Palacio de Estoi: Spending a Night in a Dreamlike Palace
Palacio de Estoi is a five-star hotel in the small village of Estoi, close to Faro, the capital of the Algarve region in Portugal. Perhaps all of us have dreamed of living in a palace like a prince or princess in fairy tales. And this is exactly the experience this dreamlike hotel aims to offer you.
Back in the 18th century, this palace used to belong to the local aristocrat José Francisco da Silva. Reputed for his romantic taste, the viscount spent 20 years building the palace in a mixture of neo-baroque and rococo styles. In 1909 the palace was inaugurated; to celebrate this, a sumptuous party was held in its Versailles-style gardens.
The palace remained the family’s property after the viscount’s death. In 1987, it was taken over by Faro Municipal Council and got completely renovated. In 2009, the palace was converted into a hotel, which is indeed one of the most luxurious in Portugal.
These days Palacio de Estoi Hotel offers a list of first-rate facilities: restaurants and bars specializing in seafood and desserts, swimming pools, spas, meeting rooms with garden view, parking lots, etc. One “must-do” at the hotel is the afternoon tea served at the pavilions, which is a reminiscence of the most popular past-time of European aristocracy back in the 18th century.
Apart from the gardens, the palace comprises the main building, the hall, the chapel, the dining rooms, two tea pavilions and a facade with a variety of religious themes. The interior decoration of the plaster ceilings is worth mentioning as it is the finest in the Algarve region.
The hotel has 63 rooms: 3 suites, 45 standard twins, 8 superior twins and 7 superior doubles, all with every possible room accessory you may be in need of. One great advantage is that all rooms have balconies overlooking the resplendent gardens.
From Palacio de Estoi Hotel you also have easy access to some of the most beautiful beaches in Algarve, as well as the best golf courses. Also, you could be interested to visit the Roman ruins at Milreu, which are only a few miles away.
