Inside CostaTerra, the luxury golf resort dubbed the ‘Hamptons of Portugal’ where Harry and Meghan visited Eugenie and Jack

• The CostaTerra resort in Portugal has been slammed by locals 
• READ MORE:  Did Harry and Meghan visit Eugenie and Jack after the Invictus Games? 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no strangers to celeb hotspots, from living in A-list-ridden Montecito to dates at Soho House and Tre Lune.

And it appears the Iberian Peninsula is the latest place the royal couple have spent their time, taking a trip to the ‘Hamptons of Portugal’ to visit Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.

The couple, who flew in to Portugal after spending time in Dusseldorf for the Invictus Games, are believed to have spent their times at the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club, a luxury resort an hour south of Lisbon on Portugal’s picturesque Atlantic coast.

The area has been named ‘the Hamptons of Portugal’ thanks to its love from celebrities – including George and Amal Clooney who have reportedly shopped for homes in the area. 

The area, with its secluded beaches and surfing waves, has been compared to St Tropez in the 1960s and Ibiza before it became party central.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no strangers to celeb hotspots, from living in A-list-ridden Montecito to dates at Soho House and Tre Lune

The couple, who flew in to Portugal after spending time in Dusseldorf for the Invictus Games, are believed to have spent their times at the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club (pictured), a luxury resort an hour south of Lisbon on Portugal’s picturesque Atlantic coast

Clooney has been led to this latest investment by his fellow tequila tycoon Mike Meldman.

The pair teamed up in 2013 to launch tequila firm Casamigos and sold it four years later for a reported £1bn. Jack also worked for Casamigos for years.

Meldman, the CEO of the Discovery Land Company, acquired the 722-acre plot which runs along the Atlantic coast in 2019, with an initial £435million investment.

Having already overseen the building of 24 luxury residential golf communities around the world, he has now established the CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club luxury resort community.

It recently claimed that a Wellness centre, equestrian centre, community village, 18-star golf course, 146 single-family homes and 29 residences belonging to the club would be completed by the spring of next year.

The Clooneys will no doubt have been reassured by the green credentials claimed by the estate they plan on moving to.

According to the CostaTerra website it is a, ‘flourishing community and thriving ecosystem grounded firmly in the values of sustainable development’. It describes itself to potential buyers as ‘your family’s private European escape.’

Despite luxury and green promises, the Google reviews for the resort leave much to be desired – with many Portugese people upset by the foreign development. 

The area has been named ‘the Hamptons of Portugal’ thanks to its love from celebrities – including George and Amal Clooney who have reportedly shopped for homes in the area

It recently claimed that a Wellness centre, equestrian centre, community village, 18-star golf course, 146 single-family homes and 29 residences belonging to the club would be completed by the spring of next year

With an average of just 1.7 stars from more than 250 reviews –  many are upset that the land has been developed for the super rich and that locals can’t afford it.

 ‘Absolutely shameful. The construction of this enterprise was a greedy act that harms the harmony of this natural area and its population. Nature and local’s rights are not for sale,’ one person wrote.

‘This is just going to ruin a magical place… It amazes me how one can visit a place, find it amazing as is, want to move there to enjoy that place all the time and just ruin it in the process… It’s really sad how we Portuguese are very good at letting foreigners ruin what makes our little corner of the world special,’ wrote another. 

‘Heartbroken by the vast amount of natural land destroyed to create Costa Terra. The amount of trees chopped, dunes mismantled, fauna and flora displaced, somehow trying to claim ownership and stop access to that beautiful beach, a beach which belongs to everyone, not the ultra wealthy,’ commented a third. 

Portuguese magazine Nova Gente reported that the Sussexes popped over to Portugal on the way back to California – and their trip to the village has since been confirmed by the head of the Alentejo Tourist Board.

In their bombshell Netflix series Harry & Meghan, the Sussexes revealed they partied with Eugenie and Jack at Frogmore Cottage before their relationship was made public

Clooney has been led to this latest investment by his fellow tequila tycoon Mike Meldman

Despite a fraught relationship with most of his family, Prince Harry has revealed he remains close to Eugenie and shared snippets of days out with her in his $100million Netflix series last December.

Prince Andrew’s daughter, 33, and her wine merchant husband, 37, have strong ties to the region where Jack works in marketing and sales at the CostaTerra club.

The Portuguese magazine reported the Sussexes’ visit to Eugenie and Jack was a ‘mega-secret operation’ which saw them departing Portugal on September 20 on a British Airways flight to London Heathrow, accompanied by two bodyguards.

‘The couple reached the plane in a white van carrying just them and their bodyguards,’ a witness told the publication.

They added Meghan was wearing a dress with cropped sleeves and flat shoes with her hair in a ponytail – and looked ‘tired’ following a busy week at the Invictus Games.

After reports emerged that the Sussexes had visited Melides, Jose Santosy, head of the Alentejo Tourism Board, confirmed Harry and Meghan were indeed in Alentejo.

A publicity picture of the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean club, where the Clooney’s may soon take up residence 

Confirming he had been told Harry and Meghan were at the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club resort and it was a ‘short stay’, he added: ‘They were actually in Alentejo, at that resort.

‘I imagine they really enjoyed it and given their family relationship with the place, I am sure they will return to enjoy the wonders that this region has to offer.

‘I don’t know what they were doing, but I know the great experiences they had at their disposal in that part of the region and I’m sure they enjoyed them.

‘For us, it is international recognition of the great tourist quality that Alentejo has today, particularly the Alentejo coast, which due to its potential, exclusivity and beauty will I have no doubt soon be one of the main coastal destinations in Europe.

‘I must say that we have no idea how many people linked to cinema, royalty, arts, design and fashion visit us, precisely because they value discreet travel which is something they find in Alentejo like nowhere else in Europe.

The Brooksbanks will spend part of the year at the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club, a luxury resort an hour south of Lisbon on Portugal’s picturesque Atlantic coast

‘They are people who value the quality of the destination, the gastronomy, nature, heritage and, of course, the comfort of the existing accommodation, but also the ability to guarantee discretion during their stay.’

Before moving to Portugal, the Clooneys sublet their property Frogmore Cottage to Eugenie and Jack.

Eugenie’s husband had previously worked for tequila brand Casamigos, which the actor helped found. It was sold to Diageo in 2017 for £550million. He is now working for Mr Meldman’s Discovery Land Company, which has been developing CostaTerra since 2019.

Mr Meldman acquired the 722-acre plot which runs along the Atlantic coast in 2019, with an initial £435million investment.

In several clips from Harry & Meghan, Eugenie is pictured visiting the Sussexes in California as they take bike rides together.

The Sussexes also shared photos from a Halloween party they held at Frogmore Cottage shortly before their relationship was made public, in which the foursome dressed up as pilots.

Over the years, Eugenie has been Harry’s close friend, confidante, and even matchmaker. Now she is seen as one of his closest allies within the Royal Family, remaining steadfast in her support of him and Meghan in the wake of their move to California and string of explosive tell-all interviews.

The peaceful Portuguese beach town being taken over by wealthy Americans known as the ‘Hamptons of western Europe’

By SADIE WHITELOCKS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

A sedate stretch of coastline in Portugal known for its rice fields has quickly become hot property among wealthy American investors and celebrities, earning it the nickname the ‘Hamptons of western Europe.’

Comporta, which is just over an hour’s drive west from Lisbon, is home to white sands, turquoise waters, and a small town complete with quaint whitewashed buildings and traditional cobblestone streets. 

Thanks to its paradisiacal surrounds, the coastal spot has been jumped on by luxury developers and the projects cropping up have lured everyone from Madonna to Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank.

However, it’s reported that locals aren’t happy about the multimillion-dollar resorts and residential projects that are set for Comporta – with the community having already managed to quash one $121 million proposal from luxury hotel group Aman. 

Comporta, which is just over an hour’s drive west from Lisbon, is home to white sands and turquoise waters

A website for JNCQUOI’s gated beach villa development says that this estate will become ‘one of the most exclusive destinations in Europe’

George Clooney and his wife, Amal, were tipped to be in the running for a spot at the exclusive CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club

Thanks to its paradisiacal surrounds, the coastal spot has been jumped on by luxury developers

Munich native Beata Baumgartner, who is renovating a three-bedroom property in the neighboring village of Carvalhal, told the FT.com that new jet-set crowd have outpriced locals, and now property and restaurants were pretty much unaffordable. 

She explained: ‘Charging €18 ($19) for a bowl of fried calamari or €8 ($8) for a portion of rice is too much. The beach clubs have changed.

‘There are now €5 million ($5.4 million) villas in areas next to people living in poverty – my neighbors live in a one-room house and cook on a barbecue every evening.’  

Continuing on the food theme, one of the newest restaurants to open in Comporta is Praia na Comporta.

The rustic-looking, ski-themed beach house built amid the sand dunes was designed by Philippe Starck, who is one of Comporta’s glitterati residents, but the bohemian vibes aren’t matched by bohemian prices. 

Instead of a website, the venue lists its menu via Instagram.

Some of the high-priced dishes include king crab in a butter sauce for $86 (€80), a squid ink and scarlet shrimp rice dish for $41 (€38), and a 300g premium Japanese wagyu steak for $205 (€190).

Topping things off, there’s a dessert featuring chocolate cookie, caramel gateaux, pudding and macerated strawberries for $37 (€35). 

The prices at Comporta’s new JNCQUOI beach club don’t come in cheap, with a lobster and truffle mayo hotdog priced a $42 (€39) and a crab cocktail starter for $48 (€45)

The JNCQUOI beach club is part of a wider residential development yet to be completed

Another new kid on the block this summer on Comporta’s scenic waterfront is the JNCQUOI beach club, which is part of a wider residential development yet to be completed. 

The restaurant, which is described as the ‘perfect place to enjoy the best fresh fish and seafood cooked with authenticity and flavor,’ has a breezy feel with unfussy contemporary furnishings and high ceilings.

Complementing the restaurant, there is a cabana beach bar and daybeds, which give off an air of Ibiza or St Tropez. 

Like Praia na Comporta, the prices at JNCQUOI don’t come in cheap, with a lobster and truffle mayo hotdog priced a $42 (€39), a crab cocktail starter for $48 (€45), and a scorpion fish with tartare sauce and French fries main at $81 (€75).

New York Times bestseller and travel site Air Mail deputy editor Michael Hainey paid a visit to Comporta this summer and checked out Praia na Comporta on the second night of its opening. 

In a piece about the exclusive Portuguese enclave, his closing note was about the restaurant’s sky-high prices, and the shock he got when the check came and the two bottles of ‘a nice local wine’ suggested by the server came in at $378 (€350) a pop. 

He mused: ‘Now, I’m not a hick. I live in New York. I know how the game is played. And I say from the top: shame on us for not asking up front how much the wine cost. Most of all, shame on us for trusting him.’

On consulting the server, Hainey was told: ‘You asked me to recommend something. That’s what I gave you.’

The writer concluded: ‘At once, I felt how the locals must feel. In the midst of a breathtaking stretch of beauty, you have to deal with some guy better suited for Nikki Beach.’ 

Complementing JNCQUOI’s restaurant, there is a cabana beach bar and daybeds, which give off an air of Ibiza or St Tropez

One of the newest restaurants to open in Comporta is Praia na Comporta. The rustic-looking ski-themed beach house amid the sand dunes was designed by Philippe Starck

The development of Comporta is set to continue, with many travel experts advising people to go now before it’s completely priced out.

Much of the area was purchased in the 1950s by the Espírito Santo family, the founders of what was once Portugal’s leading banking group, but over the decades they have been selling off swathes of land to developers.

A website for JNCQUOI’s gated beach villa development says that this estate will become ‘one of the most exclusive destinations in Europe’ once it is finished, where ‘the like-minded can connect.’

To ensure that the elite will feel just at home ‘space healer and energy balance consultant’ Alberto Amura has been hired to help with the project.

According to a description outlining his role, he will help ‘to facilitate and balance the flow of beneficial subtle living energies in an environment, towards creating a harmonious and auspicious ambience.’

The Atlantic Club is another swanky estate in the works with 21 plots.

George Clooney and his wife, Amal, were tipped to be in the running for a spot at the exclusive CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club.

Clooney was said to have been in introduced to the investment opportunity by his fellow tequila tycoon, Mike Meldman.

The pair teamed up in 2013 to launch tequila firm Casamigos and sold it four years later for a reported $1 billion.

Meldman, the CEO of the Discovery Land Company, acquired the 722-acre plot in Comporta in 2019, with an initial $551 million investment.

The bohemian vibes at Praia na Comporta aren’t matched by bohemian prices. Instead of a website, the venue lists its menu via Instagram

Away from the crowds, the rice fields of Comporta can be seen in the distance 

Having already overseen the building of 24 luxury residential golf communities around the world, he has now established the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club luxury resort community.

Some of the offerings include a wellness center, equestrian center, community village, 18-star golf course, 146 single-family homes and 29 residences belonging to the club.

The estate also promotes its green credentials.

According to the CostaTerra website it is a ‘flourishing community and thriving ecosystem grounded firmly in the values of sustainable development.’ 

It describes itself to potential buyers as ‘your family’s private European escape.’

Buyers have the option of one of the estate’s ‘off the shelf’ luxury villas or they can take over the design of their own property.

Property prices in Comporta have skyrocketed in line with its rise to fame, and London-based banker Dan Dalton – who purchased an unbuilt three-bedroom house in 2019 on the slick Spatia Comporta resort complex with his husband – told the FT.com: ‘The infrastructure has some way to go.

‘But new restaurants are opening and it’s gentrifying. Property prices have gone insane. Villas like ours are selling for three times what we paid for it.’

According to Vasco Cunha Mendes, of the developer Eurosuez, resale properties at Dalton’s development have sold for between $1.9 million and $2 million in recent times.

FT.com notes that records from the Residential Information System, which tracks property transactions across Portugal, reveal that the number of homes in Comporta increased from 27 in 2020 to 104 in 2022.

It also shows that the statistics back up Dalton’s claims with the average asking price for a new property in the area coming in at $2,887 per square meter in 2020, as opposed to $7,634 in 2022.

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