As Janelas Verdes

A beautiful 18th-century mansion, once the residence of the famous Portuguese novelist, Eça de Queirós, As Janelas Verdes is so personal, so homelike, it is hard to believe it is indeed a four-star hotel. You enter a tiny foyer with just a discreet reception area to your right to relieve your concern you might have accidentally entered a private residence. An arched doorway opens to a cozy parlor with a marble fireplace, an upright piano, walls an appealing whisper of pale yellow, and upholstered furniture in tones of deep wine-red. An old-fashioned, comfortable elegance abounds with nothing to disturb the feeling that you are an invited guest—even the bar is on the honor system. In chilly weather, guests relax in the parlor or in the library on the top floor with a view of the Tagus river, but on balmy days the favorite place to gather is on the romantic, cobblestoned patio with its high walls draped with ivy, a whimsical fountain with tiles of frolicking monkeys, and wrought-iron tables and chairs. No two guestrooms are alike, but each is handsomely decorated with antiques—the choice rooms are those overlooking the patio (a limited number on the second and third floors have views over the bustling waterfront).