Casa Meranka
the dream setting
We came to realise that this little spot in the south west of Portugal can give us all of the ingredients that we were looking for in life and what would be really special for us is to share these with others.
At Casa Meranka, we and our guests can enjoy an ideal location all year round to feel the connection with what we love the most. From a conscious way of living, the feeling of freedom, being close to nature, the ocean, stunning beaches, an abundance of healthy local food and of course the endless days of sunshine, all within the surroundings of an open minded community.
For us and many like minded people, these are the things that make us happy in life. These are the reasons we are here.
Casa Meranka began life as a guesthouse back in the 1980's but in recent years had been left empty until we were able to take it on in early 2015. The plan was not just for a unique guesthouse but also to establish our family home.
The creative juices began to flow and the never ending task of creating a new look and feel to this remarkable property begun. And now after all these years we can say that we have touched every corner and the place really feels like an extension of ourselves. Having spent seven years living in and running Casa Meranka guesthouse successfully, countless happy memories have been created with our dear guests and ourselves.
As life unfolds and our personal growth continues and so does our drive to expand our journey here. We believe it’s very important that as we grow so does Casa Meranka.
We felt the need to create an even greater depth in our place where we encourage a more conscious way of living and develop personal growth. From this place, RETREAT YOURSELF was born. A place where in autumn, winter and in spring, guests can re-connect and re-charge & celebrate life.
In this time Casa Meranka will be open to host workshops, gatherings and other creative events to encourage to explore, connect with ourselves and our creativity from within.
Of course we still love to open the space for guests in the summer months to continue making happy life moments with friends and family and have the option to rent the whole space out for people to wish to hold their own retreat at Casa Meranka.
With this combination we feel fulfilment in life.
A creative, brave and adventurous couple, have become a family with the arrival of our two children August & Olive! Before their birth and before we laid eyes on each other we spent several years travelling. Margo in search of the relaxed and more meaningful way of life after the hustle and bustle of the fashion world in Amsterdam and Josh on the search for freedom from the UK's rat race and to look for new inspiration, big adventures and to explore natures playgrounds with his surfboard.
After both deciding separately to settle in India for some years, Margo opened her first guesthouse, 8 Wonders, in a stunning cliff top setting on the south west coast and Josh began to help run India's first surf and yoga retreat, Soul & Surf, just a little way south. Here we met and we continued to follow our dreams but this time as a team.
We decided that we wanted to continue living on the coast, in the sun with year round quality waves and fresh, affordable food. We also wanted to experience the four seasons that we love so much from Europe that are not on offer in the tropical climate of southern India. Living with freedom, connected with nature and in a steady pace of life is the way we would like to raise our family. For these reasons Portugal was an easy decision for us both and the idea behind Casa Meranka was born.
Our Story
the dream, the search and so it all began…
Our Garden
our love for the outdoors…
A lifestyle where we maximise our time outside is very important to us. With the open air spaces at Casa Meranka this is truly possible. We have created and are constantly developing our ideas in and around the garden to make best use of all the spaces we have. Cosy, sheltered hang out lounges, two large BBQ areas, sun and yoga decking and the fresh water 6 metre pool, all really help to bring the two courtyards and gardens of Casa Meranka to life. Our pond is also thriving with fish, frogs and plant life and combined with our fruit trees and an abundance of fresh herbs the sounds and smells of the gardens can bring any stress levels straight down.
