Hotel Britania, Lisbon, Portugal

Walking in through the large iron entrance door you are immediately transported back in time to a Portugal which had an empire. Indeed the hotel originally opened under the name The Empire Hotel in 1944, when it was the talk of the town in terms of luxury and mod cons. After a couple of ownership changes it became part of the Heritage group – privately owned hotels which reflect something of the Portuguese heritage. They restored it where necessary to return it to its previous glory – original cork flooring in the bedrooms, marble bathrooms, wood parquetry on the floor of the Bar with paintings around the ceiling which depict the coats of arms of each of the overseas territories that were a part of the Portuguese Empire. There is a wonderful original wood and silver banister on the staircase. A cosy atmosphere prevails – much like a private house - which spills over into the care of the staff and even the presentation of the delicious breakfast on offer in the sitting area in the morning.

The rooms
The 32 rooms have similar decoration. Bold black and white materials and furniture with an Art Deco feel to it gives an edge to what is simple but comfortable accommodation. Small ante-rooms offer the possibility of extra beds for children. Each bedroom has tea and coffee facilities and free Wi-Fi access. Bathrooms are small but contain everything you could possibly need and are full of period detail. On the 6th floor, the hotel has converted a terrace into three modern rooms with private patio, but they lack the special feel of the original rooms beneath.