by Mary Lussiana, The Telegraph, July 16, 2019
High end in all senses, these luxurious hotels, whether from the rooftop running track of the Ritz Four Seasons or the Skybar of the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade give you a bird’s eye view of the capital. Dine at the new, gastronomic Fifty Seconds (the time it takes to ascend) atop the riverside Myriad, swim with the city far beneath you at Epic Sana’s rooftop bar or climb onto Palacio Verride’s 360 degrees viewing platform for a guaranteed high.
Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon Lisbon, Portugal
8Telegraph expert rating
This landmark hotel was built in 1959 by the Dictator Salazar to prove that Lisbon could do luxury as well as any other European capital. Décor is grand — think chandeliers and huge flower displays on gilded furniture. You can even download an app to learn about the Portuguese art pieces in the hotel. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff, and the spa, with an 18-metre lap pool, is the best in Lisbon. All but 10 rooms have private terraces with far-reaching views. The Varanda Restaurant is renowned for its resplendent lunchtime buffets, where politicians mingle with the city’s elite. Read expert review. From £419per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
Corinthia Hotel Lisbon Lisbon, Portugal
9Telegraph expert rating
The soaring tower of the Corinthia Hotel offers memorable views over the impressive 18th-century Aquaduct of Águas Livres, one of Lisbon's most iconic sights. This is a hotel that sets out to deliver luxury, efficiently. The 518 bedrooms and suites are classically elegant, clad in a colour palette of light blues, greys and beiges and accessorised by local art. Public areas, adorned by abundant fresh flowers, gleam under chandeliers, while restaurants Erva and the leafy Soul Garden outside bring a completely fresh, young, laid-back atmosphere. At Erva, local food is at the core – don't miss snacks such as Portuguese batatos bravas and squid tartare with lime crème fraiche. Read expert review. From £113per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
• The best things to do in Lisbon
Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisbon, Portugal
9Telegraph expert rating
This grande dame hotel, built in 1933, is located on Lisbon’s main thoroughfare and has long been one of the capital’s landmarks. The hotel’s many lives are visible in different elements of its architecture, from its modernist lobby, crowned by a glass dome, to its buzzy, on-trend Sky Bar offering far-reaching views over Lisbon’s rooftops to the Tagus River. A seriously tempting range of restaurants and bars encourages guests to stay put, including Café Liberdade, famous for its much-loved pasteis de nata (custard tarts). There is much national culture woven into the hotel’s fabric, such as famous resident Beatriz Costa, an actress from Portugal’s golden age of cinema, who lived here for 30 years and who has a suite named after her complete with period décor. Read expert review. From £251per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
• The best restaurants in Lisbon
Santa Clara 1728 Lisbon, Portugal
9Telegraph expert rating
This six-bedroom hotel, which stands atop one of Lisbon's seven hills with views over the Pantheon and River Tagus, is the capital city debut of the design-centric collection of small properties acclaimed architect Manuel Aires Mateus and owner João Rodrigues have started in Portugal. While respecting the original heritage of this 18th-century house, which unlike so much of Lisbon survived the earthquake of 1755, interiors pay homage to 21st-century design. The large rooms are an essay in simplicity. Beds, with natural cotton mattresses, face the windows and all bedrooms look onto the River Tagus and over the roofs of old Lisbon. Read expert review. From £257per night.
Verride Palácio Santa Catarina Lisbon, Portugal
8Telegraph expert rating
This elegant 18th-century palace, painstakingly restored, houses 18 luxurious rooms including two sumptuous suites, lavishly adorned with original stucco work. The hotel’s rooftop, swimming pool and Suba Restaurant offer unrivalled 360-degree views of Lisbon’s skyline and the River Tagus beyond. The rooms and suites include heritage rooms like the Arch Suite, with an original 18th-century exposed stone arch and the two Royal suites. The King's Suite has a magnificent wooden coffered ceiling; the Queen's Suite is richly adorned with stuccowork and leads into a bathroom with blue and white tiles dating from 1901. Read expert review. From £342per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
• The best nightlife in Lisbon
Epic Sana Lisbon, Portugal
8Telegraph expert rating
A recent arrival on the Lisbon hotel scene that bucks the current trend for small boutique properties. Epic Sana is centrally located (only 10 minutes from the airport) and offers 311 dazzlingly modern bedrooms and a vast spa. Despite its size, the hotel manages to be detail driven and luxurious with minimalist, open plan interiors mixing white on the walls, floors, lights and furnishings with a heavy emphasis on glass. There’s a breezy, cool vibe throughout, not least in the UpScale Bar on the roof terrace, which borders the slick, heated swimming pool. The surrounding cabanas are the perfect spot to watch the sun set over the Tagus River. Read expert review. From £129per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
Myriad by SANA Hotels Lisbon, Portugal
8Telegraph expert rating
Built right in the water by Lisbon's shore, this towering hotel fuses visually with the sculptural sail beside it creating a landmark sight to all those crossing the long Vasco da Gama bridge into the capital. Inside, red and black dominate, throughout the public areas and in all the 186 rooms. In front of the large windows in each bedroom is a hammock chair to swing on while watching the sun rise or set (depending which side of the tower you on) across the Tagus River. At the top of the tower, Fifty Seconds Restaurant with its impressive tasting menu is not to be missed. Read expert review. From £146per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
Valverde Hotel Lisbon, Portugal
9Telegraph expert rating
This charming hotel’s 25 rooms and suites overlook the capital’s characteristic red roofs. Interiors behind the beautifully preserved 19th-century façade draw together the very best art, porcelain, fabrics and marble from around the country, creating a national showcase. The heritage building means that rooms vary in size and shape, with only the two suites at the top of the hotel being really large. All, though, have character and a cosy feel to them, with sloping ceilings, warm colours and spacious, chic, black and white bathrooms, complete with cast iron stand-alone tubs and good rain showers. The Sítio restaurant, on the ground floor, has a relaxed brasserie feel to it and the short menu highlights local wines and the best of the Portuguese kitchen – think codfish parcels and octopus with rice. Read expert review. From £252per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
This article was written by Mary Lussiana from The Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
Related Stories
The Best Boutique Hotels in Lisbon
Eating Europe Offers Program in Lisbon, Portugal
Six Senses Douro Valley Adds Suites, Guestrooms and Events Space