Casa Rosa at Christmas

Portugal has long been a favourite destination among our guests, and we are delighted to include it in our Christmas 2025 programme. Our 10 bed villa is in the Algarve town of Olhão. This is the alternative Algarve: instead of the sandstone cliffs and large resorts west of Faro, here are 60kms of tidal lagoons, islands and sandy beaches. The protected status of the Ria Formosa Natural Park restricts development, so Olhão retains its old town of cobbled streets and white-washed houses, its working port and fish market. This is the real Algarve!

Casa Rosa is a renovated 19th century building which sits on a tree-lined avenue in the old town. Low-key bars, restaurants and ice-cream parlours are virtually on the doorstep and within 10 minutes’ walk are the waterfront promenade, the market (designed by Gustav Eiffel) and the ferries which run to the beautiful islands just offshore.

Casa Rosa Winter – the hotel is set up differently than in the summer months. 1 bedroom is converted into a winter indoor lounge – plus added extras as below.

During the Christmas period, the Algarve region of Portugal typically experiences sunny days, with daytime temperatures ranging from the high teens to the low twenties Celsius. In the evenings and early mornings, however, a light jacket or sweater is advisable.

You can combine this with the Casa Rosa New Year holiday. If you would like to extend your stay to 10 nights to include New Year celebrations, please give us a call for more details.

Casa Rosa Boutique Hotel offers 10 smart rooms, and welcomed its first guests in March 2022. The property was fully refurbished over the last 3 years and has been finished to a high standard. The hotel looks traditional from the outside: pink plaster walls, classical details. Inside, it offers relaxed coastal living using natural materials with a contemporary twist. This trip is exclusive to Friendship Travel. 

At ground level ( only in the Winter months) – there is an indoor lounge which opens onto a tiled courtyard with a heated plunge pool, 2/3 person hot sauna and sociable seating. Upstairs (via a staircase – no lift), is a beautiful furnished roof terrace. Wherever you are in Casa Rosa, you should be able to pick up the free WiFi.

Please note – A local tourism tax has been introduced by the government in Olhao since June 2023. All guests must pay locally to the hotel €2 per night up to a maximum of 5 nights. This is not included in your holiday costs.

All 10 rooms are of a slightly different size and are simple but stylish, with retro 1960’s colour schemes and cool tones. Each is furnished with a comfortable king-sized bed, bedside tables, chair and desk/dressing table, bathrobe and slippers, hair dryer plus a walk-in shower (pool/beach towels provided). Air-con/heating is included. Some rooms have a town view; others look on to the roof terrace or courtyard.

Prices are based on standard ground floor room (rooms 3 and 5), upgrades are available to a ground floor executive room at £15 extra per night, ground floor standard room with shared terrace at extra £15 per night, 1st floor standard rooms at £20 extra per night and deluxe suite at £25 extra per night.

Rooms

• 1, 2 and 4 – Ground floor, executive double rooms with en-suite.
• 3 and 5  – Ground floor, standard double with en-suite. Rm 5 has outside shared terrace.
• 6 – Your Indoor Lounge which opens onto the shared patio.
• 10 – First floor, deluxe suite with shared terrace. This room is very spacious, has double sinks, couch area and 3 big windows looking over the pool area.
• 11, 12 & 14 – First floor, standard double rooms with en-suite and shared terrace