Bond, James Bond
A leisurely drink at Palácio Estoril Hotel
We have a friend that is apartment shopping in Cascais. Unable to find exactly what she wants, she widened her search to include Monte Estoril and Estoril. Denise was out of town for a few days, I had run out of ways to entertain myself and our friend wanted a second set of eyes. As I love looking at real estate I was happy to join her. The visit to the Palácio Estoril Hotel was a bonus.
History
You may recall that our first accommodations in Portugal were in Estoril. When looking at the town from afar we were intrigued by one of its most famous landmarks, the Casino Estoril. We are not big gamblers (actually we aren’t even little gamblers) so we have not made it into the building yet. But I did visit a much grander building just around the corner … the Palácio Estoril Hotel.
It along with the casino was the brainchildren of Fausto Figueiredo, a pharmacist turned businessman. He purchased a large parcel of land in a rural town, Estoril, in 1913. He envisioned a hotel, spa, sports, and leisure facility. He raised the funds for the facilities but there was just one challenge. There was no easy way to get to the town. Undeterred he obtained a lease, in cooperation with CP - the Portuguese train authority, to create an electrified train route to Cascais. In 1918, work began on the Cascais Line and was completed in 1926. I, for one, am glad CP made this investment as it serves as our primary means of travel to Belém, Lisbon, etc.
While work on the hotel slowed during WWI, it was opened in 1930 to much fanfare. It turned out that WWII saw the hotel prosper:
Estoril Rivieira was born and it started to gain visibility and obtain a name for itself. The 2nd World War, in the 1940’s, brought another crisis. However Portugal was a neutral country, although it was connected to people fleeing the war, who found that Estoril was the perfect place to hide. It was also a Paradise for thousands of people, and the Hotel turned into a “spy haven”. — Palácio Estoril Hotel
The Coast of Kings
Portugal’s neutrality attracted exiled royal families during WWII. It became the second home of the Spanish, Italian, French, Bulgarian, and Romanian royal families. Descendants of these families still visit the hotel today. It is also believed that British and German spies took refuge in the bar. And, of course, Ian Fleming also spent time at the hotel during WWII. As a former British Naval Intelligence Officer, Fleming used his surroundings as the inspiration for his first Bond book Casino Royal (1953). The 1969 film “On Her Majesty's Secret Service”, which unfortunately starred George Lazenby, includes scenes shot at the hotel.
On either side of the hotel’s grand lobby are two long hallways filled with photographs and memorabilia from royals’ and celebrity visits. There are photos of Queen Elizabeth as well as the bill from Ian Fleming’s visit.
In addition, the public areas are well worth the visit:
The room below could serve as inspiration for a future family room 🤣:
And if you are a martini fan, make sure your visit includes a stop at the bar. There my friend ordered the 007 Martini made with gin, vodka, and vermouth. I have never been a martini fan but I did sip her’s. That drink could make me change my mind. “Shaken, not stirred”, of course.
Loved the read today. We will be following in your footsteps and grabbing a shaken not stirred 🍸martin there on our inaugural visit to Estoril one of these days. Poignant post with the premiere of Daniel craig’s last 🎥 movie. And did you see that fabulous gold dress Kate Middleton wore that night.
I can hear Shirley Bassey in my head singing Goldfinger 🎶 🎤
Nice one Nanc!
You might enjoy the novel Éstoril by Dejan Tiago-Stankovic. Set at the hotel at the height of WWII. I have not read it yet, but it is on my list; most likely during my next Portugal visit expected over Christmas.