10 Best Hotels in Lisbon

Sited just a few minutes from the central Avenida da Liberdade, the five-star Hotel Porto Bay Liberdade has all the characteristics of a luxury urban resort. The 98 guest rooms are located across five floors, each named after a Lisbon district. Leisure amenities extend to an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium and a modern spa facility that incorporates double treatment rooms, sauna and Turkish bath. The integrated design of the property allows for an interior patio, embellished with olive and lemon trees, where chic eatery Bistrô4 is situated. For a quick and tasty snack, however, grab a table at Aviator6, the hotel’s funky and informal bistro. Topping out this exceptional hotel experience is a rooftop deck replete with Jacuzzi – the only place to be when it’s hot and sunny.

One of Lisbon’s most cherished hotel properties, Avenida Palace boasts more than a century of heritage. Opened in 1892, the hotel is noted for once being a hotbed of intrigue serving as it did during the Spanish Civil War and both world wars as the preferred location for spies and other active agents. Centrally located, the hotel features 82 rooms including 16 junior suites, three palace suites, and the sumptuous Presidential Suite. Guests are afforded a bespoke customer service with leisure amenities that number a fine-dining restaurant, a gym and fitness centre. The beautiful Palace Lounge, celebrated for its period decor and a stunning stained-glass ceiling, hosts afternoon tea every Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

Blessed with a commanding position overlooking Lisbon’s wonderful Praia do Comercio, Pousada de Lisboa offers guests an opportunity to retreat into one of the city’ most elegant and historic boutique hotel properties. Contrasting against the dazzling 18th-century veneer are rooms, distributed over four floors, that are chic and contemporary in form and function. The luxurious amenities include an indoor swimming pool with a private sun deck, and a fully equipped fitness centre and spa. Breakfast is taken on the charming Patio Amalia, named for Portugal’s most famous fado singer. Elswhere, the hotel’s RIB Beef & Wine restaurant, the so-called “meating point”, noted for its Portuguese cuisine.

A genuine regard for sustainability has garnered this excellent four-star property a clutch of environmental awards, and the concept extends to the interior design where the 89 rooms and suites have been organized and decorated according to the principles of Feng Shui. Similarly, the highly regarded restaurant, Open Mediterranean Brasserie, features vegetarian, vegan, lactose free and suitable food for those with diabetes on its menu. And wherever possible, the seasonal cuisine is prepared using organic produce. Guests purchasing Inspira mineral water are also contributing towards the cost of funding the construction of fresh water pumps in remote African villages. Guest amenities include The Retreat, a bijou spa managed by Ritual Spa, and an energising fitness room.

No less than 369 rooms and suites are generously fashioned into the iconic Sheraton, one of Lisbon’s tallest hotel properties. Accommodation ranges from stylish Deluxe and Club Room choices to the luxurious Executive Suites and their range of complimentary guest services. For the seriously indulgent, there’s the sumptuous Presidential Suite replete with its own Jacuzzi. The Sheraton also wins with its wellbeing options. The Spirito Spa features 7 treatment rooms, a VIP suite, hamman and sauna and two swimming pools, among other super inviting leisure amenities. The top-floor Panorama restaurant serves up creative gourmet cuisine with a fantastic range of wines to match. The jaw-dropping view adds to the height of good taste.

Arguably the most visually striking of any Lisbon hotel, every one of the 186 rooms and suites of this majestic five-star property integrated into the Vasco da Gama tower captures envy-inducing views of the broad Tagus estuary. If money is no object, consider the Presidential Suite, perched regally on the 21st floor. Guest leisure facilities extend to the fashionable River Lounge Restaurant & Bar, partly set on a fantastic outside deck. The Sayanna Wellness spa, also open to non-residents, sits on the 23rd floor and dazzles with its indoor plunge pool. Perched at the top is the fabulous Michelin-starred Fifty Seconds restaurant, a noted gourmet hot-spot.

Sited on the edge of Lisbon’s picturesque Alfama district and overlooking the River Tagus, this extraordinary boutique B&B property is one of the most charming and beguiling hotels in the city. Beautifully appointed throughout with original period furniture and decorative art, the building – which dates from 1909 – comprises of just six guest suites, accommodation that includes the Grande Torreão, housed in a tower and commanding stunning panoramic views of the river and the old town. Palacete Chafariz D’El Rei is known for its brunch option when guests can mingle with non-residents in the splendid “Mirror Lounge”, a fabulous salon designed in the Brazilian art nouveau style that remains the hotel’s signature interior design feature.

The stylish and contemporary four-star Memmo Alfama is tucked away in a quiet side street in Lisbon’s oldest quarter not too far away for the cathedral, and is the perfect city break bolthole or romantic getaway option. All 42 guest rooms and suites take in amazing views of the vicinity, the most also looking over the sparkling River Tagus (the Alfama Superior rooms have the same unforgettable views but are more spacious). Each room is equipped with iPod docking station and a LED flat screen TV. An outstanding feature is the hotel’s funky Wine Bar & Terrace positioned over a wood deck terrace where a small outdoor pool is sunk. The surrounding views are simply jaw dropping, especially at dusk when Alfama starts to sparkle.

Housed in a beautiful 18th-century building, the elegant five-star Bairro Alto Hotel features 87 guest rooms, including 20 suites and two signature suites. A favourite city-break option and an ideal base from which to explore Lisbon’s refined Chiado district Bairro Alto, its racier neighbour, the property’s enticing amenities include the 5th floor restaurant BAHR (Bairro Alto Hotel Restaurant) and its amazing bar and terrace facility. Gastronomy here is created by the inspired chef combination of Nuno Mendes and Bruno Rocha, the menu drawing on classic Portuguese dishes. For lighter snacks with a contemporary twist, grab a table at the 18.68 cocktail bar, hidden away on the mezzanine level. Leisure facilities extend to a wellness centre, with sauna and sensory shower among the feel good options. Corporate clients, meanwhile, are well catered for, with four state-of-the-art meeting rooms with separate entrances for convening private gatherings of events.

Named for the 19th-century Portuguese explorer of Africa Roberto Ivens – and also recognising Hermenegildo Capelo, another noted Portugal-born adventurer – this remarkable hotel property set in the heart of Lisbon’s fashionable Chiado neighbourhood pays homage to Portugal’s Golden Age of Discovery with a chic and stylish interior that reflects the colours and character of far-flung tropical destinations. The 87 rooms, ten of which are signature suites, are finished in soft pastel hues and decorated with light wood furnishings. In dazzling contrast are the public areas. The Ivens’ Rocco Restaurant is an exercise in Italian design flair, with a menu that errs towards traditional Neapolitan fare. The marble and mirrored Gastro Bar is without doubt one of the most elegant options in the city to enjoy a cocktail or light meal. And to sample the freshest haul from the ocean, anchor yourself in the seaside-themed Crudo Bar.