Portugal

96
SETTLING INTO LISBON
5
WHERE TO STAY
the only hotel pool in central Lisbon. Right on the main boulevard, it has extensive
facilities, but its prices are not extravagant, considering the luxuries. The two-story reception
lobby has an encircling mezzanine lounge that’s almost arena-size, with comfortable
islands of furniture arranged on Oriental rugs. Adjoining the O Terraço restaurant is a
homey salon with a wood-burning fireplace.
The guest rooms contain a mixture of modern and traditional furniture. The larger
and best rooms face the front, although those in the rear are quieter. For some reason,
rooms ending in the number 50 have the most spacious bathrooms.
Av. da Liberdade 185, 1269-050 Lisboa Codex. & 21/319-89-00. Fax 21/319-89-50. www.tivolihotels.
com. 329 units. 290€–510€ double; from 520€ suite. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V.
Garage 18€. Metro: Avenida. Bus: 1, 2, 9, or 32. Amenities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; babysitting; concierge;
exercise room; outdoor heated pool; room service; outdoor tennis court (lit). In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer,
minibar, Wi-Fi (18€ per 24 hours).
Moderate
AC Lisboa If you’re seeking Old Lisbon, check into the Hotel Avenida Palace (see
above). But if you want a completely comfortable and up-to-date address, with midsize
to spacious bedrooms, consider AC Lisboa. Next to the heartbeat Praça Marquês de
Pombal and Sottomayor Palace, this hotel rises in the commercial district of Lisbon but
still manages to stay affordable. Rooms are modern and functional, with well-maintained
bathrooms. Though the on-site restaurant and cafe aren’t amazing, that shouldn’t be an
issue considering how many restaurants are nearby.
Largo de Andaluz 13 B, 1050-121 Lisboa. & 21/005-09-30. Fax 21/005-09-31. www.ac-hotels.com. 83
units. 100€–155€ double; 104€–178€ superior double; 135€–233€ junior suite. Parking 17€. AE, DC, MC,
V. Metro: Marquês de Pombal. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; exercise room; room service;
sauna. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (17€ per 24 hours).
As Janelas Verdes Although York House Hotel is still the most atmospheric—and
certainly the most famous in its category in Lisbon—this hotel is giving it
serious competition and is almost its equal. In fact, it used to be an annex to York House
Hotel but broke away and is becoming known as a historic hotel in its own right. Lying
near the Museum of Ancient Art, it was the former house of the Portuguese novelist Eça
de Queirós. During a major renovation, the place was modernized, but its traditional
past was respected. Rooms are luxurious with comfortable furniture, style, and abundant
closet space. The red lounge evokes turn-of-the-20th-century Lisbon. Other special features
include a small but beautiful garden and two honor bars as well as a top-floor
library and terrace.
Rua das Janelas Verdes 47, 1200-690 Lisboa. & 21/396-81-43. Fax 21/396-81-44. www.heritage.pt. 29
units. 161€–295€ double; 300€–380€ triple. Parking 10€. AE, DC, MC, V. Bus: 27, 40, 49, or 60. Amenities:
Bar; babysitting; room service. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, CD player, hair dryer, free Wi-Fi.
Dom Carlos Park This central hotel lies just off Praça do Marquês de Pombal
but it charges only a fraction of what its rivals in the neighborhood do. The curvy facade
is all glass, lending an outdoorsy feeling reinforced by trees and beds of orange and red
canna. The good-size guest rooms are paneled in reddish Portuguese wood; even so,
they’re rather uninspired and functional. An occasional hand-carved cherub softens the
Nordic-inspired furnishings. The hotel faces a triangular park dedicated to Camilo Castelo
Branco, a 19th-century poet. The lobby lounge is satisfactory; more inviting is the
mezzanine salon, where sofas and chairs face the park.