After some of the most stressful days at work, I come home and think about what I could use more of in my life and almost always invariably land at books, and my love of cooking....
We spent some days over this July 4th week driving around Portugal. One of our stops was Óbidos and hopefully I will write about that sometime soon, but for now - let me tell you about our magical hotel. D had showed it to me peripherally before the trip but I was so busy with work and life that I didn't get to take a closer look before we showed up at it's doorstep and I was completely blown away.
The Literary Man hotel in Óbidos is a true book lover's paradise. Walking around the hotel is like you have walked into a giant book case and now have the ability to live in it. Books by my head, books by my feet, the smell of books in the air, in no other hotel have I melted into as quickly. From the hallways lined with bookshelves to the gin lounge in library, to the breakfast room surrounded by cookbooks, every inch of this hotel has been thought about from a book lover's perspective. I don't know who the owner / designed is, but whoever it may be - there is no doubt that this haven is created by (and yes for) a bibliophile.
After my three days there, I can tell you that I didn't want to leave. I saw that they offer cooking classes, and if I had stayed longer - I would have taken one for sure. Basically, perfect. If there is only one thing to add, I would urge the owners to add a pool (imagine a book themed pool....). In the end I only left convincing myself that one day I will come back and stay a whole week and enjoy the space. Hopefully soon.
They have the option to buy a book from their collection while you are there, and as a memento I picked up J. K. Rollings' Casual Vacancy.
The Literary Man Hotel
Rua D` João d`Ornelas, 2510-074 Óbidos, Portugal