Experiencing La Vie en Rouge at Christian Louboutin’s Boutique Hotel in Melides
Christian Louboutin, the renowned fashion designer known for his signature red soles, has added a new jewel to his crown. Vermelho Melides Boutique Hotel, located in Melides, Portugal, showcases his unique vision and love for art, design, and culture. Operated by Marugal Hotel Management, the intimate 13-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. This peaceful part of Europe is home to vineyards, rice fields, white cobbled squares and endless views of the Atlantic Ocean on the horizon.
Christian Louboutin’s Inspiration: Discovering Melides’ Creative Community
Louboutin, who has a long-standing admiration for Portugal and the area, has spent many weeks designing his collections in the country inspired by the unique light and culture of the people. The name Vermelho, meaning red in Portuguese, is the perfect homage to his signature colour and the design is a tribute to the unique natural beauty and heritage of the region.
From the moment guests step through the historical wooden doors of Vermelho, they are transported to an intimate world of boutique luxury. The hotel welcomes the culturally inquisitive and curious guests to be bold, brave, different and stand out.
The boutique hotel reflects Louboutin’s passion for arts, crafts, and cultures from all around the world. The designer found his inspiration in Melides, a small village in southern Portugal, where he used to retreat for weeks to design his winter collections. The village’s unique light and personality, along with its flourishing creative community, made it an ideal location for Louboutin to bring Vermelho Melides Boutique Hotel to life.
Christian Louboutin’s Vision About Architecture, Art and Design at Vermelho Hotel
To bring Vermelho to life, Christian has called upon the talents of the Lusitanian architect Madalena Caiado, whom he had already worked with on his Lisbon house, as well as long-time friend Carolina Irving, who has acted as an advisor on textile creations and overall decoration. Patricia Medina, his friend from Sevilla, connects 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 portfolio of public and private commissions around the world, from Peru to Morocco and the United States, has designed the hotel’s gardens also sit comfortably within the wider landscape in seamless harmony – colourful but natural.
VERMELHO, MELIDES, PORTUGAL
Every aspect of Vermelho embodies Louboutin’s cultural passion, curiosity, and welcoming character. The designer also collaborated with local and international artists to create bespoke pieces that play with styles, eras, fabrics and colours. This collaboration has created an intimate, warm and welcoming ambience throughout the hotel.
Vermelho’s maximalist and eclectic style reflects Louboutin’s signature colour, red. The hotel’s hand-sculpted façade by Italian sculptor Giuseppe Ducrot and frescoes by Greek artist Konstantin Kakanias are some of the unique pieces of art that guests can admire. The Grenadian carpentry, Los Tres Juanes, has created doors that invite guests to explore every corner of the hotel, including the bespoke silver bar made by Villareal goldsmiths.
Klove Studio, an Indian design studio that redefines luxury lighting, has created a gold and green glass-blown mural chandelier that welcomes guests as they enter the hotel’s reception area. Focusing on traditional glass-blowing, Klove Studio supports local Indian artisans to create slow, artisanal and handmade designs.
The traditional Portuguese patterned ceramic tiles, known as azulejos, can be found scattered throughout the hotel. They tell the stories of the many foreign influences that make up the country’s rich history, culture and traditions. At Setúbal, the Fábrica de Azulejos de Azeitão perpetuates this tradition and uses the same techniques that have been used in Europe for five centuries. The azulejos are hand-made from clay from Leira, then decorated with antique designs from the decorative repertoires of various European countries, but also Islam and China. The craftsmen make flat, hand-painted tiles with natural dyes as well as raised tiles with different colour glazes in the 16th-century Spanish-Moorish style.
Christian Louboutin commissioned Azeitão’s craftsmen to create the hotel’s red tile floor pigmentation as well as the azulejo panels of Vermelho’s bedrooms.
Immersing Yourself in the World of Vermelho
VERMELHO, MELIDES, PORTUGAL
The home-away-from-home experience to which guests are invited to experience will extend to the restaurant, Xtian, where the culinary treasures of Portugal can be discovered, and the Vermelho bar, where cocktails will be served in a relaxed setting. Spa treatments and massages will be available to guests to ease both body and soul.
The dishes in Xtian, the hotel’s restaurant, are prepared with ingredients from the local market and the land, reflecting the peaceful pace of life and legacy in Melides. Guests can also enjoy the calm music in the luxury wellness area, feel the Atlantic Sea breeze, and immerse themselves in the flora that inhabits the gardens.
VERMELHO, MELIDES, PORTUGAL
Vermelho Melides Boutique Hotel is more than just a hotel; it is a cultural journey that invites guests to experience the La Vie en Rouge. Vermelho Melides Boutique Hotel is not just a beautiful space, but also a place that celebrates the Portuguese tradition and know-how, while embracing Louboutin’s cultural passion.
The hotel’s vision, created by Christian Louboutin, offers a unique and unforgettable experience to all. Whether you are looking for a romantic getaway or a cultural adventure, Vermelho Melides Boutique Hotel is the perfect destination for you.
Photo Credits: Ambroise Tezenas
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