45 Best Hotels in Estremadura and the Ribatejo, Portugal

To get away from it all, head 15 km (10 miles) north of Leiria to this grand spa hotel that was once frequented by medieval monarchs, and from where you can make forays into the surrounding countryside. The 1920s building houses some very stylish suites, but the rooms in the new wing are large and plush, and all have balconies. Guests can use the large outdoor pool, but note that the modern spa, next to the old hot springs, is not included in the room rate (though various packages are available). The Paços da Rainha restaurant (€18) serves gourmet Mediterranean cuisine with an emphasis on local ingredients, while the Real Bar has snacks and drinks from late morning until after midnight.

Sleep like royalty in this charming pousada, which occupies parts of the castle that Dom Dinis gave to his bride, Isabel, in 1282; the suites in three massive stone towers are especially evocative of ancient times, and several rooms have direct access to terraces on the battlements. Of eight rooms in the cozy Casa do Castelo annex, one is suitable for guests with reduced mobility. If these are all booked up, the Pousada Vila Óbidos, a short walk into town, has another 17 rooms around a courtyard and access to a pool at the self-catering Casa Lidador. The main pousada restaurant is also fit for a king: there's an alcove where you can dine more intimately and still enjoy a breathtaking view of the castle walls. Try the house bacalhau and, for dessert, the "drunken pear" with the region's famous pêra rocha variety cooked in wine and ginja d'Óbidos.

This top-notch hotel, part of a sprawling luxury resort, is located 16 km (10 miles) west of Óbidos and includes a dazzling array of amenities. Here you have easy access to miles of beach and special rates at the 18-hole seaside golf course and tennis academy. The luxurious indoor pool is surrounded by white columns reminiscent of a Roman bath. The hotel's Tempera restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine, while the more distinctive Emprata takes a creative approach to Portuguese dishes.

A knight serving King Dom Filipe I built this large manor house in the 16th century, and 20-some generations later it is still owned and operated by the original family. The complex includes stables and a corral for the family's prize Lusitano stallions. The guest rooms—with luxe touches like underfloor heating—are large and comfortably furnished, and a few downstairs have French doors opening to the back terrace; from upstairs there are views of the Óbidos Lagoon. Ask to visit the on-site chapel, with an inscription in old-world Portuguese on the floor dated 1592.

Midway between Santarém and Almeirim, this homestead offers modern, tastefully decorated lodgings with plenty of opportunities for contact with the farming and ranching operations. Each of the spacious rooms and apartments has its own terrace or access to a shared one. There's complimentary access to bikes for guests, plus horseback riding, including two ponies for the kids, and you can book a massage for your return.

Set on some 45 acres of farmland and pine forests overlooking the Tagus River, this property with its several sprawling buildings, a few of which date to the 16th century, is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the Portuguese countryside—perhaps on one of the bikes available to guests. Each of the spacious rooms and suites in the main house is individually decorated with 18th-century Portuguese reproductions. Breakfast includes homemade jams, fresh juice from organic oranges, and eggs any way you like them. The small Refeitório Quinhentista restaurant, with a barrel-vault ceiling and stone walls, specializes in local dishes.

This imposing complex in the countryside between Alcobaça and Nazaré housed the country's first agricultural school—founded in the 14th century by Cistercian monks—and is now a comfortable rural retreat. Rooms and apartments are spacious and decorated in country style. There are several trails to walk in the leafy surroundings. 

Glamping has been slow to catch on in Portugal, but these gorgeous yurts in a lovely rural setting provide you with creature comforts, such as a private terrace set in lush gardens. Lusitano horses are trained on site most of the year, and you can arrange to take dressage lessons with an expert. Breakfast—featuring rustic breads, and house-made jams and cakes—is taken in the guesthouse, which also has a cozy lounge.

"Eco-chic" is the phrase that best describes this award-winning hotel near the Óbidos Lagoon: here, wastewater is recycled, solar panels generate much of the power, and biting insects are kept at bay by amphibians in a pretty pond. Guest rooms are dotted around the landscaped grounds, half buried for insulation. Inside, earthy decoration—floors are concrete, premixed with chalk for a lovely, creamy effect—combines with contemporary design touches, as well as air-conditioning, plus a minibar, coffee machine, TV, and Wi-Fi. There's also an indoor fireplace for winter and a porch for long summer evenings—when reserving you can also request a fire pit for an extra €20 per day, though guests often gather around the common bonfire before dinner. Most vegetables and herbs served in the restaurant come from the hotel's own greenhouse. Borrow a book from one of the two mini-libraries, or make the most of the outdoor pool and bar, the small spa, and the free electric bikes.

A famous Victorian-era showplace that was neglected for years has been transformed into the most highly rated hotel between Lisbon and Leiria. Decoration throughout is modern—black, gray, and white, with blocks of bright color—with historical touches. In the Lisbonense restaurant, which serves reliably good international fare, stands a landau like the one Portugal's king Dom Carlos I was riding in when he was assassinated in Lisbon in 1908.

Among the draws at this contemporary hotel, whose bright, comfortable rooms overlook the plains or the town, are outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a well-equipped gym, a spa with sauna and treatment rooms, and a branch of a locally famous tavern. The pricier rooms have balconies, bathrobes, and trouser presses.

The nicest thing about this modern hotel is that only a street and some sand dunes separate it from the Cova da Alfarroba Beach in the middle of Peniche Bay. Shaped like an L, the hotel has rooms with terraces overlooking the swimming pool or the ocean. There is a gym and whirlpool on-site, and a 9-hole golf course nearby.

This bright, cheerfully appointed hotel—part of a small national chain—sits on a pretty downtown plaza. Spacious rooms, some of which have a bath and others a shower, have all the amenities you'll need, and several have large balconies with beautiful views of the castle. The first-floor snack-bar is open 24 hours and serves salads and a few local favorites until late.

This 19th-century convent turned stylish hotel has a bit of a split personality: a quarter of the rooms feature traditional wooden ceilings and floors and wrought-iron beds, while the rest are "eco-chic," employing recycled materials with contemporary flair. In keeping with Óbidos's reputation as a literary town, tens of thousands of books line the walls—including in the spacious restaurant (which serves Portuguese, Japanese, and vegetarian cuisine).

Across the bridge from the center of the city, this handsome hotel features many decorative motifs that recall the eras of the Romans and the Knights Templar. Tomar's soil provides rich pickings for archaeologists, and finds from the hotel grounds are on display in the lobby. Many of the guest rooms boast views across the Nabão River to the Convento de Cristo—as does the third-floor bar.