The famous Palace of Estoi has now been converted to a luxury Pousada providing high quality hotel accommodation near Faro in Eastern Algarve.

After the Viscount of Estoi's death, the Palace was kept in the family until 1987, when it was bought by Faro City Council.

The romantic taste of the first owner, a descendant of one of the most distinguished families of The Algarve, inspired him to build a country house surrounded by gardens in a beautiful natural setting.

Rather than following the medieval models favoured by the revivalists of the period (first half of the 19th century), as exemplified by the Palacio da Pena in Sintra, he chose a combination of neo-baroque and neo-rococo features.

Part of the Palace's facade is covered with tiles with a variety of themes. In the interior, the decoration on the plaster ceilings - the finest in the Algarve -is worth mentioning, as is the furniture, the chapel, the hall, the reception and dining rooms, the two tea pavilions and the building which houses a nativity scene.

The wonderful French-inspired gardens, decorated with many statues and trees are one of the Palace's main features.

The Pousada has 63 bedrooms, all with air conditioning, cable television, internet access, minibar, hair dryer and safe. All bedrooms have balconies overlooking the garden.

Facilities at the Pousada include spa, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, restaurant, bar and meeting rooms with garden view, wireless internet in public areas, laundry service and car park.

Estoi is approximately 10 kilometers from Faro International Airport and 13 kilometers from the coastline. Within easy access are the beautiful, long sandy beaches, golf courses for which the Algarve is justly famous and the Ria Formosa Natural Park.

The ruins of Milreu, in the vicinity of Estoi, show the area was already populated in Roman times. The excavations brought to light an extensive Roman villa with adjacent buildings.