Grande Real Villa Itália Hotel & Spa

Have you ever slept in the home of a king? Here’s your chance. The Cascais home of the last king of Italy, Humberto II, has been transformed into a luxury hotel with sea views that are so spectacular that they even overshadow Graça Viterbo’s exquisite decor. It has just over 100 rooms, with the least interesting offering garden views. If you want to live like a monarch, then pick a Seaview Retreat standard room, a suite or even a penthouse. You will find Portuguese Castelbel amenities in every room. The common areas are also worthy of a royal family. The highlights are the outdoor swimming pool, the thalassotherapy spa (inspired by Roman spas, covering more than 1,000 m2, with ten treatment rooms, a pool, sauna, jacuzzi and gym) and the Belvedere Italian restaurant and its specialities such as risoto de espargos verdes com vieiras coradas (green asparagus risotto with cored scallops) and cannelloni de pato (duck cannelloni). Weekend brunch and summer barbecues are open to non-guests, so they too can be part of this royal family.