Forget sanitised beige walls, predictable breakfast buffets, and hotels that feel like they were copied and pasted from a generic template. If your idea of a memorable getaway involves sleeping inside a converted flour mill, cozying up in a wooden crate, or staying in a former 18th-century cabaret steeped in bohemian decadence, you've come to the right place.
The creative minds behind Mainside Portugal have long been legendary for transforming forgotten spaces into bold, unconventional, and provocative hospitality concepts. Today, these quirky, boundary-pushing destinations have found their home under CAOBA Hotels—bringing together heritage, raw aesthetics, and avant-garde design.
Here is a look at the most unusual, bizarre, and utterly unforgettable stays you need on your bucket list.
1. Moagem Industrial Lodge: Raw Heritage Met with Industrial Cool
If rustic-chic met an industrial time machine, you’d get Moagem Industrial Lodge.
Originally a historic flour mill, this stay turns industrial architecture on its head. Instead of stripping away the building’s history, Moagem embraces it: exposed brick, original factory machinery, raw iron framework, and soaring timber ceilings. It feels less like a traditional hotel and more like an exclusive art residency inside a living museum.
It’s the ultimate stay for travelers who appreciate textured design, raw materials, and spaces with a genuine story baked into the walls.
The Vibe: Raw, mechanical heritage blended with high-concept modern comfort.
2. Zero Box Lodge (Porto & Coimbra): Sleeping in a Crate by Design
Ever wanted to sleep inside a giant, beautifully crafted wooden box? The Zero Box Lodge concept reimagines the Japanese capsule hotel, replacing plastic pods with warm, minimalist timber crates designed purely for rest.
The rule here is simple: no TVs in the rooms. The goal is a digital detox that forces you out of your box to mingle, explore, and create.
Zero Box Lodge Porto
Housed in a former bank building, the Porto location features a rooftop glass plunge pool, an underground wine cellar, and a restaurant built around open fire cooking. Don't miss the "Free Room"—a glass box right in the communal area where artists can stay for free in exchange for creating art live in front of guests.
Zero Box Lodge Coimbra
Set in the historic university town of Coimbra, this location breathes new life into a former 1980s music venue and pizza parlor. It carries the same wooden-crate bedroom philosophy alongside vibrant communal spaces, local gastronomy, and an unpretentious, artistic pulse.
3. Pensão Amor: Decadence, Velvet, and Velvet-Clad History
Located in Lisbon’s famous Cais do Sodré district, Pensão Amor is quite literally a stay like no other.
Once a 18th-century brothel and cabaret house catering to sailors coming ashore, it has been transformed into a cheeky, opulent, and literary-focused sanctuary. Think red velvet curtains, vintage erotic art, ceiling frescoes, pole dancing stages, and an unbeatable cocktail lounge right downstairs.
It’s bold, unapologetic, and dripping with character—perfect for couples or solo travelers looking to step directly into Lisbon’s sultry nightlife and bohemian history.
The Vibe: Speakeasy romanticism, vintage cabaret, and unapologetic eccentricity.
4. Cais Urban Lodge: The Pulse of Lisbon’s Waterfront
Rounding out this collection of unique stays is Cais Urban Lodge. Situated right in the beating heart of Lisbon's waterfront district, it offers a refined, design-led take on urban apartment stays.
While slightly more streamlined than the theatrical flair of Pensão Amor or the radical minimalism of Zero Box, Cais Urban Lodge retains Mainside’s signature industrial-chic aesthetic. With custom wooden finishings, spacious studio layouts, and the river practically at your doorstep, it serves as the perfect launchpad for modern urban explorers.
Ready to Ditch the Ordinary?
Hospitality doesn't have to be boring. Whether you want to recharge inside a wooden crate, wake up surrounded by industrial machinery, or sip cocktails in a renovated 18th-century cabaret, CAOBA’s collection of former Mainside properties proves that where you sleep can be the highlight of the trip itself.
Which unusual stay are you booking first?
