If you missed the first post about hotels in Portugal, you can read it here. That post covered the first four properties we stayed at during my recent Virtuoso study tour to Portugal. This post focuses on the Portugal hotels we stayed at in Sintra and Lisbon as well as the two hotels we toured and dined at in Lisbon. Sintra, the former royal retreat, is close enough to Lisbon for a day trip, although we certainly loved our stay at the romantic Tivoli Palacio!
Portugal is a very up and coming destination, and people are flocking to its sun-drenched wine region, the Douro Valley, as well as the old cities of Porto and Lisbon. With over 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, there’s enough history to occupy interested travellers for at least two weeks.
Tivoli Palacio de Seteais, Sintra
Our second to last Portugal hotel was the Tivoli Palacio de Seteais in Sintra. We arrived on a gorgeous afternoon – one of maybe two we had – and got settled in. The staff offered lemonade and pastries while checking in. Check in takes place in one of two reception rooms, around long tables with comfortable chairs. Two staff then escorted us to our rooms, which are on the upper level of the palace. There is an elevator, should you want it, but the wide staircases are more than adequate.
my room at the Palacio de Seteais
I had a lovely corner room at the front of the building. In fact, as I poked my head into the various nooks and crannies I realised I had a French doors out to the terrace under the archway (see photo). There was no one else with access to this terrace, and I certainly enjoyed having the sun on my face. As I overlooked the front lawn (no walking on the grass!) the Pena Palace stood out on the hillside above, as did the walls of the Moorish castle to the left. At night, this was all lit up.
Did you know? There are a number of palaces and manor homes in Sintra. Some of the once royal retreats are now open to the public while others remain in private hands. The Pena Palace was inspired by Neuschwanstein, Crazy King Ludwig’s Bavarian castle.
As the hotel building is one of Sintra’s many palaces, there are quirks like a standalone television and antique furniture. Still, everything was comfy and the room was delightfully warm. (This is important, as in the morning I awoke to torrential rain and cold weather!) The furnishings, frescoes, and tapestries are extraordinary from the common spaces to the rooms.
The bathroom was laid out very similarly to the one at Vidago Palace and had a large rainshower. There was, like in the others, limited storage. In one of my many nooks, I had a small desk with a coffee machine on it. There was a coat rack by the door – one of the most practical things I’ve seen ever in a hotel! I loved it!
touring the Palacio de Seteais
There are just 30 rooms and 1 suite in this gorgeous 19th century building. Until the 1950s, it was a private home; the original owners were a Dutch noble family. We met our hosts, Alexandre and Helder, at the top of the main staircase before they escorted us to the spa. With just three treatment rooms, one might expect it to be crowded, but they schedule clients with two hours for each one hour treatment. There is one couples treatment room.
We visited just one suite, a beautiful, spacious room with high ceilings. The view from this side – one of just a few suites – overlooks the pool. On a good day, it’s worth exploring the gardens as well; the lush manicured hedges beg to be lost among.
There is an entire room dedicated to the wine of the region, Colares. This richly decorated, dark room is reminiscent of a cigar bar while the nearby terrace and bar are lighter and detailed with romantic frescoes. The restaurant, where we dined, is warm and cosy. Even if you plan to enjoy dinner at a local Sintra restaurant, definitely spend at least one night here for dinner as the food is fantastic and the wine is – as always – excellent.
Stay here if… you’re seeking a romantic getaway in the heart of Sintra with the best views of the Pena Palace
Lisbon, Portugal hotels
There are obviously many hotels in Lisbon, including four Virtuoso hotels. I’ll attempt to translate which of these Lisbon, Portugal hotels you should stay at.
Four Seasons Ritz Lisboa
We ended our stay at the Four Seasons Lisbon, which the locals refer to as the Ritz (not to be confused with the Ritz Carlton, which is near Sintra). It’s located near the top of the main shopping street, about a thirty minute walk from the Bairro Alto district and the old city.
my room at the Four Seasons Lisbon
Upon our arrival at the hotel, ten staff greeted us, ready to escort us directly to our rooms for check in. All our rooms faced the park, but of the 282 rooms, half have city views. The hotel takes up the entire block, which is rare for a hotel of this size, but it means that the rooms are all spacious. Every single room also has a large private balcony.
There is plenty of storage here; I had four built in wardrobes along the back wall of the room. The bathroom, which reminded me a little of a 1980s Tom Cruise movie, had a recess along the wall under the mirror which held my makeup bag, toiletry bag, and the hotel amenities.
And the spaciousness doesn’t end in the bathroom! I had a loveseat facing the bed, a chair in the corner next to the bed, and a desk just in front of the door to the balcony. All in all, plenty of space for two people and their luggage.
Because we stayed at the hotel for more than one night, we had the chance to truly experience it. We dined in the restaurant for breakfast, we interacted with the concierge and doormen every time we left, and we experienced both turndown and housekeeping services – which is so important. Every little detail is taken care of each time housekeeping enters the room – toiletries are restocked, towels are replaced, and little water bottles appear like magic at the bedside.
touring the Four Seasons Lisbon
A Four Seasons is a Four Seasons is a Four Seasons by any other name, even if it’s the Ritz! On our final evening, we met Carmen in the lobby. She showed us a variety of rooms, from the smallest room – which is not very small – to a large suite with connecting options. As the Four Seasons gets both a lot of business travellers and families, connecting rooms and suites with guest bathrooms are important.
The property takes up an entire block – rare for a hotel in a city – and is yet only 282 rooms. This means that all of the rooms are spacious and all have a private balcony. Half have a park view, while the others have a city view. Both are delightful. The fitness centre is new and is on the top floor of the hotel. It boasts an outdoor running track and some outdoor workout equipment – talk about working out with a view! Trainers on site can help with stretching, yoga, or workouts.
The Four Seasons Spa has an indoor lap pool which overlooks the outdoor terrace and garden. It is adjacent to some of the event space which has access to this terrace.
Stay here if… you want to be close enough to walk (I did) yet still away from the crowds, and prefer a larger room
Pousada de Lisboa, Lisbon
On our first evening in Lisbon, we went to the Pousada de Lisboa for a site tour and dinner. This modern hotel is located at the Praça de Comercio, a large square near the waterfront. Its restaurant, RIB, is located on the lower level. Location-wise, this is an ideal hotel for travellers who want to be in the heart of the shopping district.
touring the Pousada de Lisboa
Isabel met us at the entrance and escorted us through the property. From the main door, a grand staircase leads upwards, although we did not go up that way. The lobby is dark and modern, with some seating along the windows to the street.
We first viewed an open-plan suite with views over the square and waterfront. The colour scheme in the rooms is either cream or chocolate, although from the pictures on the website there appear to be other options in some of the larger suites. There are only 90 rooms on the property, all chic and contemporary style.
Something that jumped out at me was the amount of art around the hotel. In the public spaces, there were sculptures, both hedonistic and religious, stained glass, and modern paintings. All of the rooms have some sort of collection in them as well.
On the top floor, guests have access to a small spa and pool, as well as a solarium.
Stay here if… you want to be surrounded by the bustle of the city and don’t mind sacrificing space for proximity
Olissippo Lapa Palace
Of the three Lisbon, Portugal hotels we toured, this was by far the most ornate, elegant. The Lapa Palace is located within the diplomatic quarter of the city, about a thirty to forty minute walk from the main shopping and tourism districts. Because of this, it’s ideal for those who have already been to Lisbon, or for travellers seeking a respite from the city. With a gorgeous sprawling garden, pool, and plenty of terraces, it’s a lovely, romantic hideaway.
touring the Lapa Palace
Graça met us in the lobby, which is spacious and cool. There are three wings; we viewed rooms in both the garden wing and the palace wing. Everything here is incredibly ornate and antique. It is not a great property for kids! In the Royal Suite, which is one bedroom (but can connect to others) some of the furniture is decorative only. There is plenty of art, from large portraits of the family who lived here to decorative urns and sculptures.
The building was the former home of the Count of Valencas. It was built in the 1870s and turned into a hotel in 1992. Of the 109 rooms, many have views over the city and Tagus River. The rooms are unique to each other, many in traditional Portuguese style while others are slightly more modern (if you consider Art Deco modern).
We dined in the main restaurant, which is not the breakfast room. Breakfast is served in a lower room with bright windows and an outdoor terrace. In the summer, the restaurant and bar also has a terrace where patrons can dine. Additionally, there’s a true smoking room just off the lobby.
Stay here if… you want to hide away from the city, relax among the gardens, and enjoy the pool and resort-like feel
A note on Lisbon, Portugal hotels…
There are two other Virtuoso properties in Lisbon. The first, Bairro Alto, is currently under renovation. We did walk past it, and it’s in a great location right in the heart of the old city. There is excellent dining and shopping within walking distance. The second, Valverde, was just added as a Virtuoso property three days after we left. It is located on the Avenida de Liberdade, surrounded by great shopping.
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