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.
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.
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.
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 in one of the palace’s noble salons round out the package.
Tivoli Lisboa This Lisbon landmark has been attracting visiting politicians, artists, and stars since the 1930s. The lobby oozes old-world elegance with marble columns and velvet armchairs in rich, deep tones. It’s long been the preferred meeting spot for Lisbon’s business elite. New owners gave this grand dame a facelift in 2016, installing the sumptuous Anantara spa, a traditional Portuguese beer-and-shellfish restaurant and, more recently, hip Seen restaurant on the rooftop Sky Bar, already one of the capital’s hottest spots on summer evenings. Rooms are big and airy, overlooking the tree-lined avenue or the lush garden and pool below. They are decorated in modern classic style with easy-on-the-eyes shades predominating. Portuguese movie icon Beatriz Costa liked it so much, she lived there for 30 years.
1908 Lisboa Hotel There’s a clue to this place’s vintage in this splendid Art Nouveau construction, whose restoration and reopening in 2017 symbolized the regeneration of the once-seedy Intendente neighborhood. Room decor is restrained and comfortable. For a real treat, book the duplex suite in the dome that crowns the building. The cool Infame restaurant shows off the building’s original features. There are regular displays by contemporary artists. This is a perfect base for exploring the new shops and restaurants of the exciting neighborhood, which is just a short walk from downtown.
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.
