From Paris to Portugal

Louboutin Unveils First Hotel

Story courtesy of Vermelho Hotel | Photography by Ambroise Tézenas

Christian Louboutin’s first hospitality project—Vermelho—has proudly opened its doors to guests this year. Operated by Marugal Hotel Management, the intimate thirteen-room hotel is set in the village of Melides, deep in Portugal’s Alentejo region, just inland of the west coast, south of Comporta and Lisbon. Louboutin, who has a long-standing admiration for Portugal and the area, spent many weeks designing his collections in the country inspired by the unique light and the culture. The name Vermelho, meaning “red” in Portuguese, is the perfect homage to his signature color, and the design is a tribute to the region’s unique natural beauty and heritage.

With a passion for arts, crafts, and cultures of the world and nurturing his curiosity by surrounding himself with artisans, artists, and craftspeople, Louboutin was drawn to Melides, home to a flourishing community where creative minds find inspiration in the gentle pace of life. This peaceful part of the country is home to vineyards, rice fields, white cobbled squares, and endless views of the Atlantic Ocean on the horizon.

The interior of the hotel is a showcase of Louboutin’s eclectic and maximalist aesthetic—intimate, warm, and vibrant. He has personally sourced the furniture and collected the art and ceramics while incorporating and celebrating Portuguese talent and traditions.

The home-away-from-home experience guests are invited to experience extends to the restaurant, Xtian, where they can discover the culinary treasures of Portugal, and the Vermelho bar, where cocktails are served in a relaxed setting. Spa treatments and massages are available to ease both body and soul.

To bring Vermelho to life, Christian called upon the talents of the Lusitanian architect Madalena Caiado, whom he had already worked with on his Lisbon house, as well as longtime friend Carolina Irving, who acted as an advisor on textile creations and overall decoration. Patricia Medina, his friend from Sevilla, connected Iberian artisans with a unique and secular savoir faire with contemporary architectural visionaries. French landscape architect Louis Benech, regarded as one of the most remarkable landscape architects of his generation with a portfolio of public and private commissions around the world, from Peru to Morocco and the United States, designed the hotel’s gardens to sit comfortably and in seamless harmony within the broader landscape—colorful but natural.

“I realized many people have the fantasy of designing or owning a hotel,” says Christian Louboutin. “I like to make my dreams a reality. That is why Vermelho was born. This project allowed me to empty my storage full of antiques and objects I have purchased over many years! Furthermore, it is an opportunity to show the excellence of many artists and artisans I admire.”

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Rates for staying at Vermelho start at €400 (around $425) and include breakfast. Visit VermelhoHotel.com to learn more or book a stay!