The Grand House - architect Ernesto (Ernst) Korrodi

This Hotel, now the Grand House takes us back for a moment to the early 1900s, when Manuel Garcia Ramirez commissioned Swiss architect Ernesto (Ernst) Korrodi to renovate an existing hotel on the Guadiana River in Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA).

The Swiss architect Ernesto Korrodi changed Bern for Portugal. He became one of the most famous architects of his time and realized about 400 projects, mainly in the north of Portugal. We know his style in Europe as Fin-de-Siècle; a mix of classical architecture with a transition to Art Nouveau, called “Modernismo” in Portugal and Spain. Entrepreneur Garcia managed to persuade the VRSA board to change the strict requirements that only the "Pomball style" should be built in the "historic center". The Grande Hotel Guadiana, with its fine architecture, is clearly different than the fairly uniform “Pombal architecture” that dominates the facade towards the water.

The 50-room hotel was mainly intended for entrepreneurs (canning industry) from all over Europe who came to VRSA for “business”. The then hotel "Grande Hotel Guadiana" received an extensive refurbishment in 2016 and is now a 5-star member of Relais & Chateaux.

The former hotel had a casino called Peninsular in Monte Gordo; the new Grand Hotel has a Grand Beachclub with its own (mini) beach in the mouth of the river with a pleasant restaurant & swimming pool.

Click here for our blog about "The Grand House"

Photos taken from website:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tjwevrb90b6ppx5/AADg_14jnfN9RvOKlNdW09Rwa?dl=0