Quinta da Luz brings a little bit of luxury to the hills of Silves
– July 6, 2021
A new five-star luxury Bed & Breakfast has emerged in the hills of Silves, and German couple, Kristin and Tobias, are stopping at nothing to give tourists the break they deserve.
The couple met in 2015 in Turkey whilst on vacation. Although they both travelled alone, Kristin and Tobias soon found each other and met for dinner every day. Both hailing from Germany, they found they had a lot in common and love prevailed. They married in July 2018.
Later, the pair decided they wanted a change of scenery. Tobias had worked in the financial and real estate sector and Kristin had worked as a Public Relations manager in Cologne, Germany. But both were seeking an outdoors lifestyle and something that “would complement the uncommon 25-year age gap” between them, as Tobias quite frankly pointed out.
Owners Tobias and Kristin
They had been visiting the Algarve in the winter for a few years and, as most people do, fell in love with the area. The beautiful nature, the beaches, the picturesque villages and, most importantly, the friendly Portuguese people, soon led them across a charming rural farmhouse just on the outskirts of Silves, tucked away in the hills and “it was perfect”.
The farmhouse had previously been converted to a B&B a few years back, which initially attracted them as it meant they could avoid any unnecessary bureaucracy. Another allure to the Quinta was the 60,000 square metres of beautiful garden with old olive and fruit trees. Kristin and Tobias added a few special touches to the B&B in November and started welcoming guests in May this year.
On arrival at Quinta da Luz, we are greeted with a warm embrace from both Kristin and Tobias and their lovely dog. “When people arrive here, most are tense and with a frown on their face. We want to change that,” Tobias explains. There are eight impressive rooms within the B&B, with thick stone walls and striking high wooden ceilings. Their aim was to draw the finest qualities from both modern and traditional styles.
Each room is named after an Algarvian tree, and the colour scheme cleverly reflects this. In the morning, guests can enjoy some treats such as homemade jams and bread, which are all locally sourced. They are very keen on being as sustainable as possible, so they have great connections already to local farms for food and wine. Kristin and Tobias are proud of their European breakfast and claim to have “the best, biggest breakfast around!”.
Kristin and Tobias are more than happy to suggest fantastic local activities and points of interest for clients, and they can also arrange bookings for golf tee times and recommend great local restaurants. They gain no commission; they are simply happy to do so. However, guests who prefer to stay at the Quinta can enjoy a dip in the pool or even hit a few balls on their resident driving range.
Impressively, the Quinta is mostly powered by sustainable energy. They have their own photovoltaic system with battery storage to take full advantage of the Algarvian sun. The couple buys local wherever they can and even use fruit from their own land and always recycle and avoid plastics.
As they look forward to the year ahead, Kristin and Tobias hope to invite people to their Quinta for Sunday Sessions and BBQs. It is safe to say, they love to host and are naturals at it. In fact, they have already had a guest in tears when their visit had come to an end. Quinta da Luz is peaceful, unique and wholesome. Perhaps it is because their concept stemmed from their love of each other and their desire to do something together that makes their five-star B&B so special.
