About us

Who are we?

We are Maarten and Celina Schiphorst-Ongenae from the Netherlands. In the summer of 2025, we opened our Boutique Guesthouse in the eastern Algarve.

Celina is a true Brabanter, and Maarten worked for over 40 years at the municipalities of Aalsmeer and Amstelveen. Our three sons, their girlfriends, and grandchildren live in Amsterdam.

Having guests adds excitement to our retired 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 often cooks (Indonesian cuisine) for our guests.

How did this come about?

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

We were immediately enthusiastic about its location, the view of the Atlantic Ocean, and the possibility to build there.

The plan to construct three rental accommodations, a swimming pool, and a pétanque court after retirement was born!

Besides our hobbies like reading, relaxing, gardening, yoga, computing, cooking, Portuguese lessons, and enjoying good food and drinks, we are both involved in volunteer work in our own ways.

Maarten joined the International Rotary in Estoi, a neighboring village, through a neighbor. Together with other members, he organizes activities that raise money for projects in the area around Estoi.

This ranges from providing funds for daily milk at school to food packages for poor families.

Celina volunteered at the center of Moncarapacho village. It is called Casa do Povo, or "the people's house," and it focuses on providing support to older people in the village who often feel lonely.

Throughout the week, various activities are organized at Casa do Povo, including Portuguese conversation lessons, Somatics, yoga, senior exercise classes, tap dancing, and midday meals.

On Sunday afternoons, there is plenty of dancing and dining, not only by the Portuguese but also by visitors. In the summer, several festivals are organized, and there is both a summer and winter carnival!

Each future guest receives a link to all activities and attractions after booking their stay with us. This allows them to explore their interests at home. Let us know what you'd like to do, and we'll take care of the rest!