Fodor's Expert Review Vidago Palace Hotel

Neither Dom Carlos I nor the monarchy lived to see the 1910 inauguration of the grand hotel he commissioned on the site of the thermal springs at Vidago, but a top-to-toe refurbishment a century later made it once more fit for a king—and with a new spa wing designed by Pritzker-winning architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. Eye-popping original interiors have been lovingly restored, from the grand staircase to hand-painted wallpaper and stained-glass windows, while guest rooms are done in an updated classic style, in tasteful grays with splashes of red or burgundy. Some bathrooms have both stand-alone tubs and walk-in showers; all stock Molton Brown amenities. The hotel spa makes use of the iron-rich thermal waters—said to be effective in treating digestive and skin disorders—and guests may book up to two treatments without a medical appointment.