The summer of 2025 marked the 15th anniversary of the opening of Martinhal Sagres Family Beach Resort in the Western Algarve. Since opening, its founders, Chitra and Roman Stern, have built one of Portugal’s leading luxury lifestyle brands, encompassing family-focused hotels and resorts, award-winning Branded Residences, and innovative education ecosystems, including the Edu Hub Campus in Lisbon and the United Lisbon International School.
Commendable achievements that are the cornerstones of what is to come. Over the coming decades, the entrepreneurial couple plans to pursue many more exciting hospitality ventures.
“All of this reinforces our desire to go even further in the next fifteen years with the Martinhal brand and business venture,” says Chitra, who promises to maintain their commitment “to continue to go beyond guests’ expectations, build a strong and diversified team, and develop projects with positive socio-economic impact worldwide”.
But for now, the focus was on this significant 15th-anniversary milestone, celebrated during Martinhal’s Art, Design and Wellbeing Weekend. Now in its 13th edition, the event was created to provide a platform for Portuguese individuals and companies to showcase their work, build new networks, and exchange ideas.
Over three days, Roman and Chitra Stern hosted business partners, friends, and artists who helped pave the way for the success of their family resorts and the sustainable brands they believe in. Beauty brands Oryza Lab (cosmetics from Comporta), Claus Porto (unique soaps and hand creams), and L’Unperfect (niche perfumes) showcased their exquisite products through sensory presentation, while fashion and accessories brands, including Carolina Curado (jewellery), Mama Praia (sandals), Seda & Companhia (embroidered garments), and Benedita Formosinho (sustainable clothing), shared their business models.
There was also a whisky masterclass with Exceptional Spirits, who concocted a selection of signature cocktails for the occasion, and, adorning the walls of the hotel’s reception area, there was a retrospective of the work of the 15 resident artists from previous editions, including Tamara Alves, Kruella d’Enfer, Pedro Batista, Vasco Águas and more.
The highlight of the weekend was the Gala dinner at the Martinhal Sagres resort’s Terraço restaurant, where Chitra and Roman took the opportunity to personally thank everyone who helped make Martinhal possible and turn it into the success it is today, and to toast a prosperous future.
After an outstanding feast prepared by Martinhal’s Executive Chef, Micael Valentim, the party continued in the resort’s famous M bar, with international DJ Yen Sung. A well-rounded weekend of celebration, creative stimulation, networking and Martinhal’s incomparable entrepreneurialism.
