Alentejo Tiny House with Shared Pool | São Bartolo - Santiago do Cacém

Casa Manila is a tiny renovated cottage sharing a private saltwater lap pool with two sister houses in the Alentejo countryside. Self check-in means your own arrival time, no fixed handover. A compact, comfortable ground-floor bedroom plus a mezzanine for two more, ideal for a couple travelling with family or friends. Walk the Santiago trail, explore Roman ruins, or drive a short way to the Costa Vicentina beaches. No wifi, no hotel polish — just genuine countryside quiet, at a smaller scale than its neighbours.

Your Property

The SpaceCasa Manila is one of two tiny cottages sharing a single Alentejo property with the larger Casa Lisboa. Fully renovated but genuinely rural, it suits couples, small families, or pairs of friends who want a private pool and real countryside quiet without needing a full house.

Why Guests Love It
A private, compact layout that still sleeps four across a ground-floor bedroom and mezzanine; access to a shared saltwater lap pool set among three cottages; and genuine rural quiet, a short drive from the Costa Vicentina coastline.

Location — São Bartolomeu da Serra
A small hill village in Alentejo Litoral, 8km from Santiago do Cacem, the nearest town. This is deep countryside — no passing traffic, no neighbours in earshot beyond the two sister cottages. A car is the practical way to explore the Santiago trail, Roman ruins, historic churches, and local gastronomy, with the Costa Vicentina beaches a short drive further.

Ideal For Couples wanting a private pool and genuine countryside disconnection; small families or pairs of friends who don't mind a compact, tiny-house layout; and anyone using the property as a quiet base for walking the Santiago trail or Rota Vicentina.

Sleeping Arrangements
Bedroom (ground floor) — Queen bed, ensuite bathroom with shower. Mezzanine (upstairs) — 2 single beds.

Living Area
A living area with a sofa opens onto the open-plan kitchen and dining space — compact but genuinely comfortable, built for a short rural stay rather than a long working one.

Kitchen and Dining
An equipped kitchen (induction hob, small electric oven, dishwasher, fridge) sits alongside a dining area with table and chairs.

Pool
The shared saltwater lap pool sits at the centre of the property, used by all three cottages — a proper lap pool rather than a splash pool.

Garden
An outdoor table and chairs sit in front of the house for guests' use. Casa Manila's own outdoor set — two blue tables, six blue chairs, a white lounger, and one white chair — is positioned in front of the house and shouldn't be swapped with the neighbouring cottages' furniture.

Bedrooms
The ground-floor bedroom holds a queen bed and an ensuite bathroom with a shower. The mezzanine above sleeps two on single beds, reached by steep stairs with no protection railing — not advisable for small children, guests with limited mobility, or anyone under the influence of alcohol or other substances. We expressly decline liability for accidents that may occur there.

Casa Manila is one of the two smaller Alentejo cottages, built for a couple or a small group rather than a full house party — but it shares the same soul as its neighbours: honest countryside living, a shared pool, and a stay built entirely around your own pace.

Guest Access

Exclusive use of Casa Manila and its own dedicated outdoor furniture (two blue tables, six blue chairs, a white lounger, one white chair) in front of the house. The saltwater lap pool and garden are shared with Casa Lisboa and Casa Maputo, exclusively for registered guests of all three houses, always respecting quiet hours. No outside visitors at any time.

Interaction with Guests

Our brand rests on one principle above all: independence, not absence.
The smart lock removes the friction of a fixed handover — it doesn't remove the host. We host remotely from Copenhagen, by design rather than necessity, and have done so since 2017 — our reviews attest to that. Being remote hasn't meant being distant: it's meant building a stay where you arrive on your own terms and the care is constant, even when it's invisible. We're reachable through the Airbnb app or by phone, and happy to talk guests through anything at all.

Other Details to Note

There is no wifi or TV at Casa Manila at this stage — this is a genuine rural house, and disconnecting is part of the point, not an oversight. The mezzanine sleeping area is reached by steep, unrailed stairs and isn't advisable for small children or guests with limited mobility. The pool, garden, and access road are shared with Casa Lisboa and Casa Maputo, so quiet hours matter here more than in a standalone house.

Additional Rules

The Obvious
Care for the house and its belongings as if they were your own. Dispose of garbage throughout your stay. Avoid food or drinks on the sofa. No smoking indoors or in the garden (including vaping) — cigarette butts must go in a closed jar, never dropped, given the real fire risk in the countryside. No parties or unregistered guests. Please respect quiet hours, 10pm to 8am — sound carries easily between the three cottages.

Checking Out
Restore furniture and décor to their original positions. Dispose of all trash — including anything left in the fridge or pantry — in the village containers, not on-site (there is no rural trash collection). Turn off the lights and the air conditioning. Close all windows, shutters, doors, and gates, and lock up.

Fire Hazard
Bonfires and barbecues are forbidden at all times, due to fire risk — criminal liability applies during high-risk fire seasons.

Local Laws
As required by Portuguese law, we ask all guests for personal ID data, which is reported to the local authorities. The number of registered guests may not be exceeded.

Car Parking
Casa Manila has one dedicated car space. Entering the dirt road off the EN121, take the left fork; the parking area is on the side of the houses (not facing the main road), once the wall ends. Please use only your own space and leave the others for the neighbouring cottages — ask if you need additional parking.

Post/Use of Address
This is a short-term rental — please don't use the address for post, correspondence, or official matters. Arrange deliveries through courier during your stay.

Long Stays
For extended stays, please be mindful of electricity use, as consumption above typical levels is charged in addition to the base rate.

Pets
Not allowed. An unauthorized pet carries a €500 cleaning surcharge and may lead to cancellation of the reservation.

Swimming Pool — Important Safety Notice
The saltwater lap pool is used entirely at guests' own risk. There is no lifeguard on duty. Guests are responsible for supervising children and non-swimmers at all times. The property owner accepts no responsibility or liability for accidents, injuries, or loss arising from pool use. The pool is for registered guests of the three cottages only — no outside visitors — and is available from 9am to 9pm to respect quiet hours. Please use only experienced swimming judgement given the rural setting, and don't use house towels at the pool.

Garden & Pool Maintenance
Longstanding local partners maintain the shared pool and garden. We aim to schedule visits when guests are away — for longer stays and warmer months especially, that isn't always possible.

Hot Water
The heat pump sits in the annex at the edge of the property, so hot water can take a little while to reach the house. Please run the tap a few minutes before showering, and stagger showers if there's more than one of you.

Insects & Wildlife
This is a genuine rural house — expect bugs, flies, mosquitoes, geckos, dust, birdsong, and other countryside company. The sounds and smells of nature here are part of the charm, not a flaw, and it's exactly what comes with choosing this house. We run regular pest control but can't offer guarantees or refunds for the occasional bug that finds its way in — keeping doors closed and food stored away helps.

Check-in Method / Smart Lock Instructions

Casa Manila uses a smart lock instead of physical keys — a deliberate choice, not a shortcut. It means your arrival time is entirely yours to set.

Part 1 — Installing the App and Creating a Tedee Account (reservation holder only):_

1. Download the Tedee app — [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tedee.mobile) · [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/pl/app/tedee/id1481874162?l=pl)
2. Tap "Sign In" → "Create an Account" → enter your email → set your password

Part 2 — Installing and Using the Keys (in front of the door only):_

1. Sign in to the Tedee app
2. Activate the link sent to your email
3. Green padlock opens the door · Red padlock closes it

Sharing keys:_ the primary guest sets up the account and installs the key link; other guests download the app and sign in with the same email and password — everyone shares the same key, and any reservation changes apply to all.

For smooth entry:_ keep Bluetooth on and your phone's operating system updated.

House Manual

Welcome to Casa Manila — we've built the house to be as intuitive as an Apple device, but here are a few pointers.

Breakages/Damages — please report immediately.
Fire Hazard— no bonfires or barbecues; fire risk is real, and criminal liability applies during high-risk seasons.
Furniture — return to its original position before departure; each house's outdoor set is dedicated and shouldn't be swapped with a neighbour's.
Garbage — bins are in the kitchen; there is no rural collection, so all trash goes to the designated containers in São Bartolomeu da Serra village.
Hot Water — the heat pump is in the annex, so hot water takes a little while to arrive; run the tap first and stagger showers.
Laundry — no laundry facilities on-site; full or self-service options are available in Santiago do Cacem. No laundry in shared areas (pool or garden).
Parking — one dedicated space per house, side of the property, off the EN121 dirt road.
Smoking — not permitted anywhere on the property, indoors or outdoors (including vaping); cigarette butts go in a closed jar.
Supplies — starter kit provided (garbage bags, toilet paper, cleaning materials) for the first days; local shops and supermarkets in Santiago do Cacem cover the rest. TV — an HD television is provided with no cable or channels; connect your own streaming account and use your own data plan.
Wifi — not available at this stage.

Take good care of the house, and reach us through the Airbnb app with anything at all.

Thank you for choosing Casa Manila — enjoy your stay.

Directions

Google Maps: (copy link down below into Google)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3hKS2JqKkceajv3b7

The property sits on the edge of São Bartolomeu da Serra, a small hill village in Alentejo Litoral (District of Setúbal), 8km from Santiago do Cacem, the nearest town. Access is via a dirt track off the EN121 (between Santiago do Cacem and Ermidas do Sado).

Finding Casa Manila
Once parked, look for the wooden gate at the edge of the parking area — that's your way in on foot. Walk along the pool and count to the fourth window door: a small tile reading "MANILA" confirms you're at the right door.

Nearest Public Transport

- Bus: A few times a day, Rodalentejo runs the Santiago–São Domingos route into Santiago do Cacem (check the [current schedule](https://www.rodalentejo.pt/XlsHtml/S914.pdf)). From Santiago do Cacem, regular Rede Expresso coaches run to Lisbon and Porto ([schedules](https://rede-expressos.pt/pt)).
- Train: Ermidas do Sado station (18km away) connects to the Lisbon–Faro line via [CP](https://www.cp.pt); a local taxi covers the gap to the property.

Getting to/from the Airport

- Lisbon Airport (LIS) is about 140km away; Faro Airport (FAO) is about 160km away. A car is the practical way to cover either distance — we recommend hiring one for the stay, both for the airport transfer and for exploring the coast and countryside.

We recommend a car for the whole stay: each cottage has one dedicated space, with additional street parking nearby if needed.