Join Portugal’s smart set

Mary Lussiana

selects Lisbon’s best five-star hotels, with plenty of fine food, sumptuous spas and even a running track to enjoy

Bairro Alto

This grand period building found on the fringes of the nocturnal neighbourhood Bairro Alto, whose maze of cobbled lanes buzz with lively bars, stands out with its brazen canary-yellow exterior. Inside, the bold look takes on a modern design twist with gold and black tones throughout. Staff are efficient and helpful, and rooms feature handsome marble bathrooms with dinnerplate-size shower heads and Molton Brown products. The ground-floor Flores restaurant serves earnest Portuguese and southern European fare such as roast monkfish or veal steak. walls. The spa offers a swimming pool, steam bath and ice fountains. The huge outdoor terrace is a draw, where the octopus carpaccio and cured presunto are not to be missed. The dictator Salazar built this place in 1959 to prove that Lisbon could do luxury as well as any other European capital. More than half a century later it is still setting the bar. The staff combine the natural friendliness of the Portuguese with the excellent service for which Four Seasons is renowned. The spa includes a 400metre running track on the roof. Head to the Ritz Bar for sushi and cocktails, or the Varanda Restaurant for its resplendent lunchtime buffets, where politicians mingle with the city’s elite. Expect rooms with 18thcentury replica furniture and private terraces. A recent arrival on the scene that bucks the current trend for small boutique properties. Despite its size, the hotel manages to be detail driven and luxurious with minimalist, open-plan interiors. The spa has a sauna and Turkish bath, and there’s a rooftop infinity pool. The Flor-de-Lis restaurant specialises in seafood and fish, with a tasting menu for gourmands. Rooms are seductively slick with cupboards clad in white leather, Nespresso coffee machines and bathrooms kitted out with Aromatherapy Associates toiletries. It’s perfectly located opposite the Rossio railway station and exudes Forties modernist glamour. Interiors use marble and mirrors, mixing black, white and gold for the urban chic yet bygone feel. Professional and extremely friendly service genuinely gives a home-from-home feel. Bedrooms have an aura of glamour from the “his and hers” black-andwhite dressing gowns to the art deco furniture and marble bathrooms. The watermelon gazpacho with On a leafy street just off Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon’s main avenue. Although it has a corporate feel, there are some quirks: Aviator6 bar has chairs that mimic vintage aircraft, so guests can pretend they are Biggles. Facilities include a 15-metre indoor pool, fitness centre, spa and rooftop bar. Bistro4 restaurant is devised by Michelin-starred chef Benoit Sinthon. Start with limpets sizzling in the pan, served with bolo do caco – like a hot English muffin with garlic butter. This grand palace was built in 1904 by a cocoa baron, who surrounded it with a garden of subtropical trees. Service is old-fashioned, discreet and respectful. lavished interiors. The dazzling blue of the sky and river fill up the floor-toceiling windows from the best of the standard rooms, which have plump beds, marble bathrooms and private balconies. There is a spa and pool, and the Restaurante Lapa serves excellent Italian food. Tealovers should visit the Rio Tejo Bar, which has some 40-odd Asian varieties. The InterContinental surpasses all expectations, rising high above the heart of Lisbon, opposite Eduardo VII Park. Public areas glimmer in blue marine with gold trim and dark woods. Rooms offer every comfort: Nespresso machines, oversized beds with soft linen, and small but elegant bathrooms clad in marble. The food at Akla is exceptional with a menu of sharing plates, a strong Josper grill section (try the octopus) and favourites such as the perfectly seasoned steak tartare, with quail eggs.