The Palheta development, which will be 'born' in Herdade da Palheta, between Évora and Redondo, is financed by the Global Real Estate Fund and managed by the financial company Arbra Partners Ltd, founded by Lucas Bitencourt, in 2022.

In a statement sent today to the Lusa agency, the developer explained that "the property will have a 5-star hotel with 60 rooms, 35 'villas' and 20 country houses".

Contacted by Lusa, a source from the company indicated that the tourist complex, which involves "an investment of 110 million euros", will be "aimed at the luxury segment" and is scheduled to "open in 2028".

In today's edition, the weekly Expresso reports this investment in Alentejo and quotes Lucas Bitencourt, "a Brazilian entrepreneur based in Portugal, since 2020", who reveals that the start of construction is scheduled for 2025.

Before, "at the end of the year" of 2024, "demolition interventions" will take place, according to the newspaper, which pointed out that this project will be built on the property "where the insolvent Vila Sol group was developing a mega-development for a long time, but the building constructed in the meantime was abandoned".

The then designated Vila Sol Évora, which was a project of Potential National Interest (PIN) launched by the then socialist prime minister José Sócrates, was scheduled to 'open its doors' in 2009, with a hotel with 73 rooms, residential tourism, a golf course and other amenities, but it was never finished.

Euro-Atlântica III, Empreendimentos Urbanísticos, which was the developer of the complex, whose hotel was under construction, was declared insolvent in 2012, Lusa reported at the time.

Now, Arbra Partners Ltd. wants to "take the oversized project that existed in a perspective of transformation, recovering what is possible", can be read in the newspaper Expresso.

In the statement sent to Lusa, the developer considered that this estate is "a hidden gem in the heart of Alentejo, about 90 minutes by car from Lisbon", and, with "a heritage that dates back to 1428", and the transformation of Palheta for tourist purposes means "creating a unique proposal in the 'premium' hospitality sector in Portugal, on a scale that covers 300 hectares".

"The hotel will offer a range of facilities that respect the historically modest and rural way of life, while providing the most sophisticated leisure, well-being and gastronomy experiences", said Arbra, who chose "world-renowned architect" John Pawson to lead "the architecture and design of Palheta".

The villas and country houses on the property will be put up for sale and will be fully serviced by the hotel, the company said, explaining that the complex will also include "a wine club in a century-old cellar, a mark of the property's rich wine legacy", whose vineyards occupy 25 hectares.

"Palheta is expected to attract international guests, owners and the local community", according to Arbra, who promised that "art and culture will play a fundamental role in the life of the property, with the creation of a new open-air amphitheater, an art pavilion, studios and artists' residences",

A wellness center, a 'spa', a sports center, an organic farm, a restaurant and a playground are other features of the project.

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