Casa das Penhas Douradas

Top choice in Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela


Make it up to this fantastic mountain hideaway and you won't want to leave. Everything about the place is just so right, from its panoramic setting to the minimalist Scandinavian-inspired chalet design and impeccable service (evening drinks, afternoon teas). And that's before you've even plunged into the heated pool or grabbed a spa treatment (the massages are amazing).

For meals, it's hard to go past the hotel's gourmet restaurant (also open to the public), yet less fancy snacks are available. When you eventually decide to hit the outdoors, there are marked trails and a lake nearby. Rooms vary from the more modestly priced attic rooms in the original building to a stylish, airy suite, but all are immaculate and most offer stirring views.