Inside Portugal's New Michelin Key Hotels: 55 Excellent Places To Stay

Forbes

20-05-2025

Penha Longa Resort
Matthew Shaw
Portugal's growing number of high-luxury hotels got a new shimmer of recognition with the arrival last week of the first Michelin Keys to be awarded in the country. Although the relatively new keys don't have the same cachet as the long-established stars, they're still a pretty big deal.
The keys work the same way the tire-brand-turned-lifestyle-arbiter's stars do. Michelin Guide inspectors check in anonymously, evaluate hotels' unique concepts and personalities, and suss out the quality of their hospitality. They give one key to any hotel that merits a stay, two keys to one that's worth a detour, and three keys to a hotel that deserves a trip in its own right—one in which it's the hotel itself that's the destination. In Portugal, they recognized 55 hotels—from the far north of the country to its southern beaches, as well as in Madeira and the Azores—with at least one key. (A total of 160 hotels are recommended in the guide.)
While the country's restaurateurs are still waiting for a third star, two hotels received the highest distinction right from the start. Both are long-established resorts with exceptional dining, spas and activities. They're complete worlds unto themselves, or as Michelin's marketing team writes, 'Everything is wonder and indulgence, the ultimate in comfort and service, style and elegance.'
Just a stone's throw from Lisbon, the elegant Penha Longa Resort, which is part of the Ritz-Carlton collection, sits amid the quiet forest of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. As is often the case around Sintra, the estate was once a residence of the Portuguese royal family, and it includes an old monastery and a 14th-century chapel that remains intact as a testament to that history. The 204 rooms and public spaces have beautiful views, as does its award-winning golf course. Two of its seven restaurants hold Michelin stars: Lab by Sergi Arola and Midori, which combines Japanese cuisine with Portuguese flavors (miso soup meets caldo verde). The resort's wine cellar contains more than 500 references, but guests can also just drink in the tranquility along the walking trails that lace the property's 540 acres.
Vila Vita Parc
Courtesy of the hotel
Ever since it opened in 1992 on a clifftop above the Atlantic, Vila Vita Parc has been one of the resorts that put the Algarve on the map as a luxury destination. Over the years, it's grown to include new blocks of rooms (203 in total) in Moorish-inspired architecture, lush subtropical gardens, a sumptuous Sisley spa, a golf course, a beach club, six bars, an impressive wine cellar and ten excellent restaurants. The standout is Hans Neuner's two-star Ocean, which reinvents Portuguese fine dining every year with a new menu inspired by the chef's travels and Portugal's history of exploration.
Thirteen of the country's hotels, ranging from outposts of international brands to intimate family-owned retreats, were recognized as being worth a detour. Whether renovated palaces or newly built architectural marvels, they share a commitment to aesthetics, a genuine sense of place and an evident pride in the way things are run.
A grand 19th-century building houses the main spaces of the beguiling Bela Vista Hotel, and its historical details—especially in the bar—add considerably to its appeal. So do its panoramic views of Praia da Rocha and the Atlantic Ocean, and its one-star restaurant, Vista.
The Four Seasons Hotel Ritz
Richard Waite
Since its opening in 1959, the Ritz, designed by important modernist architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro, has been one of Lisbon's most prestigious addresses. The oversize floral arrangements and large-scale works by midcentury Portuguese artist Almada Negreiros in the lobby make it clear that this is not a place of understatement. But Four Seasons' brand of discreet service works well in this unabashedly glamorous environment.
A hotel within the hotel, Les Suites is a collection of 23 modern and elegant accommodations distributed across century-old houses and a modern wing, surrounded by gardens with ocean and greenery views. Guests have use of all of the larger hotel's amenities, including its infinity pool, spa, direct sea access and two one-star restaurants.
The new Lince Santa Clara occupies a 14th-century monastery not too far from Porto. The restoration and hotel conversion neatly combined the past and present, including ancient stone foundations and Art Deco details. The rooms look out over the Ave River and the Atlantic, and there are indoor and outdoor pools, plus a Sisley spa, for relaxation.
Quinta do Paral
Courtesy of the hotel
Portuguese wine-country hotels don't get more lavish than Quinta do Paral, where the 22 rooms were designed by one of Portugal's splashiest architects, some of them have enormous travertine bathtubs, the estate-produced olive oil is served in glass vessels that resemble the bottles for Chanel No. 5 perfume, and guests have access to the only private jet that's affiliated with a hotel in Portugal.
A reference since 1891, the pink Reid's Palace is a charming throwback to the days when sun-seeking aristocrats came to breathe the healing air, and when Winston Churchill made the hotel his island home. Its fine dining restaurant, William, also holds a star, while afternoon tea on the terrace is one of the island's must-do's.
Another hotel within the hotel, the Reserve occupies the top floors of the Savoy Palace, the grand resort that towers over Funchal's city center and has the best views in town. Guests have access to snap-to-it personal assistants, a private all-day restaurant and club, and their own rooftop infinity pool and solarium.
The first Six Senses in Europe, the Douro Valley outpost is located in a carefully restored 19th-century mansion that was redone by noted spa designer Clodagh. Since terraced vineyards surround it, there's a lot of wine on offer, but also a lot of wellness, including a serious spa, forest bathing, food from an onsite organic garden and rooms designed to foster a good night's sleep.
Torre de Palma Wine Hotel
Courtesy of the hotel
The tower in the name dates from 1338, and Torre de Palma thoughtfully combines history and modernity. Its 19 rooms and suites have views of the peaceful surrounding countryside and vineyards galore. There's abundant wine tourism programming, such as tastings of vintages produced on site, special wine dinners and participatory harvest experiences. Even the spa goes in for vinotherapy, using local grape seeds in some treatments.
In the quietly posh enclave of Melides (just a short hop from the more famous Comporta), Vermelho made headlines when it opened for its maximalist aesthetic and designer pedigree. Its 13 individually conceived rooms are the work of shoe designer and longtime Comporta aficionado Christian Louboutin, who handpicked rare artworks and paired them with local artisan crafts like handmade Alentejo tiles.
Almost on Portugal's northern border with Spain, Vigado Palace is a grand throwback to the palace hotels of the early 20th century. (Its slightly awkward opening timeline coincided with the end of the Portuguese monarchy, but ever since 1910, it has been unafraid of grandeur.) A major renovation in 2010 updated many aspects but preserved others as a proud homage to the past.
A petite collection of magnificent houses, Vila Joya is geographically near Albufeira but psychologically worlds away from that party hub. Instead, it sits on an almost wild beach and is surrounded by gardens, and its two-star restaurant is a destination in its own right.
Across the river from Porto, on what some marketers are calling the left bank of the Douro, Vinha Boutique Hotel occupies a 16th-century manor house and a new modern design wing. Here, each room has a fully realized fashion theme, with pieces purchased from Hermès, Etro, Missoni or the like.
Forty hotels received this honor, which indicates a 'very special stay' in a 'true jewel, with its own character and personality.' The Michelin highlighted trends among the 40 hotels it selected here, including a return to nature through wine tourism, a commitment to the national historical heritage, dedication to promoting respect for the environment, and a commitment to exclusivity in tiny hotels that have just a handful of rooms.