Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

No. Our family owns these homes. We personally care for the properties, and for our guests–with the help of friends and neighbours.

Our Lisbon homes our part of a Lisbon Historic Preservation neighborhood. These areas are protected by the Portuguese government because of their unique value. The exteriors look as they did in the 19th century, with even the paint color regulated to ensure authenticity.
Most of the buildings in the neighborhood were built in the 1500-1800s. Nowhere will you find McVillas with plate-glass windows… instead, prepare to step back in time.
All of our properties retain their old-world flavor: thick stone walls with deep-set, shaded windows; natural flooring (wood, cork, granite, marble, tile).
On Armona Island, our beach cottage is located within the confines of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, an area zealously controlled by the local government. Casa Armona was the home to one of the island’s original fishermen, and his family still lived there until about 15 years ago. While there are other rentals–and a “camping” site with rented bungalows towards the middle of the island–Armona retains a relaxed, authentic, small-town Portuguese feel.

Yes. Every year Deco-Proteste (the Portuguese “Consumer Reports” or Consumer Protection Bureau) tests the tap water around the country. The results are always very good in terms of safety.
On the other hand, almost all the water in Portugal comes from underground aquifers and so has a high mineral content. Some people don’t like the taste. Other people find it a little “heavy” on the stomach. These aren’t health issues, but it explains why many people still drink bottled water.
We can loan you a Brita water filter if you wish.

The water on Armona Island is from the same system as in Olhão, so the WATER is safe. However, some of the PIPES on Armona are still very old.
Plenty of people drink the water on Armona with no problems. I prefer to drink bottled water while I’m there, even though we cook with tap water.

We do. We love the environment and want to keep it as healthy as possible. We recycle and provide you with the tools to recycle while you are here. (We also understand that you are on vacation, and may not want to deal with 4 types of trash…no worries.) We use environmentally friendly cleaning products as much as possible. But if we have to choose between clean and green? We confess, we’ll choose clean every time.

With a gutteral “r” (like the French “r” or Hebrew “h”/”ch”), the accent on the “i” and a soft “oo” as in “boo” : row-SEE-oo

Yes, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. It’s important to us that our guests enjoy their time in Portugal.