We were very curious to see what the hotel would look like on the inside. So we asked the receptionist if we could take a look around. The hotel is considers privacy to be very important, but we were still allowed to take some photos in the hallway. Afterwards we started on one of the many walks through the park. We were lucky with the weather and could enjoy seeing the small lizards, the beautiful swan and the blooming roses. Make sure you take the time to have a walk in the park. We do recommend researching your parking options before visiting. Outside the park there are two large free car parks, while inside the park you’ll pay a daily parking fee.
This unique hotel used to be a monastery. The monks of the monastery planted a huge garden with small chapels and different types of flora. After the monks left the monastery, King Luis I transformed it into a holiday palace for his wife, Queen Maria Pia. But due to political changes, the king and queen never lived in this country residence.
The whole building was transformed into a five-star hotel in the nineteenth century. Outside the hotel you can find the palace gardens which are still perfectly maintained. Much of the park around the hotel was destroyed by a heavy whirlwind in 2011. Workers are still busy every day trying to restore everything to its original state.
