Most boutique hotels are much more than a place to lie your head at night.
But the Literary Man Hotel in Obidos, Portugal—a medieval village that dates back more than 700 years—takes its book collection seriously. In fact, the entire hotel is a bookstore. At every turn, there’s a wall stacked with titles.
The hotel currently boasts more than 45,000 books, according to the owner. The goal is to have 100,000 at the hotel, which opened its doors last October, by the end of the year.
Obidos, about an hour-and-a-half drive northwest of Lisbon, is home to about 3,000 people. There are only a handful of hotels in the walls of Obidos, including Pousada Obidos, a 700-year-old castle.
The perk of such an intimate hotel selection is that once the sun goes down and the day-trippers head back to their accommodations, you’re left alone with locals and your choice of watering holes.
During the day, people flock to Obidos to walk the ancient wall, drink the town’s drink of choice (ginjinha), and shop from the many local artisans. The Literary Man Hotel is right off of the main street, making it a great spot to call home base for all of your exploring.
The cocktail lounge and restaurant, where each cocktail is named after a literary legend, is more library than watering hole, with comfortable leather chairs and soft lighting.
And as for the books, there is something for every bibliophile: recipe books from the industry’s best, poetry round-ups, fictional tales, historic digs into destinations around the world.
If there was ever a restaurant to treat yourself to a solo dinner, consider a good book the perfect companion. For information on how to book a room, or visit the bar and restaurant, head to The Literary Man’s website.
