Nobu Hospitality is deepening its footprint in Portugal with plans for a new hotel, restaurant, and branded residences at the Monte Rei resort in the eastern Algarve. The project, developed in partnership with the Portuguese investment firm Norfin, is expected to break ground in 2027 and welcome its first guests in 2029.
The Nobu Hotel Monte Rei will feature 100 rooms and suites, a signature Nobu restaurant, and 21,000 square metres of villas and branded residences. The property sits within more than 1,000 acres of Algarve countryside, centred around a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. The architecture and interior design are being handled by Rockwell Group alongside DSA Architects.
This will be Nobu's second destination in Portugal, following a hotel under development on Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon. The brand already operates hotels in Barcelona, Ibiza, London, Marbella, Rome, San Sebastian, and Warsaw, and is set to open in Madrid this September, with further projects planned in Hamburg and Kraków.
A strategic expansion in southern Europe
Nobu's move into the Algarve reflects a broader trend of luxury hospitality brands targeting Portugal's southern coast, which has become a magnet for high-end tourism and second-home investment. The region's combination of mild climate, golf courses, and relative political stability has drawn international developers and buyers, particularly from northern Europe and the UK.
Trevor Horwell, CEO of Nobu Hospitality, said in a statement: “Monte Rei offers a rare combination of natural beauty, privacy and an established reputation for exceptional golf and residential living. Together with Norfin, we have the opportunity to create a distinctive Nobu destination that feels deeply connected to the Eastern Algarve while delivering the hospitality, dining, design and service for which the brand is known around the world.”
The eastern Algarve, less developed than the western stretch around Lagos and Portimão, has seen growing interest from investors seeking quieter, more exclusive enclaves. Monte Rei itself is a gated resort community with a private golf course and existing villas, and the Nobu project will add a new layer of luxury accommodation and dining.
Nobu's European expansion has been steady but selective. The brand's upcoming openings in Madrid and Hamburg, along with the Algarve project, suggest a strategy of targeting both established capitals and emerging leisure destinations. The company has also been active in the Middle East and Asia, but Europe remains a core market for its hotel and restaurant operations.
For Portugal, the Nobu announcement adds to a string of high-profile hospitality projects, including recent openings by Six Senses, Four Seasons, and Rosewood. The country's tourism sector has rebounded strongly after the pandemic, with record visitor numbers in 2023 and 2024. The Algarve alone accounts for a significant share of Portugal's tourism revenue, and the addition of a globally recognised brand like Nobu is likely to reinforce its appeal to affluent travellers.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with the hotel and residences expected to be completed by 2029. Norfin, the Portuguese developer behind the project, has a track record of large-scale residential and mixed-use developments in the Lisbon and Algarve regions.
