About us

We are Maarten and Celina Schiphorst-Ongenae from the Netherlands. Celina is a native of Brabant, and Maarten worked for over 40 years for the municipalities of Aalsmeer and Amstelveen. Our three sons, their girlfriends, and grandchildren live in Amsterdam.

Guests bring a buzz to our retirement life. How wonderful it is to share the Mediterranean lifestyle here in Portugal with our friends, family, and guests from all over the world! Maarten regularly cooks (often Indonesian) for our guests.

Photo: in the background the town of Olhao with its harbour

How did it come about?

Quite by chance, during a holiday in the eastern Algarve, we came across this piece of land with an old Portuguese house on it near the village of Moncarapacho.

We were immediately enthusiastic about the location, the Atlantic Ocean view, and the opportunity to build there. The plan to build three rental properties, a swimming pool, and a pétanque court after retirement was born!

Photo: Old Portuguese house ( Casa Pauline ) before renovation

Volunteer work

In addition to our hobbies such as reading, gardening, yoga, computing, cooking, Portuguese lessons and good food and drinks, we are all involved in volunteer work in our own way.

Rotary

Maarten, through his membership in Rotary International, has been involved in the Seahorse project and other initiatives. Seahorses live in the lagoons and were once the largest population here in the Ria de Formosa National Park. Unfortunately, the population has declined dramatically. It's wonderful to be able to contribute to this project as a volunteer. Read more in our seahorse blog.

Photo: Winter Carnival in Moncarapacho

House of Povo

Celina volunteers on Mondays in the center of the village of Moncarapacho, at Casa do Povo, or "the people's house." A lot of attention is given to the elderly in the village, who are often lonely.

Throughout the week, you can participate in a variety of activities at Casa do Povo. These range from Portuguese conversation classes, Somatics, yoga, senior gymnastics, tap dancing, and lunch.

On Sunday afternoons, there's plenty of dancing and eating, enjoyed by both Portuguese and foreigners. Various festivals are also held in the summer, including both a summer and winter carnival!

Open summer 2025

Construction began in March 2024 and we opened in the summer of 2025. Want to experience what the eastern Algarve has to offer for yourself? Book your holiday accommodation with us now.

For rates and availability, please inquire about the possibilities via this link . Bem vindo or be welcome! You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram !

Photo: May 2025 Boutique Guesthouse-Moncarapacho

Digital guide

After booking a stay with us, every future guest receives a link with all the activities and attractions. This way, you can easily explore your interests from the comfort of your own home. Just let us know what you'd like to do, and we'll take care of the rest!