
Mission statement
“We’ve built our dream: a hideaway haven in the wild and romantic Tras-os-Montés region of northern Portugal, near Tresminas, the ancient gold mines of the Roman era. This wilderness wonderland is for all those in need of the healing power of Nature. Our intention is to inspire our guests to re-connect, to boost awareness and to stimulate creativity in order to meet the challenges of this millennium.” Holly Niemela & Edouard Payen Tinhela610 is a one of a kind destination; not a hotel, nor a guest house but an off-the-grid wellness oasis. Come behold nature, surrounded by the mysteries of this enchanted land. During your stay, you will live the unusual alchemy of Tinhela610 that transforms everyday hum-drum moments into rituals--be it breathing, bathing, eating, exercising or sleeping. Thus, you awaken. This rural, rustic, wild landscape has remained untouched for years. Walk the old paths made by generations of shepherds and their flocks. Experience an exclusive natural environment free from urban pollution--be it light, noise, air or water. We discourage excessive consumption—both of our own and the earth's resources—learn to live more with less. Tinhela610 is reborn in 2023 with two renovated stone mill buildings, seven wood cabins that hover above the old stone walls, a Japanese inspired bathhouse, a Finnish wood-burning sauna, an intimate dining hall, all with breathtaking views. Our on-site boutique will be filled with carefully selected products to enhance your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Tinhela610 also offers an outdoor yoga and movement platform, elevated outdoor meditation alcoves, winding footpaths and natural swimming basins in the riverbed. Tinhela610 sits proudly on the rocky ledges above the banks of the Tinhela river, measured at 610* meters altitude--a Fibonacci number we felt so important we integrated it into our name. One of our most important goals is to connect you with the local environment--culturally and humanly. There is a richness of life in northern Portugal that we feel is unique. Meet the goat herders, the farmers, the bakers--all existing in essence with the natural world--not against it! We feel this is the most precious experience to have alongside what Tinhela610 offers. Regeneration is the mother of sustainability and this serves as our north. We hope to transmit these types of "real life " experiences to our clients so you too, will be touched, as we have. When are you coming?
CONCEPT
Base Camp
Base Camp is the foundation of all experiences at Tinhela610. The cornerstones of Base Camp life are sleep, bathe, nourish and move. This combination builds and stabilizes our personal foundation for preventative health, increased self-awareness and connection to oneself, others and nature. 1. Sleep and relaxation are fundamental to our overall health. Learn to fall asleep peacefully and awaken rested in our simply luxurious and sweet smelling wood cabins. The cabins are conceived to promote the best quality sleep possible. Each cabin houses two guests, with tailor-made single beds that are equipped with all natural mattresses from CocoMat, fine Portuguese linens and soft wool blankets from Burel. 2. Bathe in our Japanese inspired bathhouse with fresh water from our local source. Detox in our traditional Finnish wood burning sauna then jump into the cool, clean Tinhela river. We see water as a teacher and by being more attentive to our relationship with water we raise our level of awareness. We have selected ecological soaps in line with our commitment to safeguard the environment and protect our organic water treatment system. We encourage you to only ecological product while at Tinhela610. 3. Nourish yourself. Our meals are inspired by the work of Dan Beuttner of the Blue Zones heritage. Depending on your stay, the meals will be either vegetarian or flexitarian. Our aim is to have the highest quality food that is locally sourced, including cheese, olive oil, honey and wine from the Tras-os-Montés and Douro regions. Breakfast and dinner are shared, convivial moments around the generous dining table. Lunch is boxed and ready to go to enjoy outdoors on one of the numerous hidden sweet spots along the river or up in the rocky ledges. 4. Move. Walk the paths and the ancient back roads, swim in the river, smell the wild lavender, connect to the earth and the sky. Understand and unlock the automatic habits that bind you to your over active mind and turn on soft fascination. Exercise is our last cornerstone. Depending on your stay, there are many ways to move. Our outdoor platform is perfect for yoga, internal martial arts, gym exercises or stretching. At Tinhela610 you can hike and even try some wilderness running. Eventually, we plan to hook up with mountain biking as there are many gravel paths throughout this region. We are very close to the Vila Pouca de Aguiar access to the Camino de Santiago. You can easily plan to walk the Camino before or after a stay with us. Tinhela610, your Nature Home. In our secluded woodland, live an off-the-grid lifestyle to reconnect, regenerate and restore your overall well-being. Our electricity comes from on-site solar panels and our own source of water is heated by voltaic panels. The wood cabins are heated via ecological hot water radiators. We have a delicate phyto sanitation treatment system along with toilets that do not require water nor sewage pipes and do not harm the environment. We compost useable waste and try not to purchase plastic items. We promote a tech-free environment, which helps to de-connect the mind and soothe the soul. However, the staff is connected in case of any emergencies.
EXPERIENCES



HermitageExperiences
Hermitage Experiences (HE) available in 2023
Hermitage Experiences are designed for those times in your life when you need to take a step back, relax and unwind in nature. With a minimum stay of 3 nights, come join us as we open our doors this summer. Our soft opening will give us the best opportunity to receive our guests with personal attention and care as we chart a sustainable course for our wilderness eco-resort.
Upon arrival at Tinhela610, slip into a new way of being--we'll help you to unwind and relax. Let go of the urban lifestyle and listen to the sounds outside to better tune into yourself. Tinhela610 is a Place to Breathe. The air is clean and fresh--take time to lounge on a big rock by the river, taking long, slow deep breaths. Empty your mind. Be in the moment.
At our wilderness wonderland time is kept by simple rituals--fetch your water from the fountain to bring to your cabin and wash up in the morning, hike the paths, practice your yoga on the outdoor platform, nourish yourself with fresh and organic food made with love and attention.
Sit in nature for some shinrin-yoku “forest bathing”.Explore the paths, fields and forests around us. Borrow the binoculars and do some seriously cool bird watching. Fish in the river for trout...Swim in the river and sweat it out in the sauna, meditate under the stars in the alcova escondida and then sleep soundly. Live the off-the-grid Tinhela610 experience fully and completely.
Special 2023 Opening Price: 150 € per person (instead of 200€) in a cozy cabin for 2 (twin beds XL) with breakfast, not including approx. 8% tax. This offer is valid until 1 June. Includes all Base Camp features. 3 Night Minimum Stay. Please note: W/C's are located close to but not in your cabin.

Pruvate Experiences
Private Experiences (PE).
TInhela610 is available for private rentals. Families, friends, groups or corporates who wish to live a unique experience of the best that Tinhela610 has to offer.
Tinhela610 accommodates up to 14 people sharing wood cabins with extremely comfortable twin beds. We will curate the best possible experience for your group including: outings with local guides, yoga, chi gong or meditation classes, vegetarian or flexitarian cuisine, port & wine tastings. For companies: team-building events and off-site programs for the C-Suite are exclusive moments to boost your company's management perspective, creativity and leadership.
Includes all Base Camp features. Contact us directly to make your experience your own private experience.



Curated Experiences
Curated Experiences (CE)
6 days/5 nights.
These experiences are developed around a particular theme or teaching. Our CE's are organized retreats that take place during our mid or high season (April through October). Often the CEs start on a Sunday at 4PM and finish on Friday at 11AM (but there can be some exceptions!). There is one group formed for each Curated Experience. In the winter months we plan to curate 10 day Vipassana Retreats.
The CE experiential retreat session is guided by one or two teachers. Choose your CE retreat based upon the content proposed by the teachers; Yoga, Meditation, Ecstatic Dance, Chi-Gong, Tai-Chi, Philosophy, Art/Painting, Singing, Creative Writing etc. We have announced a few CE's for our opening season in 2023.
Special 2023 Opening Price: 1200€ per person (instead of 1500€) in a cozy cabin for 2 (twin beds XL) with full board and Curated Experience, not included is 8% tax. Please note: W/C's are located close to but not in your cabin!
Upcoming Experiences in 2023-2024: Survival skills in nature, fishing, running in the wilderness, making do with less, composting, trailblazing, nesting, using a compass, finding yourself, permaculture gardening. Also, intermittent fasting, Blue Zone inspired meals, all forms of conscious movement and inner exploration, breathwork, cold water swimming...

Curated Experiences 2023
CE
TRANQUILITY IN NATURE (PT/EN)
13-18 August 2023
w/Carolina Pizarro & Holly Niemela
Menu: Vegetarian
CE
SELF EXPLORATION IN NATURE
(EN, FR)
1-6 October 2023
Camille Benitah & Holly Niemela
Menu: Vegetarian
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OUR STORY
We believe in order to build sustainable, ecological economies, our future world and a healthy planet, we must understand our own relationship with nature and ourselves. We use the term “inner-sustainability” to describe the process of knowing oneself and being consciously aware of how to best manage one’s present and future choices. Hopefully, these choices will coincide naturally with decision-making that opts for a durable world with equitable economies.
The nature at Tinhela610 offers beauty and abundance, calm and serenity. Using this as our base, our guests can plug into the flora and fauna, the stars and sky, the wildlife and birds--and become more grounded, adaptable, recharged and focused. We both feel, as perfectly put by podcaster Rich Roll:
"we share a bristled resistance to the flavor of the month self-help (gurus), an allergy to the life-hack culture and relentless optimization...along with the reductive binary conclusions and statements of the pursuit of excellence...".
Our combined experience of over 50 years of work in the field of human flourishing has given birth to our ultimate project, Tinhela610. Thus, our greatest endeavor is to contribute positively to human, animal, plant and mineral life on this majestic planet Earth.
Tap on our photo below to see our individual path along with our full bio.