Valverde Hotel Lisbon

If you haven’t been to the five-star Valverde Hotel in Lisbon lately, you need to go soon.  The only Relais & Chateaux hotel in the center of Lisbon, on the city’s designer shopping street Avenida da Liberdade, presents itself as an elegant and cosmopolitan New York-style townhouse.

Recently, Valverde have added 26 new rooms in a new building to the 22 rooms in the original building.  All maintain the signature classic and elegant style, featuring contemporary furniture blended with a handpicked selection of works of art, objects and antiques, ranging from neoclassical to mid century modern in design. Combine this with rich-colored walls contrasting with light fabrics and vibrant details, and you can see why this is a popular hotel with experienced travellers. 

Various lounges and libraries inside the townhouses are reserved for guests only, adding to the vibe of discreet luxury. But service is warm and helpful, without any member’s-club snobbery.

The sophisticated, upscale restaurant, Sítio Valverde, and hidden garden patio are the only places that are open to the public. They draw a smart crowd of professionals from the offices along the Avenida, especially for light alfresco lunches, 5 o’clock tea, after-work cocktails and special low-key music nights. Sítio’s menu by Chef Carla Sousa features contemporary Portuguese cuisine inspired by her Cape Verdean roots and national cuisine. 

The Valverde patio is always buzzing with guests and locals sipping coffee, dining at Sitio or chatting over cocktails. It is also where those yearning for relaxation can plunge into the pool or sit in the sun.

Photos courtesy of Valverde Hotel