Lisbon is easily one of of the best cities in Europe – a secure place in our Top 5 for sure. We’ve stayed in a whole host of places here before, from The Corinthia on the outskirts of town to the very smart Art Gate Hotel and Airbnbs of varying quality in between. For our latest trip we stopped at The Lumiares, a luxurious 5-star ‘apart-hotel’ in the Barrio Alto neighbourhood.
If your experience of apart-hotels has been anything but luxurious (we’ve seen some dodgy ones), then The Lumiares shows how to do it right. Each of the 47 apartment-style suites is impeccably designed, with all the style of the best boutique hotels, whilst also adding in a fully fitted kitchen with Smeg appliances and a fridge stocked full of wines and beers for you to drink. All the furniture and lighting has been designed by local Portuguese makers and there’s a real touch of quality and class throughout – very fitting given the hotel is housed in eighteenth century palace complete with grand central staircase.
There’s a few different room types including a signature penthouse suite, but most will be happy with one of the one bedroom suites, which come with separate living room and kitchen area, cosy bedroom, and en-suite bathroom. We really valued the relaxing home comforts of the living room sofa to slump on at the end of a long day. We’ll be honest, we didn’t make huge use out of the kitchen beyond making coffee and cracking a couple of beers open, but for longer stays, the kitchen could be a huge bonus.
There’s a rooftop restaurant and bar where breakfast is served each morning, featuring an outdoor roof terrace which has some pretty spectacular views out over Lisbon. From fresh juices and fruit to eggs, avocado on toast and of course a mountain of pastel de nata, there’s plenty to get stuck in to.
Despite the serene, luxurious feeling inside, The Lumiares has an incredible location right in the heart of Barrio Alto. The surrounding streets are actually total chaos at night time, with loads of bars and people spilled out on to the pavements – luckily the hotel has some serious double glazing and shutters. During the day, it’s all very quiet and you’ll be able to walk almost everywhere on your Lisbon hit list, with tons of great restaurants just a few minutes away. Check out Rocco at Hotel Ivens; Nuno Mendes’ restaurant at the Barrio Alto Hotel; Oficio; and O Trevo for a classic bifana pork sandwich.
If you’re looking for something that has all the style and convenience of a hotel with that homely feeling of an Airbnb, with a perfect location to boot, then The Lumiares is perfect for your next Lisbon stay.
R. do Diário de Notícias 142, 1200-146 Lisboa, Portugal
thelumiares.com