"A glamorous mansion that has provided a home-from-home to celebrities and royalty alike, Lapa Palace is utter Lisbon luxury."
Set amid the quiet cobbled streets of the residential embassy district, this resplendent 1870 mansion was bought by the Orient-Express group in 1998 and revamped with the kind of glitz and gleam that appeals to European royalty, Rod Stewart, Sting, Cher, Bono, John Malkovich and Catherine Deneuve and Paul McCartney and family (who felt so at home that they stayed on an extra couple of nights).
There’s a buzz about the public spaces, which appeal to both residents and outside guests who like to feel in with the in crowd – the Cipriani has been voted by Zagat as best restaurant in Lisbon for its contemporary Italian and Portuguese cuisine, Bar Rio Tejo is akin to an English tea room specialising in 50 varieties of tea and summer tea cocktails, and there’s a reading room with blackamoors and sofas for you to sink into with your glossy mag.
The hotel’s appeal spreads from businessmen and politicos to well groomed tourists and their kids, who like the chic resort feel within a city setting. The lush gardens, complete with pond, waterfall and swimming pool, mean you can flop on a sun-lounger after a hard day’s sightseeing – or alternatively head into the swanky new Wellness Centre for a massage, work-out, steam bath, sauna or beauty treatment with La Prairie products.
The rooms
The 109 rooms include 22 individually decorated rooms and suites in the original palace, 14 rooms in the Italianate villa (formerly the stables), some with their own mini gardens, and standard rooms in the 1992 garden wing. Basic rooms are, as you would expect, very comfortable and well appointed with terraces or balconies, while the deluxe rooms and suites are more romantic, many with restored antiques from the original palace. The Tower Room is the one honeymooners go for, with its pop-up TV at the end of the bed, Jacuzzi for two, and a private turret, where you can dine al fresco with a panorama of the city. The Royal Suite is the prettiest, in pastel rococo style.
All rooms have safes, two telephone lines, high-speed internet et al, while the marble bathrooms have double sinks, separate shower and bath and either Helleboro or La Prairie toiletries.
Address: Rua do Pau de Bandeira 4, 1249-021 Lisbon, Portugal
Booking info
Departure: Wed 10 Sep 2008
No. adults: 2
Check Availability
Who stays here
Lapa Palace is a hot spot for celebrities, including Rod Stewart, Sting, Cher, Bono, John Malkovich and Catherine Deneuve and Paul McCartney and family.
Come for
- Chic resort feel complete thanks to landscaped gardens within a city setting
- To see and be seen
Not suitable for
- Anti-capitalists
Children
The hotel is very family-friendly. There is a kids menu for room service and at the hotel restaurant, although children under 3 are not permitted in the restaurant. There is also a babysitting service for guests. Extra beds are available for children; interconnecting rooms are also an option for families. Their VIP Kids Program includes special treats for a welcome gifts, private transportation, and special entertainment. There is also a VIP Program for teenagers.
Eating in
Reopened in 2006 with a sleek new interior that includes Murano chandeliers and a frescoed ceiling, Cipriani was recently voted the best restaurant in Lisbon for its contemporary Italian and Portuguese cuisine.
