Why we picked this hotel
Marqí turns an eccentric 1980s mansion into one of the Sintra coast’s most distinctive stays, with eight individual rooms, a lush pool garden and Praia Grande within walking distance.
Hotel description
Marqí occupies an eccentric 1987 mansion tucked into the green hillside above Praia Grande, where Danish photographer Mikkel Kristensen and artist-architect Mikas Emil have leaned into the house’s original personality rather than smoothing it away. Eight rooms and suites mix vintage furniture, colourful carpets, marble bathrooms and 1970s references, while balconies and terraces look across the gardens, valley and, from selected rooms, towards the Atlantic. Days naturally gravitate towards the pool garden, long breakfasts on the terrace and drinks in the lobby before heading down towards the coast. Praia Grande is around 15 minutes away on foot, and Marqí now has its own small beach club there too, making it easy to move between the house, the Atlantic and the surrounding Sintra coast without turning the stay into a packed itinerary.
Hotel location
This is great
An eighties mansion reborn
Marqí keeps the eccentric character of a 1987 party house while turning it into an intimate eight-room coastal hotel.
Eight rooms, no two alike
Every room has its own layout, vintage pieces and private balcony or terrace overlooking the garden, valley or coast.
Designed with Mikas Emil
Mikkel Kristensen and artist-architect Mikas Emil shaped the interiors around mid-century furniture, seventies colour and pieces collected across Portugal.
A pool hidden in the garden
The outdoor pool sits among palms, terraces and exotic planting, with views across the green Colares valley.
Nando’s Place still survives
The original owner’s basement disco remains part of the house, preserving one of its most unusual pieces of history.
Praia Grande down the hill
One of the Sintra coast’s best-known surf beaches is around 15 minutes away on foot.
Our take on the stay
The interiors are reason enough to come, but the pool, tropical garden, sea views and easy walk to the beach make Marqí feel like a proper coastal escape.
Curated by
Eliza
What guests loved
The distinctive seventies interiors
The warm, personal hospitality
The peaceful pool and garden
The relaxed home-like atmosphere
The views across the Colares valley
Best for
Colares hills • Romantic stays • Surf • Praia Grande • Nature
Good to know
8 rooms and suites
Rooms from 15–35 m²
Check-in from 15:00
Check-out by 12:00
Every room has a private balcony or terrace
Small pets accepted with prior approval
On-site outdoor parking and free street parking
Praia Grande around 15 minutes on foot
Lisbon Airport around 45 minutes by car
Amenities
Pet friendly
Surfing
Free parking
About the destination
Praia Grande
Praia Grande lies along Portugal’s Atlantic coast near Sintra, where wide sandy beaches meet dramatic cliffs, green hills, and small seaside villages. The surrounding area offers coastal walking trails, excellent surf, and easy access to Sintra’s historic palaces and the picturesque village of Colares. Marqi sits within this coastal landscape, offering a peaceful retreat close to the ocean and the natural beauty of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.
