You and the sea - Ericeira Hotel and Apartments

It’s an unusual name, but it certainly paints a picture. You and the Sea pretty well sums up the experience at this stylish apartment-style boutique hotel, set within walking distance of Praia do Sul beach, in the Portuguese surf mecca of Ericeira. Sure, it’s not just you — but from within one of its 36 fully serviced apartments, which range from generously sized studios all the way up to sprawling five-bedroom family apartments, it’s not at all hard to forget about the rest of the world.

You’ll find some traditional hotel services, like a spa with a pair of massage rooms, a heated indoor pool, an aromatherapy steam room and a contrast shower. The restaurant, Jangada, is a sibling of a well-known Lisbon eatery called Infame, and serves an inventive menu that’s focused on local ingredients, including ultra-fresh seafood along with wood-fired pizza.

But for the most part it really is just you — and your traveling companions — and the sea. Ericeira is a fantastic place to learn to surf, with breaks that are suitable for any skill level, and the town is a charmingly evolved fishing village, less than an hour’s drive from Lisbon.