Casa Vela Boutique House & Spa

Cascais spent the late 19th century as the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family, and the town filled up with the houses of people who wanted to be near them. Casa Vela occupies one of those, on a quiet street a few minutes from the old centre.

The gardens are the reason to come. They run to lakes, fountains and waterfalls across terraced levels, planted densely enough that the town disappears once you are inside them. Two outdoor pools sit among the planting, one of them heated, with loungers on the terraces above.

The spa is outdoors too, which is unusual and works better than it sounds in a climate this mild. There is a wood-burning Finnish sauna, a cold plunge tank and a massage room, arranged as a circuit rather than a facility you book into. Deep tissue and sports massage are both available.

There are 26 rooms and suites. Each is named for a place or a spice the Portuguese brought back in the 16th century, and takes its colour scheme from there, which produces rooms that are considerably bolder than the average boutique hotel's greys. Windows are large, bathrooms are open-plan, and many rooms have private balconies looking into the garden. A number include kitchenettes, which suits longer stays.

Elsewhere there is a rooftop terrace, a lounge bar and a fireplace in the lobby that earns its place from November onwards. Breakfast is a buffet, served cold rather than cooked.

For position, you are in the historic centre of Cascais with the Paula Rego museum eight minutes' walk away, the marina about a kilometre, and the Boca do Inferno cliffs a short walk further along the coast. Beaches are close. The train to Lisbon runs from the station in town and takes about forty minutes along the water, which is one of the better commutes in Europe.

Note that the official classification here is four-star, and that despite the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park being close, this is a town property rather than a country one.