Sometimes referred to as “the Hamptons of Portugal,” Comporta is a small beach community comprised of multiple villages just an hour’s drive from Lisbon. Much less developed than the Hamptons, perhaps “the ’70s Montauk of Portugal before it turned into a massive party scene” is a more apt description.

Sublime is THE place to stay in Comporta; located a ten minute drive from the beach, the property feels natural and secluded, complete with an organic garden and groves of cork trees and umbrella pines. The rooms, suites and villas have a luxe Portuguese beach shack vibe to them; you feel close to nature, but also with every modern comfort you could desire.

A little bit more about the property

Sublime is owned by a Portuguese couple, a former airline pilot and flight attendant, who originally built their own holiday villa on the estate and ultimately decided to share their peaceful property with others by developing it into a hotel. Sublime Comporta opened its doors to the public in 2014 and the couple recently expanded the brand to include Sublime Lisboa, which opened in June 2022. While I have not yet had the opportunity to visit the Lisboa property, I can say that the Comporta location is a unique destination and the owners clearly put a lot of effort into creating a relaxing environment that incorporates locally inspired design accents that draw on the traditions of the region but still feel luxurious and modern.

Room categories

The 17 hectare estate has 23 rooms and suites and 22 villas, ranging from two to five bedrooms. The large proportion of villas make Sublime particularly attractive for families; each villa comes with a private pool and fully-equipped kitchen, and there is also a children’s pool. Of course, the villas would also work great for friends traveling together and wanting some communal areas to hang out away from other people. Sublime would also be a terrific romantic option for couples; many of the suites feature large bathtubs and private outdoor spaces, and there are also two adults-only pools (one outdoor and one indoor).

I got to tour almost all of the room categories during my visit, which was really helpful to understand more about which rooms would be best for different types of guests.

First I saw the Guest Suites, which are all located in a row in their own building. These duplex-style rooms have a full bathroom on the upper level along with a small half bath on the ground floor. Because the shower is located on the upper floor, I wouldn’t recommend these rooms to anyone with mobility issues. However, these rooms do have a full sofa bed in addition to a king size sofa bed on the lower floor, so they would work well for a family with one or two children.

I personally stayed in a Bio-Pool Suite, which is one of Sublime’s most unique room categories. These rooms are actually individual cabanas, all laid out in a row facing the property’s large biological pool. I had never encountered a biological pool before; it is in fact a man-made pool, but it is treated only with aquatic plants (no chemicals). As such it looks more like a lake than a swimming pool, with plenty of wildlife to match. My frog neighbors were happily croaking away through the night, so these rooms wouldn’t be ideal for those who don’t appreciate the sounds of nature while they try to sleep.

Next, it was on to the Villas. Individual rooms in the villas can also be booked, which offer guests shared access to the common areas (entrance hall, outdoor terrace, pool). On the pro side, this means you’ll be able to use a pool that will likely be much less crowded than the main pool. However, you may still need to share with strangers.

The exception to this is the Two Bedroom Cabana Villa. In addition to renting out the entire villa, you can choose to book either a Cabana Room (which includes individual access to the room and a private terrace) or a Cabana Suite (which also offers exclusive access to the kitchen, living room and private pool, complete with indoor-outdoor fireplace). For a couple looking for the ultimate Sublime experience, the Cabana Suite is definitely the way to go.

The villas all have somewhat different layouts and artwork, as they are all privately owned. Regardless, they still feature Sublime’s signature luxe beach shack design: white linen slipcovers, light wood furniture, lots of locally-inspired accents.

The only rooms I didn’t get to see (due to construction) were the Friends Rooms and the Owner’s Suite, which are located in the original villa that was the first building on the owner’s private estate before he and his wife decided to develop the property into a hotel. These rooms are some of the most centrally located, as they are in the same building as the spa and very close to the main pool. The Friends Rooms are the smallest on the property, and as such, the least expensive. One unique feature of the Owner’s Suite is that it has a private Jacuzzi on one of its terraces. Note that these rooms are all adults only.

Property amenities

You could easily spend several days at Sublime without ever leaving (although it would be a shame if you went to Comporta and never visited the beach). The hotel has three onsite restaurants, two bars, a spa, a fitness center, four pools, a tennis court, and bicycles that are complimentary for guests to use.

I had breakfast daily at Sem Porta, the main restaurant on the property, as well as dinner there one night. The breakfast buffet spread was massive and oh so good. Do not skip breakfast at Sublime. Dinner was pricey, but also excellent. I got the “Azeitão” Cheese Gratin (basically Portuguese melted cheese–obviously delicious) and the Lobster Rice (incredible).

Unfortunately the other two restaurants were closed during my stay, which is something to consider if you’re visiting during the low season. I would have loved to try Food Circle, Sublime’s farm-to-table dining experience that only seats twelve people around a counter located in the organic garden. Tasca da Comporta is Sublime’s more casual dining option, serving Portuguese small plates.

Sublime Beach Club

Sublime also operates a beach club that is just a ten minute drive from the hotel, and they offer a complimentary shuttle service for guests to and from the beach club and the hotel. When I was visiting in April, the beach was desolate and outdoor service wasn’t operating, but the indoors was hopping. The ambiance still felt delightfully beachy, and the views of the ocean were stunning. I could see this place being a real scene in the summer, perhaps more akin to the Hamptons of today. Definitely go here and definitely make reservations.

Getting to Sublime Comporta–and getting around

I highly recommend renting a car to get to Comporta, and to explore the area during your stay. It’s a quick drive from Lisbon (approximately one hour) and driving in Portugal is straightforward. Parking at Sublime is complimentary, and you’ll need your own car if you want to get off the property to do anything other than visiting Sublime Beach Club.

There are some taxis in Comporta, but the area is literally a handful of villages, so I would not rely on taxis as your sole method of transportation. Sublime does have bicycles onsite that are complimentary for guests to use, but the staff did not recommend that we take them on the road to the beach as it’s basically a highway without a bike lane or shoulders.

Best time to visit

I visited for a couple nights in April 2022, which was not ideal for beach weather or a bustling scene in town, but Sublime still felt quite cozy and there were a number of other guests at the property even though I was staying there midweek during the low season. The sales team told me that many people visit from Lisbon for an easy getaway during the winter and spring, while the summer is more popular with international travelers. If you want the optimal beach/pool experience, June-August is your best bet, but May and September should still offer plenty of sun and warmth (and fewer crowds).