justice. We had a wonderful holiday at this beautiful, peaceful location. We had everything we needed. Martin and Alexandra are so welcoming and helpful. Nothing is too much trouble. We count them as friends.
The property is well located to explore the region. In the end we spent a lot of time relaxing and we will just have to go back to finish off the itinery! it's hard to drag yourself away from a rooftop terrace in the sun with a beautiful view
There are great beaches, restaurants, boat trips, towns/villages to visit.......Olhao isn't to far away to enjoy a coffee or ice cream whilst watching the world go by. It has a fantastic fish market for the BBQ. Tavira isn't too far the other way.
The birdwatching is fantastic. Whether it's out of the back garden through a field to the Ria Formosa lagoons or trips in the locality, there is so much to see. I'm sure Martin would put you in touch with me for further details. We took two guided trips which were really worth it. Birders won't be disappointed here!
if you have a bike or you walk/run then the cycle path along the lagoons is perfect. The spring flowers and wildlife make it even better.
The kids loved the place and keep asking to go back. It's that simple. Enjoy!"
A. Townsend, UK, Mar 2010
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"I simply cannot praise the owners and the property enough. We found the house by surfing the internet and it appeared to be exactly what we were looking for. On arrival we realised that what we had read and seen on the photographs did not do the property justice. You cannot get a feeling for the beauty and peacefulness without actually being there. The owners live in half of the house, whilst the other half is the rental. They are extremely friendly and helpful, but at the same time it really does feel like you have the place to yourself. The garden is lovely and you can sit on the upstairs terrace and take in the beautiful views over the Ria. We like to visit unspoilt/non- touristy places but we do have an 8 year old daughter who wants more than the peace and tranquility that is offered in the immediate vicinity of the house. She is a fairly well-travelled 8 year old and this holiday rated as one of her best. There is swimming in the lagoons just a short walk away, fantastic beaches within 10 minutes drive and the lovely towns of Olhau (where you can take cheap boat trips to the sandy islands) and Tavira are only 15-20 minutes away. The more typically touristy areas west of Faro are easily reached - we went to Zoomarine in Albufeira and it took about 40 minutes. You can be up in the hills around Monchique in an hour and there are lots of lovely villages to explore just inland from the house. We also drove to the beautiful city of Seville which is only 2 hours away. The highlight though was swmming under the waterfall at the Devil's Pond (Pego do Inferno) near Tavira - absolutely stunning. This is a fantastic place to stay if you don't want to go very far and just laze around the property, have a swim, visit the beaches, walk or cycle around the lagoons, see the water fowl etc. But there's plenty more as well if you want to get out and about. You do need a car to get around but the property is very well situated near the main road that runs along the coast. However, when you are at the house you wouldn't know you were anywhere near a main road. The best of both worlds! This is without doubt one of the best properties we have stayed in. Perfectly clean, well-maintained and great customer service both prior to and during our holiday. Would I recommend it to a friend? I already have, many times! "
D. Rawsthorne, UK, Mar 2009
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This rental house was a great find, and the facilities were first rate. We stayed for a week so got to know the place quite well. The cottage we stayed in, (Hoopoe House) was nice and roomy, well ordered and charming. The roof terrace was a great place to relax in the sun and watch the world go by. The view over the nature reserve is lovely and al-fresco breakfasts were taken here every morning. Martin was a great host, and nothing was too much trouble. He even went to the effort of introducing us to our neighbours when he found out that we had similar interests. One of the major reasons for booking Casa Flor de Sal was the location on the edge of the Rio Formosa Natural Reserve. It proved to be a real boon for wildlife and was an ideal location to see a lot of the local flora and fauna. It feels very quiet and secluded, with no noise or disturbances after dark. Yet it is just a five minute drive from the town of Olhao.
D. Shields, UK, Apr 2011
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We stayed in Hoopoe House at the end of May 2011 and could not recommend it highly enough. We were looking for a holiday that would keep our 18 month old daughter entertained but safe, allow us a little space to relax on an evening, and if possible we wanted something with character in a location away from the busy package holiday market - and this was everything we wanted. Martin was a perfect host and made sure we were well looked after. The house is beautiful and located off a quiet road just a stones throw away from the lagoons of the Ria Formosa and beyond that the amazing sandbank beaches. We hired a car so access to all the attractions on the algarve was very easy but you could cycle to and from nearby Olhao if you fancy. I was really impressed by the algarve, it had much more to offer than we realised, and staying at Hoopoe house was an absolute pleasure. If you like peace and quiet, wildlife, and fantastic views I can only recommend a visit!
S. Pearson, N. Ireland, May 2011
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We have just returned from a week's stay in Flamingo House at Casa Flor de Sal having enjoyed a lovely peaceful time in top class accommodation.
This cottage has been refurbished over the winter and was fantastic. Absolutely spotless with a large, comfortable double bedroom (with air con), a gorgeous bathroom with a huge walk in shower, ample living room and kitchen areas with all the facilities and equipment you could require. We had more than enough crockery and cutlery plus all the cooking utensils we needed but best was a super BBQ and patio area where we ate all our meals in the lovely Portuguese sunshine. The roof terrace is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the weather or stare at the stars in the clear night sky.
If required the cottage has been thoughtfully supplied with a computer, satellite TV, DVD player and various table games and there is a small petanque piste at the bottom of the property and a small swimming pool.
Martin and Alexandra are helpful but unobtrusive hosts, available for suggestions or advice if required.
We enjoyed visiting the markets in Olhao (don't miss the outside market on a Saturday too), the walled town of Old Faro, Tavira and the Cork Route at Sao Bras de Alportel. We also had two really good and very reasonably priced meals at O Bote restaurant in Olhao.
All in all we had a fabulous time in some of the best self catering accommodation we have ever stayed in. We can thoroughly recommend Casa Flor de Sal.
Zen and Philippa, UK, Sep 2010
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We stayed in Stork House in July. Lovely cottage, decorated tastefully with great kitchen, beautiful bathroom, tv, computer, lots of English books. Outside a nice Weber bbq. And a great roof-terrace with lovely views. As the weather was very hot, the aircon was very welcome.
Pool is small but good enough. Our 7 year old son really enjoyed swimming in it, and running around vineyard.
We can absolutely recommand this cottage!
Annette, Netherlands, Jul 2010
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We stayed in Stork House in July. Lovely cottage, decorated tastefully with great kitchen, beautiful bathroom, tv, computer, lots of English books. Outside a nice Weber bbq. And a great roof-terrace with lovely views. As the weather was very hot, the aircon was very welcome.
Pool is small but good enough. Our 7 year old son really enjoyed swimming in it, and running around vineyard.
We can absolutely recommand this cottage!
Scott, UK, Feb 2009
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