Trend/ HOTEL
Christian Louboutin: art lover
By Monique Delanoue-Paynot
The creator of the famous red-soled shoes presents Vermelho, his very first boutique hotel in Melides, a village in Alentejo on the Atlantic coast of Portugal — the country where he loves to recharge between each journey.
Consultants Immobilier takes you to Portugal: where Christian Louboutin has opened his luxury hotel, Vermelho. Located in the charming village of Alentejo, this hotel reflects the distinctive style and elegance of the renowned designer. Every detail, from the furniture to the artwork, has been carefully selected to offer a unique and refined experience.
The designer’s hotel reflects his personality: colorful yet minimalist, bold, steeped in art and culture, a symbol of his natural elegance and enriched by his encounters around the world.
Located south of Lisbon, Melides is a charming village in Alentejo on the Atlantic coast.
Opened last spring, Vermelho (“red” in Portuguese) welcomes aesthete enthusiasts into the intimate world of this nomadic creator turned hotelier for pleasure.
“I realized that creating a hotel corresponds to the fantasy of many people: a place that belongs to you, but not entirely — a different, exciting kind of responsibility.”
The original idea? To open a restaurant by the sea — something Melides was missing — where the famous shoemaker had built small vacation homes. The mayor convinced him to create a hotel. And it worked!
“It’s my refuge. I can change my pace with the horizon in front of me. It has the huge advantage of being close to Paris while offering everything I love, depending on where you look: the countryside, the mountains in the distance, and most of all, the sea. Being born in Brittany, I love the waves, the Atlantic, the intense climates. The ocean calms me.”
In Portugal, time and space become calm, gentle, and melodious… Between the magnificent light and the endlessly friendly people, this country holds vast potential for different crafts, such as azulejos and colorful ceramics.
A fan of Portuguese architecture — “a bit complicated, even childlike, yet rich in detail with a certain discipline within the lack of discipline” — the master of the house wanted to open his first hotel in a secluded spot, between beaches and hills. He shares with his guests, in the common areas and the 13 uniquely designed rooms, a baroque and palatial exuberance.
His signature? A hybrid style combined with a clear passion for the decorative arts, expressed through artisanal frescoes, works of art, and antique furniture rich in history, sourced from auctions. Eclectic and wildly whimsical, Vermelho surprises, astonishes, and delights both art and culture lovers alike.
Gastronomy also takes center stage with Portuguese chef David Abreu, who comes from the Four Seasons in Lisbon to treat guests to the treasures of traditional Portuguese cuisine.
Like a guiding thread, the signature red of Louboutin’s iconic heels adorns the ceramic floors, window shutters, and linen fabrics…
The Manueline-style hotel building was designed by Lisbon-based architect Madalena Caiado.
