liner floating down the River Tagus. It sits in the Belém district within sight of the iconic white tower, the UNESCO-rated Jerónimos Monastery, and the galleries and concert halls of the Centro Cultural de Belém. Despite all the history around it, the hotel is rigorously contemporary. The bar and lounge have clean black-and-white lines with liberal use of leather furniture and hardwood decks. Natural light is a big feature in the public and guest rooms, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows opening out onto the water. All the rooms are spacious and airy with great views. A top perk: the panorama from the rooftop pool. Downstairs, the Spa by Karin Herzog has 1,000 square meters (10,764 sq. ft.) where you can relax with a massage, sauna, or Turkish bath, or work out in the gym or dynamic pool. After burning up the calories, treat yourself in the Michelin-starred Feitoria restaurant.
Doca do Bom Sucesso, Belém. www.altishotels.com. 21/040-02-00. 50 units. 176€–468€ double; 486€–846€ suite. Tram 15. Free parking, reservation required. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; outdoor pool; spa; sauna; hammam; jacuzzi; indoor pool; sun terrace; garden; fitness center; massage services; free Wi-Fi.
Lapa Palace Back in the 1880s, the Count of Valenças made his palatial home the glittering center of Lisbon’s high society. The city’s best artists were invited to decorate its grand salons and ballrooms, and a lush tropical garden was laid out where the in-crowd could stroll beside streams and waterfalls. Since 1992, the count’s palace has been one of the capital’s most luxurious hotels, favored by royalty, presidents, and movie stars. The 109 rooms are all individually decorated, in keeping with the building’s heritage, with themes ranging from rococo to Art Deco. The palace is located among the embassies and mansions of Lapa district on a hillside with broad views across the Tagus. The outside pool, set amid the tranquil greenery, is kept at a constant 25°C (77°F) from May through September, and there’s a fully equipped spa, gym, and indoor pool center. The gourmet restaurant features five-star variations on Portuguese cuisine. Most rooms are in a modern six-story wing, but continue the palatial decor.
Rua do Pau da Bandeira 4. www.lapapalace.com. 21/394-94-94. 109 units. 340€–755€ double; 755€–2,800€ suite. Free parking. Tram 25. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; babysitting; children’s play area; fitness center; indoor and outdoor pools; spa; massage service; sauna, hammam; free Wi-Fi.
Pestana Palace This temple of five-star luxury is in the Romantic Revival Valle-Flor palace, constructed by a marquis who made a fortune in African cocoa. The main building contains a succession of ever-more-opulent salons filled with Louis XV furniture, gilt-framed oil paintings, crystal chandeliers, windows bright with stained-glass nymphs. Built in 1905, the palace and its magnificent gardens are protected national heritage sites. Most of the guest rooms are located in two modern wings overlooking the tropical flora, but there are four opulent suites in the main palace. Most rooms are elegantly modern, with hardwood trim, trompe l’oeil detailing, and upholstered headboards. Between Belém and downtown, it’s a bit out of the way, but there’s a free shuttle bus four times a day.
Rua Jau 54. www.pestana.com. 21/361-56-00. 190 units. 184€–485€ double; 489€–3,005€ suite. Parking 17€ daily. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; exercise room; Jacuzzi; spa; indoor and outdoor pools; garden; sun terrace; sauna, business center; chapel; free Wi-Fi.
Moderate
As Janelas Verdes This boutique hotel in an 18th-century mansion was once a hangout of novelist José Maria Eça de Queiros, whose 19th-century epic The Maias is partly set nearby in “green windows street.” Designer Graça Viterbo has given it a comfortably contemporary feel in keeping with the literary history. Rooms have modern facilities and period charm, with wood furnishings and pastel drapes on the tall windows. There are two honesty bars and a cozy top-floor library with a fireplace and terrace. The mansion’s ivy-clad garden is a lovely spot for breakfast, and all the masterpieces of the Museu de Arte Antiga are just next door.
Rua das Janelas Verdes 47. www.asjanelasverdes.com. 21/396-81-43. 29 units. 139€–650€ double. Parking 10€. Tram: 15, 25. Amenities: Bar; garden; terrace; library; free Wi-Fi.
Hotel da Estrela In a quiet neighborhood featuring one of Lisbon’s most beautiful gardens is this luxury boutique hotel. It’s located in the former palace of the Counts of Paraty, a historic Brazilian town. The interiors feature quirky, colorful designs that reference old-style school rooms. They are the brainchild of Miguel Câncio Martins, the designer behind Paris’ Buddha Bar and the Pacha in Marrakech. All the spacious rooms have views over the city, the River Tagus, or the hotel’s own peaceful garden. For a real treat, book one of the Hästens suites kitted out by the Swedish firm reputed to make the world’s most comfortable beds. There’s an excellent restaurant, Book, where customers choose how much they want to pay. Many of the efficient young staff are graduates from the next-door hotel school.
Rua Saraiva de Carvalho, 35. www.hoteldaestrela.com. 21/190-01-00. 19 units. Doubles 110€–190€; suites 125€–219€. Parking 15€ daily. Metro: Rato. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; garden; terrace; babysitting; free Wi-Fi.
Avenida & North of Center
Expensive
Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon Back in the 1950s, dictator António de Oliveira Salazar decided Lisbon needed a modern five-star hotel. The Ritz was the result. Still a modernist icon, it’s a byword for service and luxury overlooking Eduardo VII Park. The lounge contains one of the best private collections of 20th-century Portuguese art; the Varanda restaurant is among the city’s finest; there’s a vast spa and a bar that remains the rendezvous of choice for the Lisbon elite. An extra bonus is the rooftop running track and fitness center 10 stories over the city. Rooms feature mahogany canopied marquetry desks and satinwood dressing tables, and plush carpeting. Try for one of the rooms with a private terrace overlooking the park.
Rua Rodrigo de Fonseca 88. www.fourseasons.com/lisbon. 21/381-14-00. 282 units. 575€–830€ double; 1,145€–3,950€ suite. Private parking 40€ daily. Metro: Marquês de Pombal. Amenities: 2 restaurant; 2 bars; spa; indoor pool; Pilates studio; fitness center; massage services; rooftop running track; free Wi-Fi.
The One Palácio da Anunciada Walk into the lobby and you’re met by a symphony of colors from the marbled floors and walls, stained-glass windows, stucco ceilings, and extravagant floral arrangements. Opened in 2019, this five-star occupies a once-abandoned 16th-century palace. Barcelona-based designer Jaime Beriestain has blended the building’s history with a stripped-down design in dazzling white that’s softened by subtle greys and warm colors in the rooms and suites. There are 2,500 square meters (3,000 sq. yards) of garden, including a pool and sun terrace forming a welcome oasis, just a block from bustling Avenida da Liberdade. A highlight is the 100-year-old dragon tree. A grey-marble-clad spa, high-tech gym, two elegant bars, and a gourmet restaurant
