The Literary Man Hotel in Óbidos is a Book Lover’s Paradise

The Literary Man Hotel in Óbidos is undoubtedly the most charming hotel I have ever stayed in. With over 65,000 books decorating its rooms and hallways, it’s a book lover’s paradise. Indeed, it’s the largest literary hotel in the world. 

Óbidos is a little-known town just one hour outside of Lisbon. In December 2015, it was named a UNESCO city of literature, and since then it has become a hot spot for book lovers in the know. Project Óbidos Literary Town was the brainchild of Lisbon bookshop Ler Devagar and Óbidos City Hall. There are now 13 bookshops in this small medieval town and many literary activities including book readings and even an annual literary festival. 

Now let’s get back to the wonderful Literary Man Hotel. The hotel opened in October 2015, just a few months before Óbidos was named a city of literature. The hotel’s building is a former convent dating back to 1830, which is why there are stunning arches and stonework all through the interiors. 

However, no nuns ever resided here as Portugal abolished religious orders in the early 19th century. The empty building was bought and turned into a hotel called Estalagem do Convento before the former owner’s daughter took over and made it the literary haven it is today. 

As soon as I stepped through the glass doors of The Literary Man hotel, I knew I had made the right decision coming here. There were books to my right, my left and books straight ahead too. When you check in at reception, there are books behind the desk and a huge bookish restaurant to your right. 

The walls leading the way to all the rooms are also lined with rows of books, the windowsills are covered with books and your room will be stuffed with books – they really are everywhere! 

But where did these books come from? 

A large number of the books at The Literary Man came from London, which is why there are so many English titles on their shelves. If you look closely, you’ll notice that they seem to have at least 50 copies of the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer and The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Others have been donated by guests or book lovers wanting to help out. The donations continue to pour in today but they haven’t the time (or the space!) to put them all out on the shelves. 

Stay at The Literary Man 

The Literary Man has over 20 rooms available in four different price brackets with the cheapest starting at €85 per night. You can book either a standard, superior, deluxe suite or superior deluxe suite with the latter costing €135 per night. 

The majority of rooms are simple and rustic with the wood panelling and books stacked in every corner making you feel right at home. Each room has a mini-bar for a light evening tipple and a flat-screen TV. Though, frankly, if you come to an amazing literary hotel like this and stay in to watch television then know that I am judging you! If you’ve gone for one of the superior rooms you may find comfy armchairs or a writing desk too.

If you’ve come to this hotel for beautiful interiors and bookish inspiration then you’ll probably want to spend most of your time in the dining area where there are tables of different sizes and a couple of sofas too. The rooms are nice but these communal areas are where the real magic is. 

If you’re staying overnight then your stay will include a continental buffet breakfast in the morning. The breakfast is amazing. Fresh jams, fresh bread, crisp croissants, muesli with a host of toppings, fresh fruit, ham, cheese, eggs made to order – and it’s unlimited! I may have taken a leaf out of Merry and Pippins’ book and had breakfast and second breakfast (and perhaps third and fourth breakfast too!). 

All the breakfast options are laid out on a central table opposite the main dining room so you can fill your plate(s) and then head into the beautiful dining area The Literary Man is known for. On the drinks table there’s a little note that reads “Good Morning bookworms!” in Portuguese. No detail is spared!

Breakfast is served from 8am-11am every day so it’s perfect for both early birds and late risers.

Find the cheapest rooms at The Literary Man hotel here on booking.com.

Eat and Drink at The Literary Man 

Book and Cook Restaurante

The Literary Man hotel has its own book-themed restaurant and literary bar. Each item on the dinner menu is named after a famous book and author though sadly there is little connection between the dishes and their chosen names. Wines and cocktails are also named after famous authors, both Portuguese and Worldwide.

No detail is spared in this magnificent room that is covered in books. You’ll find books lining the bookshelves on the walls, books on the dining tables, there are even pages of books underneath the glass of the tables so the very table you eat off is bookish!

There’s a comprehensive list of nibbles, starters, mains (fish, meat & veggie) and desserts. Whilst there are some typical Portuguese items on the menu here, overall it’s contemporary European dining.

On our first evening, my friend and I opted for the vegetarian options: vegetable curry and mushroom risotto. We had had enough of all the seafood we’d been consuming in Lisbon and needed a break! It was clear both dishes were made from the best fresh produce (something we noticed about Portugal in general) and they were hearty and filling. I imagine the meat and fish options are even tastier! 

For dessert we had passionfruit mousse with mango purée and coconut cake chunks. It was d-i-v-i-n-e. Portions are large and again the freshness of the fruit was really evident. Plus, the dessert menus are handed to you inside cookery books!

The great thing is that if you’re visiting Óbidos as a day trip from Lisbon then you can visit the restaurant without being a guest of the hotel. They have a dinner package which includes one drink and a three-course meal in their literary restaurant for €30. Out of all the Óbidos restaurants available, the ambience here is unparalleled!

Find the cheapest rooms at The Literary Man hotel here.

The Literary Gin Bar

The literary bar specialises in the best gins from all over the world and they’ve got over 30 different types. These are served with Fever Tree tonic and the ice cubes are infused with organic herbs from their very own gardens!

The drinks are fairly pricey going from €9-15 but you can enjoy these in their special literary bar where books line the room from floor to ceiling. Soft music plays throughout and it’s a thoroughly lovely space with a mix of metal chairs and leather armchairs.

The bar can be a little chilly in the winter and spring time so you may prefer to have your drinks on the sofas in the main restaurant area. That’s what I did when I visited in March when I realised that you could order the same G&Ts from the comfort of the sofa by the fireplace! 

Find the cheapest rooms at The Literary Man hotel here.

Relax at The Literary Man 

As well as an amazing restaurant, bar and library, The Literary Man offers sight-seeing packages and “bibliotherapy” massages in the ancient wine cellar under the building.

You can book the indulgent literary massage package for €80, which involves a glass of red wine, a book of your choice and a hot stone massage.

Alternatively, you can rent a bike and go on a short bike tour to the beautiful Várzea da Rainha fields. You’ll then stop off at Rio do Prado Hotel, another hotel in the group that owns The Literary Man, for a little rest before either pedalling back or continuing onto the coast. In the evening, you’ll have dinner at the literary restaurant.

If the packages don’t appeal but you’d like some “bibliotherapy”, you can book a 50 minute full-body massage for €60, a 90 minute hot stone massage for €90 or even a 60 minute chocotherapy session for €70. All of these experiences take place in the relaxation room located in the wine cellar so you’ll be surrounded by old bottles of wine and, of course, books.

These can be added onto your booking though you will need to let the hotel know 24 hours in advance of these experiences.

Find the cheapest rooms at The Literary Man hotel on here.

The Literary Man Bookshop

One of the best things about this hotel is that it doubles up as a bookshop. If you spot something you fancy on one of their many bookshelves, you can enquire about purchasing it.

Most of them are available to buy with different prices depending on whether it’s a vintage collectible copy or just an ordinary second hand edition.

Vintage and rare books cost €15 each; coffee table books cost €15 each, 3 for €40 or 5 for €60. The other second hand books dotted around are much cheaper.

Staying at The Literary Man Hotel in Óbidos has been a lifelong dream of mine. Ever since I first heard about this literary hotel I have yearned to come and stay here and then this spring it all fell into place.

The only problem with booking a stay at The Literary Man is that you won’t want to leave the hotel to do any sightseeing! However, as Óbidos is a very small town, it is perfectly possible to see everything here in just 3 or 4 hours. This hotel is just a few minutes walk from Óbidos castle (Castelo de Óbidos) and right in the centre of town.

If you’d like to come and enjoy the town and this literary hotel, I’d suggest booking a two-night stay so you can fully enjoy both. It’s one of the quirkiest hotels in Portugal, and the world, so it’s not one to miss. And as I sit here writing this review, I know that I’ll be back on day.

Book a room at The Literary Man:

Want to stay at the biggest literary hotel in the world? Find the best deals for The Literary Man here.

Useful Information

Address
Rua D’João d’Ornelas
2510-074 Óbidos
Portugal

Website
www.theliteraryman.pt/en/

Price 
€85-135 per night

Getting to Óbidos from Lisbon 

Óbidos is located just 50 kilometres north of Lisbon and is super easy to get to. The bus is by far the best way to get from Lisbon to Óbidos as train times are infrequent and a one hour taxi ride would be quite pricey!

Buses to Óbidos depart from Campo Grande station in North Lisbon 32 times a day on weekdays and 13 times a day on weekends. It’s a very regular bus service and you can just turn up on the day and bus your ticket on the bus – super easy! The bus service is run by Rápida Verde and a ticket costs €7.95 each way. Click here for the latest bus timetable. 

It took me a while to figure out where the bus stop to Óbidos was as it’s not located in the confines of the main bus station. When you exit Campo Grand metro station you’ll want to orient yourself so you can see where the footbridge crossing above the bus station is. Walk under this and away from the metro station towards Rua Actor Antonio Silva. You’ll find the bus station on the left hand side of the road, opposite a funky green apartment block.

On your way back to Lisbon from Óbidos, you’ll want to wait at the bus stop opposite the hut. The buses back to Lisbon and away from Lisbon arrive at different times in any case so there shouldn’t be any confusion here!

Have a great stay at The Literary Man hotel!

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For more literary hotel reviews, check out these:
Gladstone’s Library: A Literary Hotel in Wales
Hazlitt’s London: A Luxury Literary Hotel in London
Gar Anat: A Literary Hotel in Granada
Hotel Monte Cristo Paris Review

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Laura

Editor of What’s Hot?

Laura is an award-winning travel and book blogger based in the UK. She studied French literature at Oxford University and is now an IP lawyer at a top law firm in London. She was named UK Book Blogger of the Year in 2019 and loves to combine her passion for books and travel with literary travel.