Questions,answered

Write to us with the dates you have in mind, who's coming, and where you're travelling from. We'll check the dates and reply ourselves, usually the same day. Once they're confirmed, we'll send you everything you need to secure your stay.

Yes. Casa Austral is let to one party at a time and never shared – all 3 bedrooms, both bathrooms, the pool, the terraces and the garden are yours for the stay. The maximum number of guests is 6.

The nightly rate covers the house and everything in it, including bed linen and towels. On top of it there is a one-off cleaning charge of €200 at the end of the stay, and a refundable security deposit of €1,000.

It depends on the season – 7 nights across July – August, and as few as 3 in the quieter months. The rate table sets out each one.

By booking the house you pay the full rental fee. You can cancel up to 60 days before arrival and we'll refund the full amount, minus a 3% transaction cost. Cancelling 30 to 59 days before check-in, half the fee is refunded, minus the same 3%. Inside 30 days, the rental fee can't be returned.

If no damage has occurred during the stay, the security deposit of €1,000 is returned within 14 days of departure, minus a 3% administration fee.

The house sleeps 6 across 3 bedrooms – a double, and two twin rooms. The beds in one of the twin rooms sit together as a broad double or apart as a pair, so the house works as easily for three couples as for two families.

On request, and only suitable to place in the upstairs twin bedroom.

All bedrooms and living spaces – everywhere except the bathrooms – are fitted with a reverse-cycle air-conditioning unit for cooling and heating alike. A fireplace can also be lit indoors in the cooler months.

1 Gbps – fast and stable enough for a full day's work. There's a 32-inch TV with Chromecast and MEO too, though we'd point you at the record player and the bookshelf instead.

No to both. The pool is small enough that heating isn't needed even in the warmer months, and it isn't separately fenced – small children are supervised there the way they would be at any pool.

Yes, seamlessly integrated into the downstairs bathroom – available for stays of seven nights or longer.

Five minutes on foot. The house sits at the quiet end of Pego where the tarmac gives out, and a path through the dunes and umbrella pines brings you onto one of the emptiest stretches of the Alentejo coast – walking down also saves the parking fee now charged at the beach itself.

Comporta and Carvalhal are a few minutes away and both have places worth the drive. In July and August, book – the good tables go a week or more ahead. Tell us the nights and the restaurant and we're glad to make the call for you.

Despite its peaceful setting, the house is perfectly placed for the wider Comporta region. Carvalhal and Comporta village are a short drive away and offer a carefully curated selection of boutiques, cafés, restaurants and local markets – the area's distinctive architecture and lifestyle are all within easy reach. Lidl in Carvalhal is the nearest supermarket. If you'd rather not start the holiday in a car park, send us a list and we'll have it all in before you arrive.

Riding out along the sand is the one people remember. There's surfing for those who want it, boats out of Tróia, and long enough drives inland through the cork oaks to fill an afternoon. Tell us what you're after and we'll arrange it before you land.

Any time of year suits the house. Spring brings quiet beaches and the coast waking up after winter. Summer is lively – beach clubs, long lunches, the area at its most sociable. Autumn is the golden season, warm light and empty beaches. Winter empties the sand entirely and the fire gets lit.

Farmácia Costa Azul (Av. 18 de Dezembro 16 A, 7570-779) is the nearest pharmacy, and Comporta has its own health post. Beyond that, a handful of English-speaking doctor-finder services cover the region.