Palacio Belmonte, Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon boutique hotel the Palacio Belmonte is unexpected in every way. Located beneath the walls of Sao Jorge castle, it's a glamorously converted 15th-century palace, classified as a national monument, which is eccentrically run. The first trick is to find it. Half Lisbon’s cab drivers will take you straight there; the other half vehemently denies that anything as obvious as a boutique hotel could be at this fantastic address. The first sight of the Palacio Belmonte’s massive, lacquer-red door is something of a relief.

The facilities

The paradoxes continue. At first it seems smaller than you would expect and it’s only when you’ve worked your way through its Esher-esque interiors that you realize how large the Palacio Belmonte actually is. Unexpectedly heavy doors open onto the boutique hotel’s winding staircases in elegant cream stone. A sudden terrace has a jaw-dropping view over Alafama’s tumbling red roofs and out to the Tagus.

You feel like you're in a maze of rooms, each high-ceilinged, ballroom-sized and clad in Azulejo tiles by 18th-century masters. Massive contemporary white sofas and enormous wide-screen TVs are modern touches that work well with peeling plaster on ancient stone walls and a massive library with bookshelves crammed with over 4000 antique books. By the time you find the garden with its scent of bougainvillea and lavender, the sound of birdsong and the black marble pool – the Alice in Wonderland experience is complete. The boutique hotel is somewhat family friendly as family suites are available.

The rooms

All eleven suites at the boutique hotel Palacio Belmonte are named after Portuguese of note. The Gil Vincente overlooks the Tagus and has a private conservatory garden. The Fernão Mendes Pinto has Alfama views and a gorgeously marbled bathroom. The Bartolomeu de Gusmão, the grandest of apartments, is on four floors in a corner tower and incorporates an original Moorish staircase. The Agostinho da Silva is for antiques and intimacy; The Souza Cardoso has a private solarium; The Padre Himalaya is for romance and 360 degree views.