Pestana Cidadela de Cascais ★★★★★

Pestana Cidadela de Cascais ***** passes one of my top litmus tests for a quality hotel: did royalty once live here? This central hotel passes with flying colours (aristocracy can count too) being the one-time residence of the Portuguese Royal Family. Cascais is also where the royals would come and frolic in the sea, and from that day until now it has been a fashionable spot for sun-worshipping and relaxing, and a handy distance from Lisbon and its urban life. Think of the kind of London – Brighton migration, where the artistic, fun, and beautiful elements of the capital coalesce in a naturally beautiful area. Well you can say Cascais has inherited more gifts in the looks department than Brighton and its pebble beaches, depending on how nostalgic you are about pebble beaches. Here in Cascais the sheltered coves are made from golden sand and the water is crystal clear, shimmering under the sun, and you can see a myriad of shades from azure turquoise to cobalt blue.

Thus, the hotel's environs certainly contributed to creating the buoyant mood that followed us around while we stayed at Cascais. But I am sure the five-star luxury of our hotel also had something to do with it. Facing the bustling marina, it benefits from the sea views and sea breeze integrating themselves into the experience of being there. The whitewashed façade and manicured grounds make a strong first impression. Once inside you start to get a hint of the celebration of modern art and creative design that have been interwoven with this ancient building’s transformation into a modern luxury hotel. The lobby is striking, with a mural of a flock of swallows flying across the wall, with such perfectly depicted motion you can almost hear them voicing their screech that is the sound of summer. The bold modern art pieces continue throughout the hotel, turning otherwise stylishly minimalistic spaces into something more audacious and memorable.

We were given a choice between a more modern room with a marina view, and a room that was set into the original barracks. It was a tough one, but eventually we went for the marina view, and didn't regret it. The one wall of floor-to-ceiling windows which the bed faced meant that we could watch the lights twinkling at night, and wake up and throw back the curtains to a motivating vision in the mornings. That was my role; my husband always needs slightly more encouragement to wake up than I do. The smell of coffee brewing did the trick. I loved the understated décor, the modern art, and the large mosaicked bathroom.

Dining at Pestana Cidadela de Cascais was a treat. There were a number of lovely spots to sit with a drink and a book. Their restaurant succeeded in achieving its vision: to encourage the kind of relaxed, extended eating that the Portuguese characteristically enjoy. Serving food that made you want more certainly helped! We had such a fabulous break in Cascais, we have shown our friend our support by asking her to tell us if she's ever exhibiting here again …