Hotel Urgeiriça
In Canas de Senhorim, in the heart of Beira Alta.
Why book here
The History
Welcoming those who arrive here with calmness
Perhaps that is what has defined this place from the very beginning
In 1930, Charles Harbord arrived in Urgeiriça with a clear idea: to create a place of rest, away from the noise, where time could be lived calmly. He purchased a large estate and built a manor house there, unaware that he was beginning a story that would span decades.
Five years later, the house became a holiday and wellness retreat. The English Hotel Urgeiriça was born. The hotel gradually gained life, reputation and returning guests who came back year after year.
Shortly afterwards, Phyllis Graham, an English resident of Porto and a regular guest, became Charles Harbord’s business partner. Urgeiriça was growing, not only as a hotel, but also as a meeting place.
Nowadays
A place shaped by those who arrive
People, memories and peaceful days: the story continues to be written
Over the years, writers, artists, political figures and curious travellers have passed through Urgeiriça. People who found tranquillity, anonymity or inspiration here. Some stayed for one night. Others returned many times. All of them left invisible traces behind.
More than guests, they were presences. Long conversations. Walks through the gardens. Unhurried dinners. Simple days.
Hotel Urgeiriça has never been just a building. It has been (and continues to be) a place where people meet, return and create memories. Where time slows down effortlessly and hospitality happens naturally.
Today, Hotel Urgeiriça preserves the same spirit. A hotel with a past, lived in the present, open to those who end up staying longer than expected.
With time
A peaceful encounter
Between gardens, landscape and time to simply be
Arriving at Hotel Urgeiriça is stepping into a different rhythm. A place where calm comes naturally and time no longer feels urgent. Surrounded by spacious and peaceful gardens, the hotel opens onto a continuous forest landscape, with Serra da Estrela marking the distant horizon.
Here, the days begin simply. Walking among beeches, camellias and plane trees. Sitting quietly and watching the light change. Taking a deep breath. There is no rush to get anywhere (only the pleasure of being present).
Hotel Urgeiriça is a serene meeting point between landscape, architecture and silence. A place to slow down, restore energy and reconnect with what truly matters, with time to savour every moment.