10 of the best hotels in Cascais

Times

a day ago

The sophisticated, arty beach resort Cascais lies 20 miles west of Lisbon and is peppered with gorgeous 19th-century villas, built by the European beau monde who followed Portugal's royal family here to escape the city's summer heat. While some villas are now museums, others have been converted into stylish hotels, giving you the chance to stay in historic splendour close to the town's sheltered sandy beaches and cobbled, picturesque heart. While the nearest to the centre tend to be small boutiques without much room for extensive facilities, there's another clutch in Santa Marta around the marina and former citadel that have a more seaside feel, with pools and spas. Further west, in the golf course-filled Quinta da Marinha suburb and within reach of wild, Atlantic-battered beaches, there are spacious, self-contained resort hotels suited to golfers and families, and still novmore than a 15-minute drive from the attractions of the centre.
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£££ | Best for a central location
Overlooking the beach and right in the very heart of Cascais's cobbled centre, this converted 19th-century villa puts you within easy walking distance of all the sights. The decor is striking; contemporary with historic touches, from azulejo tiles to vintage wooden shoe forms. The 11 rooms are mono-tonal — either blue, green or grey — giving a sheltered, jewellery box feel. Corleone Ristorante al Mare is a beautiful Italian restaurant serving arancini, cacio e pepe, cannoli and Italian wines. Seats on the terrace have lovely views of the bay. There's no pool or spa, but you are steps from the sea, and the hotel has its own speedboat for hire.
£ | POOL | Best for stylish value
Cascais is small, so while this tranquil boutique hotel is set in a quiet residential street at the very edge of what could be considered the centre, it's still only a 15-minute walk into the heart of town. In return you'll get excellent value at this little oasis where spacious, contemporary rooms and suites, many with kitchenettes, are beautifully decorated and themed around Portugal's era of exploration. Large, leafy gardens shelter two swimming pools, an extensive buffet breakfast is served in the airy dining room and complimentary coffee and tea is on offer all day — with cake in the afternoons.
£££ | POOL | Best for creative flair
This 17-room boutique is hands-down the coolest hotel in Cascais. An elegant, 19th-century mansion with Rococo flamboyance has been paired with a modern extension housed within an intricate webbing of concrete, the façade itself an artwork by the Portuguese street artist Vhils. Rooms in the original mansion are sumptuous but neutral; the more avant-garde Artist Rooms in the wing sit within the concrete lattice which dapples the light and subdivides the view. The restaurant serves pretty plates focused on seasonal seafood and the rooftop terrace has a plunge pool and honesty bar. Right on the edge of the old centre and neighbouring the Cidadela Art District — all contemporary sculptures and murals — the hotel is also close to the beach.
££ | POOL | SPA | Best for art lovers
Formerly Cascais's 17th-century citadel, this beautifully-converted hotel sits in the heart of the town's art district, and has galleries and artists' workshops on site, and intriguing pieces scattered throughout the hotel — plus there's an art concierge on hand to direct you. The outdoor pool is in the fortress gardens, and there's an indoor option at the spa. Maris Stella restaurant has a terrace overlooking the marina, plus there's a more casual 'taberna' with small plates and wines by the glass. The 133 rooms and suites are soundproofed, with options overlooking the fortress, the sea and the marina.
££ | POOL | SPA | Best for family escapes
This hotel has strong family-friendly credentials. The marine-themed kids club is a standout for under 12s, with everything from a sensory room and ball pit to an interactive tech wall with multi-player games. The pine-shaded grounds have a playground and large free-form pool with a casual restaurant while the heated indoor pool in the spa has family hours. The bright, airy rooms are large — deluxe options with bunk beds and suites with sofa beds sleep four — and many also interconnect. With 72 rooms and 12 two-bedroom villas in the grounds, calling this hotel boutique may be a bit of a stretch, but it definitely has an intimate atmosphere. Wind-whipped Praia do Guincho is a ten-minute drive away; Cascais centre and its protected sands are ten minutes further.
• Best places to visit in Portugal• Read our full guide to Portugal
£££ | POOL | Best for old-school glamour
The noble families who accompanied the Portuguese royals on their summer jaunts to Cascais in the 19th century weren't daft. The main building of this hotel, originally the Duke of Loulé's villa, has an enviably central location on low cliffs overlooking the beach in the heart of town. Sipping wine on the terrace of the sea-view restaurant, reclining on the wooden loungers by the palm-fringed pool or zipping along the coast on the hotel's yacht, you'll start to feel aristocratic yourself. For historic grandeur, choose a room in the main villa or the elaborate Italianate palace behind it; in the modern annexe you'll find more extensive glazing and bigger balconies.
££ | Best for high-end dining
Twin cannons and giant wooden gates remind you that this hotel was formerly a fortress, but the primrose shade of the imposing exterior walls promise that things inside have softened since the 17th century. This is certainly true in the Michelin-starred restaurant, where tasting menus showcase the region's seafood. Sitting on a rugged headland between two beaches within the protected Sintra-Cascais natural park to the town's north-west, the hotel's clifftop location means most of the handsome rooms and suites, adorned with dark wood furniture, have sea views. There's no pool or spa, although the hotel has agreements allowing the use of nearby facilities. The centre of Cascais is a 20-minute drive away.
£££ | POOL | SPA | Best for wellness breaks
Converted from the palace of Umberto II, the last king of Italy who lived in exile in Cascais, this luxurious hotel brings Italian flair to the Portuguese seafront. The large spa, modelled after a Roman bath house, has a thalassotherapy circuit and a wide range of treatments, and the Belvedere restaurant serves classic Italian cuisine. The 124 well-upholstered rooms and suites overlook the sea or gardens, with the grandest in the original palace wing, and the large, cabana-fringed pool faces the ocean. It's a wonderful spot to unwind, but still a short walk from the marina and the old centre.
££ | POOL | SPA | Best for travelling with teens
A sprawling, terracotta-toned resort hotel set among the golf courses on Cascais's outskirts, this smart spot has the facilities to appeal to families with older children, including an arcade room for gaming, bikes to rent, and horse-riding and surfing lessons. For younger siblings, there's a playground and a kids' club during the summer holidays. Two-bedroom suites and three and four-bed residences come with kitchens and living rooms, and alongside the main restaurant serving classic Mediterranean dishes there's also a Japanese offering sushi and sashimi. There's a pool to loaf around, plus free shuttles into Cascais and to Guincho beach.
££ | POOL | Best for sea views
Perched on the rocky cliffs at the edge of town, near the Boca do Inferno rock arch, through which waves crash dramatically, the hotel is named after the neighbouring lighthouse — both have expansive ocean views. Combining a whitewashed historic villa with a smart glass extension, contemporary design dominates throughout, from the light-flooded restaurant and the clean-lined pool deck to the 33 rooms, most of which have sea views. It's a five-minute walk to the marina, 15 to the centre of town.
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