Sleek and Stylish Design Hotel – The Oitavos in Cascais Peninsula

Located near Cascais, one of the most richest municipalities in Portugal, The Oitavos Hotel is only a 20 minute drive from Lisbon. One reads, on the hotel website, that the Oitavos seeks to “embrace rather than compete with nature,” and it succeeds in doing just that — the ambiance of the hotel seamlessly merges ultra modern interior design with the wild natural surroundings, including the lush Oitavos Dunes golf course and the rippling Atlantic oceanfront.

About The Oitavos Design Hotel in Cascais

Nestled in the sand dunes directly on the Atlantic, The Oitavos hotel has been operating since 2010 and made it’s mark in the upscale design hotel market with its bold designs, sleek lines and a stylish interior. The building’s idiosyncratic “Y” shape allows for each and every room to have an unobstructed and enchanting view of either the Dunes golf course or the Atlantic coastline.

For those of you design aficionados seeking an architectural pied a terre, Oitavos is a treat to the senses. But if you are more inclined to spend your holiday golfing or exploring the outdoors than soaking up contemporary design, you still couldn’t wish for a better spot. Personally, we took a little while to warm up to the hotel’s exceptionally slick atmosphere. But after the first 24 hours, we were seduced.

Here are a few things that proved most persuasive…

Hotel Rooms at The Oitavos

The Oitavos has 142 guest rooms, all of which come with private balconies and are decorated with crisp and elegant furnishings in a white and blue motif. The rooms are comfortable, luxurious and some of the most ample that we have come across in 5-star accommodation.

Oitavos Restaurants and Chef’s Table

The hotel’s equally smart restaurant “Ipsylon” is decorated in the same minimalistic style, but the edges are bolder and more colorful than the bedrooms above. You can choose from a selection of contemporary cuisine and locally sourced fresh Portuguese seafood in a relaxed atmosphere.

However, you should definitely opt for the “Chef’s Table” – a culinary experience like no other and the absolute highlight of our stay! Besides from the round of golf, maybe…

Dine in style at a private table in the actual kitchen from where you can spot the chef and his team chopping onions, boiling lobsters and injecting an ounce of Portuguese flair into every dish.

On a typical night, you can expect to be welcomed and served by the chef himself, Cyrill Devilliers. But this particular evening, he was occupied at a wedding in Oitavos’s second kitchen, hence sous-chef Sebastian Frytie was the boss and with his staff (“Si chef!”), they created an astonishingly tasty dinner. Well done, man!

Dinner began with a rainbow of starters such as organic tomato salad with rucola-sorbet, a delectable octopus salad and a finely grilled rock lobster from the Azores served with passion fruit butter.

These chefs made us speechless. What an entrée!

The first course was a tough act to follow but when the main dish arrived we were more impressed — Sebastian served a turbot fish on a bed of fennel and orange, accompanied by a variety of organic vegetables — a dish that left delicate flavors that melt in the mouth.

We finished our culinary exploit with a cornucopia of desserts suggested by pastry sous-chef Filippe. More sweets than you ever knew existed! It was the perfect way to finish a gourmet evening.

Needless to say, the wines that accompanied each course rivaled their best food on offer — a Vallado 2010 from the Douro region or the ubiquitous port wine, in this case an Offley 10 Old Tawny Porto. The complex and undervalued regional wines provided the seemly finishing touches on an ideal Portuguese culinary effort!

Ipsylon is a must-see when you visit Cascais – it provides a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds. The chef’s table is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Make sure you make a reservation!

Oitavos Dunes Golf Course

The Oitavos Dunes is a link course set among evergreen pine woods and reforested dunes, in an area of exquisite natural beauty. It was designed by one of the world’s most respected golf course architects, Arthur Hills, and thus it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this course is historically ranked as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world.

The golf course includes two par 5 holes in a row, which I was lucky enough to play both even par for the first time!

I was feeling pretty good about myself afterwards, although I wouldn’t bet on a repeat performance. It was one of those days when the stars and strokes come together… or perhaps part of the magic of an exhilarating environment.

We were not only impressed by the course’s natural and wild beauty, but also by its stylish club house!

Our Thanks

A big thank you goes out to the hotel’s general manager Miguel Champalimaud for his hospitality, and for introducing us to his charming family-owned Oitavos hotel and its fantastic golf course!

And also many thanks to Manuela Weber from Cinnamon Circle for pointing out this stylish venue!

Here are some more impressions from our stay at this elegant resort:

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Check out the hotel’s prices and availabilities here.

Cascais and Surroundings

Cascais is a colorful, cosmopolitan town with an elegant pedestrian zone, luxurious villas, fashionable shops and an assortment of restaurants and bars. The former fishing village became famous as a resort for Portugal’s royal family in the late 19th century and early 20th century. A few minutes outside the village, you will encounter some breathtaking beaches with crystal white sand.

The most popular excursion outside Cascais is Boca do Inferno (“Mouth of Hell”) – a chasm located in the seaside cliffs. Go at sunset and watch the seagulls play around. Dine with the locals at Mar do Inferno restaurant!

For something more upscale, try Onyria Hotel’s restaurant Monte Mar, just a bit further up North of the same coastline. Their mixed fish and seafood platter won’t disappoint!