Casa Das Senhoras Rainhas

Rooms

Each room is named after a Portuguese queen and all are similarly decorated. It's smart without being frilly, uncluttered and with good lighting. Most rooms are generously sized, and all come with comfy beds and crisp white linen.

The Queen Room at the top of the house is the most expensive room. It's the only suite, it's huge and it has a private closet and the best views. It doesn't have a terrace, but windows on both sides overlook the town: to the west São Pedro's church and terracotta rooftops; to the east the 800-year-old wall. The rest of the rooms are spread over two floors.

Those on the lower floor all have doors onto shaded terraces. Three of the rooms on the floor above open onto private balconies. The two end rooms on this floor don't have balconies but are the largest rooms in the house, thus good for families who need an extra bed. If we had to choose a favourite, we’d plump for one of the rooms with a balcony.

They've recently expanded into a nearby historic building (which we're yet to see for ourselves) and rooms here are signposted with 'AL': a handful of compact Classic and Charming Rooms AL and a two-bedroom Family Suite AL. The city wall runs right past the windows and they have unobstructed views over the old town, but sadly they don't have balconies and some guests say they're a tad too small.

All rooms come with chocolates placed on the bed and a ginjinha, an intoxicating Óbidos speciality, a welcome drink served upon arrival, at the bar or in the room. Bathrooms come in yellow marble with fluffy towels and bathrobes.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Bathrobes
• Cots available
• Minibar
• Safe box
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

A bright dining room is at the back on the house. In good weather French windows fly open and you eat on the terrace at the foot of the town wall. Breakfast is laid out each morning, the usual marvellous Portuguese excess: plates of fruit, baskets of bread and croissants, freshly-squeezed orange juice, home-baked cakes, bacon and eggs.

Lunch and dinner are both available in the hotel's relaxed restaurant & bar, Letraria Obidos, which is open to non-residents, too. It's a cool joint serving Obidos' best craft beers and a select menu of burgers and steaks. Although not entirely aligned with the historic nature of the hotel and the sophisticated styling inside, the food and fun atmosphere prove popular with guests.

If you want something more authentic, there are plenty of restaurants in town. The pousada has quite a fancy dining room while Alcaide offers good traditional Portuguese cooking, as does A Nova Casa de Ramiro.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Explore Obidos. Wander the alleyways, drop into the churches, visit the castle or stop for a coffee. The most dramatic way to see the town is to climb up to the ramparts and follow the path round. You float above the town and find wonderful views both sides of the wall. It takes about 30 minutes to complete a circuit. But be careful: there are no railings.
  
  
• Climb up to a very pretty stone terrace shaded by plane trees to the west. There are tables and chairs up here and a small café/bar called Miradouro. It's one of the loveliest spots in town; don't miss it. There's jazz on Friday nights. Down below you'll find a couple of bars worth popping into. Stop for a coffee at Bicainha (espresso) or try Petrariom for something stronger. If you want to try Ginja, the Obidos snifter of choice, head to the quirky Bar Ibn Errik Rex on the main drag.
  
  
• There's a puppet theatre in town and weekly music recitals in the Casa de Música.
  
  
• Beyond the walls, head to the Obidos lagoon. You can fish, swim, sail, wind surf. It's tidal and popular with locals. If you want the beach, try Foz do Arelho to the north of the lagoon, where Graham Greene used to holiday; its huge, sandy, wave-pounded flats are perfect for surfing and swimming in summer, or long walks and frisbee games in winter.
  
  
• Peniche, 20km west, is another pretty walled town and one of Portugal's most active fishing ports: you can see the shipwrights at work in the boatyards to the north. Coastal paths take you to the rugged cliffs and lighthouse of Cabo Carvoeiro or to the islet-village of Baleal, and there are boat trips to the Ilha Berlenga, a nature reserve with thousands of sea-birds.
  
  
• If you fancy a game of golf, there's a well-manicured course at Praia d'El Rey. Tennis and riding are about 3km from the hotel.

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boat trips
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Museums / galleries
• Sailing
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Surfing
• Tennis
• Windsurfing

Kids

Kids will love the beach and all its activities; the hotel can provide cots and extra beds on request. We'd suggest the Family Suite in the annexe building which has two double bedrooms (one can be set up as a twin), a lounge and a kitchenette.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Casa das Senhoras Rainhas is in Obidos, which is near the coast 65km (one hour) north of Lisbon, and two hours' south of Oporto.

By Air
Lisbon Portela (70km) is your closest. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving this.

From the Airport
A taxi will cost about €75 one way so you may prefer to drive.

By Car
If you want to hire a car see our car rental recommendations. Bear in mind that there is no private carpark so you'll have to find a space on the street.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

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