Behind the Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, the Chalet Ficalho always stood out with its never-before-seen architectural style. Since it was first built in the late 19th century, its round grey-green roofs, salmon-coloured stone walls, red shutters on the tall windows and botanical garden with exotic species (the father of the Countess of Ficalho was one of the founders of the Lisbon Botanical Garden and designed this one in its image) captivate passers-by. From now on they will be able to enter: the fourth and fifth generations of the family have transformed Maria Josefa de Mello's holiday home into a guest house that evokes the golden years of Portuguese high society.
The grand entrance hall and the museum-worthy dining room, adorned with painted canvases depicting fruit trees, are where the restoration is at its most impressive; however, “the round room” (which is not actually round) and the “small room” (a mini-library with direct access to the exterior), which are on the same ground floor on which guests are received, also house relics of bygone times.
The nine bedrooms are spread across the first floor and the attic, which can be reached by either the wooden staircase or the new lift that is adorned with a photograph from 1900 showing Francisco’s great-great-grandmother and grandmother with friends and a water dog, similar to the one accompanying us on the visit a few days before the opening. “The attic was in the worst condition. It had no roof and was open to the sky. My cousins and I would come here to play and explore the trunks, filled with fear,” recalls the first owner’s great-great-grandson.
In addition to now having all the necessary modern comforts (air conditioning, heating, lift, internet), and making the most of the original materials (for example, the bed headboards are made from leftover wood from the restoration), the biggest novelty is the delightful swimming pool in the garden where a semicircle of palm trees once stood. If desired, breakfast can also be served there. Or, indeed, in any other part of the house.
The slogan of the guesthouse is “Make Chalet Ficalho your home”. A summer residence, reminiscent of the time of kings and queens. And if you can’t stay overnight, there are plans to soon serve afternoon teas and cocktails.