PROJECT

The project is located on a plot of land in a developable area within the Arrábida Natural Park region, in the Cabo Espichel area. The project site spans an area of nearly 3 km.

The eco-hotel consists of 56 cabins and 7 communal buildings (a farm, 3 buildings for activities, the reception, a restaurant, and a staff building). All of these structures are made of wood and built on stilts, spread across this car-free site (although freely accessible to the public and unfenced), which features 12 km of trails. The project has been under construction since early 2024 and will open to the public in early 2027.

This project explores gentle forms of human occupation, where the ecosystem is actively protected. All buildings are exclusively made of wood and raised on stilts.

The construction density is 0.004. If we combine all the buildings, the total footprint of the project corresponds to an area of 75 meters by 85 meters, on a plot of 1,560,000 m², with the rest of the land remaining untouched. No landscaping is planned, in order to preserve the existing vegetation.

Only regulation work will be carried out, conducted by our team with the participation of guests, to ensure the maintenance of native plant habitats and to limit invasive species. There are four plant species on this land that grow unchecked, threatening all other priority habitats. Without active management, these habitats are at risk of disappearing in the long term.

A large part of the Sesimbra, Meco, and Cabo Espichel area is within the Natura 2000 network, as is our land. This classification requires that projects be as gentle and non-intrusive as possible—something we are committed to. (However, we remind that this classification includes many developable areas, precisely so that projects can be implemented with the highest level of care.) We also have a small portion of land in a ZEC (Special Protection Zone for birds), which is currently an active hunting area. This activity will be discontinued, and as a result, the impact on birds will undoubtedly be significantly reduced

This project also includes an important aspect related to indirect training through a reflection on practices linked to nature and culture. Beyond a set of common recreational and sporting activities (cycling, surfing, kayaking, diving, climbing, yoga, etc.), our aim is to provide access to enriching and transformative activities for adults and young audiences, focused on the technical exploration of nature and culture. We will propose, for example, activities related to filmmaking, music learning, plant transformation, and agroforestry systems, as well as sound and literary journeys in the natural park. Always within an entertaining and playful framework, we aim, especially for young audiences, to take advantage of holiday moments to create an environment conducive to intellectual and cultural awakening.
It is a project that is exclusively made of wood, designed according to the principles of bioclimatic architecture, with a focus on simplicity and the use of local wood. The project is energy autonomous, and all wastewater is treated to be used for underground irrigation of the agricultural part.
The project also includes an agroforestry component, which will be developed gradually to allow the restaurant’s supply and technical studies on the development of certain indigenous habitats in the Arrábida Natural Park.
In order to encourage sobriety and active participation in the project, a dozen criteria will influence the price paid by guests, including: local travelers, travelers without cars, water and electricity consumption, and participation in the management of the natural park.

FOR ANY QUESTION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US BY PHONE OR EMAIL.
WE’LL BE GLAD TO HELP YOU!

contact @ etosoto.com

Etosoto Cabo Espichel
Avenida 25 de Abril
Estrada Nacional 379 – Azóia
2970-171 Sesimbra, Portugal

+315 933 289 068