We have a lot of love for Lisbon, and we know we’re not the only ones. It’s the perfect city to linger a while; not too big and not too small, with delicious treasures up and down its cobbled streets. And it wears its brilliance so lightly. If you’re embarking on a luxury tour to Portugalwith us, but want more Lisbon in your life, you might be wondering: what is the nicest hotel in Lisbon? If you choose to extend your stay, here – for your consideration – are the best hotels in Lisbon.
1. Pousada de Lisboa
You know this is one of our top hotels in Lisbon because it’s where guests stay on our Spain and Portugal in Style journey. It’s a palatial city landmark and we love it for its timeless grandeur: the marble halls, the Portuguese art-filled corridors and majestic, sunshine yellow facade. It’s a refined sanctuary on Praça do Comércio, in the heart of historical Lisbon.
2. Brown’s Avenue Hotel
The Brown’s Hotel Group runs four boutique hotels in Lisbon, and this one’s rooftop pool is the crown of them all. It’s not huge, but it’s supremely glamorous, set in angular, sun-bleached limestone and surrounded by potted cacti, green striped loungers and vintage style parasols. If you like your resting place to feel like an oasis, this is one of the best hotels in Lisbon for you.
3. Pestana Palace
If you want somewhere to stay that is unabashedly palatial from top to toe, Pestana is the place. On the palace hotel checklist it has: parquet floors, frescoed ceilings, stained glass windows, oil paintings, marble staircase and lush, green garden flourishing with subtropical trees. There is a spa with a Turkish bath, and the outdoor pool (converted from an original garden lake) will make you want to weep.
4. Convent Square Lisbon
Super-central and as sleek as you could possibly wish it to be, this 800-year-old Dominican convent is easily one of the best hotels in Lisbon. The heart of the place is the open-air cloister, complete with a central firepit and plush outdoor furniture – a place to rest after a morning of walking up and down hills. The rooms are also about peace and repose, with neutral tones, sumptuous sheets and bronze velvet cushions.
5. Palácio Príncipe Real
Another palácio for your address book, this one is in the Principe Real, which is the best neighborhood to stay in Lisbon if you like to swoosh down chic, quiet streets, but still be close to the action. Within this 28-room peachy mansion, you’ll find checkerboard marble floors, palm motifs, azulejo tiles, chandeliers and a glorious, bougainvillea-filled garden with an enormous heated pool and always-alluring hammocks.
6. Bairro Alto Hotel
This is a big old 87-room 18th century building that sits grandly on the borders of two bohemian neighborhoods: the Bairro Alto (an old quarter at the top of Lisbon) and Chiado (lively cultural hub). These are two neighborhoods people might name in answer to the question, which part of Lisbon is best to stay? The Bairro Alto Hotel was one of the first boutique hotels in the city in 2005. No two rooms are the same and each has its own dose of Portuguese flair, with glazed tiles, woven fabrics and ceramics by local makers. The terrace is a special place to soak up views of the city and the Rio Tejo.
7. ME Lisbon by Meliá
The best hotels in Lisbon offer a little respite from the city. On our Ultimate Portugal journey, we stop at this sparkling “luxury lifestyle hotel” to be soothed and energised in equal measure. At the magnificent rooftop pool, sunset is served with spicy watermelon margaritas and California rolls. Rooms are light, modern spaces, with plenty of personality and dreamy views whether you’re facing the street or the Palácio Sotto Mayor.’
8. Memmo Alfama
Many visitors city’s fans cite Alfama as the best place to stay in Lisbon, thanks to its winding, cobbled streets and the fado music that drifts through them as evening descends. Memmo Alfama sits in an immaculately restored 19th century building, beautifully blending the old and the new. The Memmo motto is “make yourself at home” and it’s easy to do so in the fresh, white rooms, with polished concrete floors and views over red roofs, towards the river.
9. Lumiares
An homage to Lisbon’s colours, patterns, and light, this luxury, apartment-style stay in Bairro Alto does not let you forget where you are. The rooftop bar and restaurant is all terracotta, linen, rattan and stone, with mesmerising city views and gorgeous gazpacho and roast octopus. Interiors feature monochrome tiles and gold detailing alongside natural materials – and even the studio rooms have kitchens and coffee machines.
10. Palacio Ludovice
One more palacio for the road (although this one is a mere five storeys, a palacete), this relatively recent luxury opening is named after the man who built it nearly 300 years ago, João Federico Ludovice, architect to King João V. The 18th-century tiles, frescoes and stucco ceilings have all been wonderfully restored. Good news for oenophiles, too: it considers itself a ‘wine experience hotel’, with wines from each Portuguese region represented, a five-course ‘wine dinner’ in the restaurant and wine-themed treatments in the Caudalie spa.
