Where is InterContinental Cascais-Estoril
InterContinental Cascais-Estoril is a small luxury hotel, with 59 rooms and suites, set on the oceanfront of the Atlantic, on the “Portuguese Riviera,” a region full of beauty, history and warm weather. We travelled there from Lisbon, where you will find their sister hotel InterContinental Lisbon, via train direct to Monte Estoril, which is only a 5-minute walk from the hotel.
The building where the InterContinental Cascais-Estoril resides is part hotel, part apartment building, we entered via the entrance to the hotel to reception to check in with Sergio. We had arrived early, so we dropped off our bags for storage and headed out to sightsee, but when we got back Caterina had our room keys all ready and our luggage was waiting for us in our room.
Accommodation at InterContinental Cascais-Estoril
We headed to our King Bed Junior Suite with Ocean View, a 57 sqm room with views of Cascais Bay and the Sea. In hues of blues and clean white the room echoes the Atlantic outside, cool coastal tones that were very relaxing. We had a king-size bed, a small lounge area with a sofa and desk, a bank of wardrobes, a large bathroom with a separate bath, a rain shower with chromotherapy system lighting and a glass panel looking back out to the bedroom.
While unpacking we used the in-room Nespresso machine to have a coffee, the Wi-Fi was also good so we could connect up some tunes to get ready for dinner at the in-house restaurant Bago du Vin. Later that night, back in the room, the space really comes into its own. I find it difficult to get to sleep, as such I use a sleep band that connects to my phone to play storm sounds to help me get to sleep as brown noise, well while staying at InterContinental Cascais-Estoril this was not needed at all! Instead, we had the large glass patio doors open throughout the night and listened to the gentle sounds of the lapping waves outside. Blissful sleep is guaranteed.
Food & Drink at InterContinental Cascais-Estoril
Bago du Vin is the resident restaurant, overlooking the outdoor pool and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served here, plus there is a small bar area where you can enjoy a glass of wine from their wine list. We had a lovely meal there on the first evening served by Andre in the glass-panelled part of the restaurant. We started with a salmon tartare, with soy, lime, chives, shallots and a Kimchi sauce and a sea bream ceviche with leche de tigre. Both were super fresh and a delightful start to the meal, the fish was so fresh, which you would expect from being sat right by the Atlantic.
We moved on to Guinea Foul with sweet potato and Portuguese sauce, which was a reduction of the juices from the foul with butter, lemon and garlic and Bacalhau, a traditional Portuguese dish. The Guinea Foul was super meaty but the sauce, with the freshness of the lemon juice, cut through the richness of the game. The Bacalhau was an interesting twist on a classic with a deconstructed lighter version of this dish. We had a bottle of Vinho Verde with the meal, which made for a light fresh pairing that worked with all the dishes.
We also enjoyed breakfast at Bago du Vin trying such dishes as Eggs Florentine, Maple Syrup Pancakes and fresh juices, the perfect start to a day of sightseeing the many local sites.
Things to do from InterContinental Cascais-Estoril
There are many things to do in Cascais-Estoril and further afield using the town as a base via train and local buses. We spent a lovely afternoon wandering around Cascais-Estoril looking at all the boutique shops, having a Matcha Latte in the marina and an ice cream at the Santini ice cream parlour. There are lots of 19th Century Villas dotted along the coastline which are worth taking a look at with the Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães being one of the most breathtaking. We also enjoyed a fabulous lunch at Taberna Clandestina Cascais, light bites including cod cakes and croquettes and a large selection of delicious salads and kinds of pasta washed down with an Aperol Spritz.
Outside of Cascais-Estoril, you could visit the incredible town of Sintra, a resort town in the foothills of Portugal’s Sintra Mountains. A longtime royal sanctuary, its forested terrain is studded with pastel-coloured villas and palaces in the Moorish and Manueline styles. The Sintra National Palace is distinguished by dramatic twin chimneys and elaborate tilework and is well worth a visit. The hilltop 19th-century Pena National Palace is known for its whimsical design and sweeping views but beware the trek up is long, we took a Tuk Tuk up there but you can find a local cab in the main square and Uber also works in Sintra. We got there from Cascais-Estoril via direct bus from the main bus station.
Lisbon, the country’s capital, is also easily accessible from Cascais-Estoril via a direct train line into the city. We used this one day to head to the Time Out Market Lisboa for a night out followed by a visit to the LGBTQ+ district Calle Rosa de Lisboa to see some traditional Fado. The trains run quite late so you can easily base yourself in Cascais-Estoril and still have a fun night out in Lisbon.
We visited the InterContinental Cascais-Estoril during autumn so it was a little chilly to use the outside spaces but the hotel would be perfect for Spring or Summer with its outdoor pool. Despite the weather, InterContinental Cascais-Estoril provided us with the perfect base from which to explore that part of Portugal, taking in culture, shopping and some of the best food and drink the Atlantic coast had to offer.
InterContinental Cascais-Estoril
Av. Marginal 8023
2765-249 Estoril
Portugal
