Top 9 luxury hotels in Lisbon: from opulent palaces and historic residences to chic modern boutiques
Lisbon's best hotels allow you to experience what it means to vacation like royalty. The city boasts a collection of superb places to stay, from Portuguese classics with a historical flair to well-known chains and unconventional newcomers. Lisbon's luxury hotels make an impressive effort to create the most comfortable and relaxed stay possible. None of them can be called mediocre, and the crowd that gathers here is made up of those who gravitate solely towards excellence. Spend your perfect Lisbon vacation as a guest of one of the best luxury hotels in this selection.
1. InterContinental Lisbon
The hotel, which has been welcoming guests for over 30 years, recently underwent a renovation, so this glass tower looks even more luxurious and exceptionally chic. If Lisbon is known for its beautiful views due to its hilly nature, the InterContinental is ready to present the best of them. Add to this the favorable location close to the chic Avenida da Liberdade, a beautiful shopping street with exquisite facades of 19th century buildings, and the formula for excellent hotels to stay in Lisbon is created.
The hotel's interiors recall the golden age of Hollywood glamor, combining glamor with elegant decor. The hotel has 331 rooms, but despite its scale has a relaxed atmosphere. There is a gym open 24 hours a day, private parking and the Akla restaurant, which promises its diners the best steak tartare in town. Another of its perks is a wine cellar with a wall decorated with Portuguese tiles. After dinner, it's worth stopping by the Uptown Bar, a trendy space with mirrored walls and colorful lighting, to end the day with a tasty drink.
2. Pousada de Lisboa - Small Luxury Hotels Of The World
While the term pousada in Portugal means something fun and inexpensive like a hostel, that's not the case with this chic place. The fact is that this upscale Lisbon spot belongs to the SLH group, which operates small luxury hotels. This cosmopolitan sophisticated hotel enjoys showing its dedication to Portuguese art. Its rooms with art niches are decorated with St. Anthony sculptures and Nadir Afonso tapestries, and the building boasts wooden floors and original high ceilings. The hotel has 90 spacious and comfortable rooms and suites. The interiors lean towards the romantic, with gorgeous beds, relaxing marble showers and views of the glittering Tagus. But there are also great family rooms with everything you need for the perfect vacation. For breakfast, guests can join the buffet (with a glass of champagne on the menu, despite the early morning hours) or order room service. The Pousada offers a small terrace where you can enjoy the sun on sun loungers, a fitness center, an indoor pool and a spa.
3. Corinthia Hotel Lisbon
The modest exterior is only a cover for the luxurious interior inside. In fact, exclusive guests such as Hillary Clinton have passed through the doors of one of Lisbon's most famous hotels. The marble lobby is greeted with artwork by Portuguese and international artists. The hotel occupies 24 floors with 518 functional rooms with understated decoration in an unobtrusive color scheme. They feature homemade wooden furniture, large floor-to-ceiling windows for plenty of sunlight and all the amenities that business travelers will appreciate.
For its guests, the hotel provides a large Longevity Spa with a heated indoor pool, a well-equipped gym and 13 treatment rooms. On certain days the spa is open until 23:00, so you can pamper yourself with treatments into the night. There are also two excellent restaurants and a lounge bar where you can enjoy a drink, live music and views of the Aguas Livres Aqueduct.
4. Pestana Palace Lisboa
The hotel building was once the main residence of the Marquis of Valle Flor, a French nobleman of exquisite taste who lived in the 19th century and loved to travel. In 2001, the building was granted National Monument status and opened to the public as the jewel of the Pestana Hotel Corporation and one of Lisbon's most stunning hotels, with Madonna on its guest list. The hotel has 193 rooms and 4 spacious elegant suites, named after the last royal family of Portugal, who were regular guests of the balls in the halls of residence.
The place of total relaxation at this hotel will be the Magic Spa center, an award-winning World Luxury Spa. A visit to this center may be one of the reasons why you won't want to get out of your robe and leave the hotel. There's also a modest Valle Flôr restaurant on site, serving a traditional Portuguese menu, with light international dishes and a bar. And in the summertime on Saturdays, it's worth stepping out into the garden for the most exquisite outdoor brunch in town.
5. Altis Avenida Hotel
The architecture and design of the five-star Altis Avenida Hotel was inspired by the 1940s. Marble slabs and luxurious gold finishes with gorgeous modernist elements present a concept of urban chic, combining past and future. The hotel building on the border of Avenida da Liberdade and Rocio is one of the most precious modernist symbols of the city of Lisbon, adding to the list of local first-class hotels.
There are 70 rooms and suites spread over six floors, combining kitschiness, art deco elements and futuristic features. All rooms feature comfortable beds with chic Egyptian silk linens, some have balconies, and the unique room 206 boasts a private bathroom balcony. There are only two suites, and they embody a retro-chic vibe. They are large, with en-suite bathrooms and living rooms, but their particular appeal lies in the beautiful views of Lisbon. The Rossio train station is opposite the hotel, as is the eponymous restaurant on the top floor of the hotel. Its menu is based on Portugal's maritime traditions. Book a table here in advance to enjoy the panorama from the terrace, especially lively on sunny days.
6. Torel Palace
Thebest upscale hotels in Lisbon city center are particularly luxurious, but offer opportunities to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the peace and tranquility of a rustic retreat. Such havens include the boutique hotel Torel Palace, a complex of three historic 19th- and 20th-century buildings and an apartment building. Here you get the best of both worlds: the peace and quiet associated with the countryside and the fast pace of life typical of the capital. The hotel features chic rococo décor with lots of ornate and gold details. It also stands out from the rest of Lisbon's excellent hotels due to its prime location: the hotel is situated on a hillside and offers spectacular views of the São Pedro de Alcântara observation deck, from which you can admire the city center and the Tagus. Over the last couple of years, the hotel has increased its guest accommodation space, adding family suites and a villa to its 26 rooms.
There are two stunning restaurants on site. The Black Pavilion Gastropub presents guests with an ideal terrace, perfect for admiring the city views with a cocktail in hand, an elegant winter garden and a cozy indoor bar. The second establishment, the exclusive fine dining restaurant 2Monkeys is Michelin-starred and embodies the concept of fun cuisine, where guests personally watch their dishes being prepared and interact with the chefs. The hotel also features outdoor seating areas with swimming pools, and guests can end the evening with a drink at Duke's Pub.
7. Valverde Hotel
Experience traditional Lisbon at the Valverde Hotel, located on Liberty Avenue. The 19th-century building hides behind its reconstructed facade a chic boutique hotel whose features include impeccable service and artistic interiors: antique tapestries, century-old tiles, exquisite porcelain, and vintage furniture are complemented by works by Vieira da Silva.
The hotel has 25 rooms and suites, which vary in type and size, as the original historic part of the building did not allow for any grandiose changes. But even the smallest rooms, which are slightly larger than 20 square meters, are distinguished by the beauty of their design. All rooms follow a certain aesthetic: from Scandinavian Art Nouveau to neoclassical. And the modest size of the bedrooms makes up for the spacious bathrooms with deep bathtubs and showers. Choosing from the top hotels in Lisbon, stay here if you expect to find a place for a cozy stay with traditional cuisine and live music.
8. Altis Belém Hotel & Spa
Lisbon's Belém district is rich in the city's most famous sights, such as the Belém Tower, Pastéis de Belém pastry shop or the Jerónimos Monastery, but surprisingly it's not in the best position in terms of luxury hotels. Fortunately for the Altis Belém Hotel & Spa, no competitors have sprung up here like mushrooms after the rain, allowing the hotel to use the area's space without interference. It fulfills its obligations responsibly, showing guests a luxurious retreat with a Michelin-starred restaurant. The hotel is located close to the river and presents a modern ambience both outside and inside. It offers stylish rooms with stunning waterfront views and a quasi-futuristic design with minimalist décor and a black and white color scheme, which is only altered in themed rooms dedicated to Portugal's former colonies. A spa center with a Turkish bath, indoor pool and hydrotherapy treatments will help you enjoy your stay. When it comes to dining, there's a choice from light, healthy fare at Cafeteria Mensagem, with al fresco tables and river views, to Japanese cuisine at Oyster & Sushi Bar and Michelin-starred Feitoria.
9. Olissippo Lapa Palace
The center of Lisbon's prestigious district is home to one of the swankiest hotels in the city. The only thing you might have trouble with is getting to this luxurious hideaway through a maze of narrow and steep streets. But once you cross its threshold, you'll leave all your problems at the door. The hotel is a 19th-century mansion hidden among the residences of local nobility, resembling a modern royal palace as much as possible - luxurious and comfortable. The decoration of each room is different, as is the scenery that opens from its windows: from one room guests can admire the Tagus, and from another the exotic garden. The classic imperial style is a constant surprise, even when you think you are used to charming wooden chests of drawers, crystal chandeliers, elegant curtains and huge four-poster beds where two guests can lie diagonally without touching each other. Days at Olissippo Lapa Palace will be filled with visits to the pool gym and spa, or lounging by the outdoor pool and retreating to the subtropical garden. The Lapa restaurant will leave a pleasant impression with its Italian menu, while the Rio Tejo Bar tea room will surprise you with a selection of more than 40 Asian herbs and infusions.
