About us - Pata da Gaivota Boutique House

Pata da Gaivota

The Villa Pata da Gaivota is wrapped by the unforgettable Atlantic Ocean’s West Coast and surrounded by the white sand coast

Our Story – Pata da Gaivota Boutique House

Embraced by the fresh scent of the Atlantic and the natural beauty of Portugal’s Silver Coast, Pata da Gaivota Boutique House was born from a family dream deeply rooted in Porto das Barcas, Lourinhã.

It all began in the early 1990s, when the founder Maria Goretti Gonçalves , driven by a passion for hospitality, started welcoming German guests to a small seaside country house.
Years later, her daughters took up the torch, modernising and expanding the project while preserving its soul, turning it into the elegant and welcoming retreat that today receives visitors from all over the world.

The original house, built in the early 20th century, was a traditional fisherman’s cottage with a vegetable garden and a terrace overlooking the ocean.
Over time, the property evolved, carefully preserving its authenticity and charm.

Today, the Villa comprises two independent family houses — Vasco da Gama and Joana Vasconcelos — and six themed suites, each dedicated to iconic Portuguese figures such as Amália Rodrigues, Bocage, Fernando Pessoa, Inês de Castro, Afonso Henriques and the Marquês de Pombal.

The Villas of Pata da Gaivota

The first villa, now known as Vasco da Gama, was the original owner’s residence a place filled with warm memories and tranquillity.
Its charming front patio is ideal for enjoying an outdoor meal or a glass of wine as the calm of the surroundings invites relaxation.
The name honours the legendary Portuguese navigator and his wooden caravels that set sail to explore the world.

The second villa, Joana Vasconcelos, was built years later as part of the family’s investment in holiday rentals.
Modern and colourful, just like the Portuguese artist who inspired its name, this two-storey villa features replicas of her artwork, adding touches of creativity, harmony and peace of mind.
From the ground floor, guests have direct access to the terrace, pool and garden.

Between these two houses lies what was once a small carpentry workshop, now transformed into a cosy leisure room the perfect place to unwind with family and friends.

The space retains original details, such as a granite wall and a wooden ceiling, and has been fully renovated to ensure comfort all year round.
In winter, the fireplace and vintage books invite quiet reading, while a foosball table provides light-hearted fun free of charge.

Living the Villa Experience

Summer is when Pata da Gaivota truly shines.
The pool invites refreshing dips under the sun, the rooftop terrace is the perfect spot to watch the sunset with a glass of wine, and the garden becomes a sanctuary of calm.
Its privileged location, just five minutes from the ocean, shields the property from the wind, allowing guests to fully enjoy the pool, terraces and outdoor spaces.
For culinary enthusiasts, there is also a wood-fired oven, ideal for baking pizzas, bread or homemade cakes.

A New Chapter

The most recent investment brought life to an adjacent property that had been abandoned for more than a decade.
Once known as the local barber’s house, it was acquired with the vision of expanding the Villa’s capacity and creating a unique themed concept, offering a luxurious and meaningful stay.

The six new suites draw inspiration from figures of Portuguese art, history and literature — including Amália Rodrigues, Bocage and Fernando Pessoa.
Each one was designed with its own identity, offering a private bathroom and an atmosphere that blends culture, comfort and authenticity.

More Than a Place to Stay

Pata da Gaivota Boutique House is a space of family, memory and hospitality.
Every detail tells a story, and every stay becomes part of ours a home that has grown over time without ever losing its essence.

Pata da Gaivota Boutique House – where every detail tells a story, and every stay becomes a memory.

The Villas first house, now called Vasco da Gama, used to be the original owner’s home, a place of good memories, with a classy entrance patio to enjoy your outside meal and/or a glass to chillout whilst silence helps you to relax. The connection to the house’s name is related to the great man and conqueror Vasco da Gama and to his wooden caravels to explore the world.

The second house was built years after as part of the rental investment for holidays. It’s called Joana Vasconcelos and it brings a modern and colourful style as the Portuguese artist is well-known for.

This two-storey house has a few replicas of her artwork to add a touch of modernity, harmony and peace of mind environment. This house was also built to give you direct access to the porch, swimming pool and garden as you walk out from the front door.

Between these fantastic houses, and what used to be a separate woodwork shop, is now a shared cosy leisure room with board games for you to relax with friends and family. It has been fully refurbished with a granite wall and a beautiful wooden ceiling. In the Winter time, the fireplace invites you to pick one of the many old books available there. If the time is for extreme fun regardless of the weather conditions, there’s a billiard table available free of charge.

But it’s going to be in the Summer that you will enjoy this place the most. The swimming pool invites you to freshen up after a sunbath, or even using the long living Pine tree shadow to relax. The rooftop is that special place to fancy the sunset colours after an enjoying a regional seafood meal.

Because it’s very close to the ocean coast, the Villa’s refurbished layout provides a shield against the wind, allowing you to enjoy the swimming pool, porches and the garden. If the plan is to show off your cooking skills, we’ve prepared things for you – there’s a wooden oven you can use to do that long-awaited handmade pizza or any sort of loaf or cake. Feel free to go to the vegetable garden and pick the herbs you need to shine amongst your friends and family.

The most recent investment was to bring life to a contiguous space that has been left idle for more than 11 years. It was the local barber’s house and after he passed away, the space was abandoned. Fortunately, it has been acquired with a plan to expand the Villa’s capacity and build a thematic concept for each room, providing a luxury experience to our guests. Public and well-known Portuguese figures such as the famous Fado singer Amalia Rodrigues, the poets Bocage and Fernando Pessoa are just a few personalities identified to give life to 6 private and spacious rooms, each one with a private bathroom. Because it’s a contiguous house to the Villa, the plan will incorporate access to the swimming pool, garden and a brand-new rooftop will be built, adding more space to enjoy the sun.