‘A Quietly Faultless Stay’: InterContinental Lisbon, Portugal – Hotel Review
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2 years ago
Lauren Ho checks in to Lisbon's best address
When it comes to picking a place to stay in Lisbon, it doesn’t take long to realise that this grande dame is a coquettish chameleon, prone to morphing at any moment to suit one’s shifting mood. Bijou boutique hotel? Right this way. Relaxed hipster bolthole? Over here! Slick, five-star estate? The InterContinental Lisbon, at your service. And then, some.
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Hotel Review: InterContinental Lisbon, Portugal
The InterContinental parlays its faultless address – next to the grand Parque Eduardo VII with views over the old city and the Tagus – into a perfect holiday base. Whether retail or gastronomic, cultural or historical sites, all of Lisbon’s prime attractions are within easy reach. And the freshly renovated rooms and suites don’t hurt, either.
STAY
1 Bed Classic Room
The rooms are everything one would expect from an InterContinental – which is to say, it’s completely wired up, making it perfect for both travelling suits and plugged-in teens; and dressed in a modern palette of fabrics and linens, and soothing hues. And the higher the floor, the more expansive the views, with the Classic River View rooms looking over the nearby castle, the Tagus and picturesque hills, whilst the suites peek out onto the park and old city. The One Bedroom Suites, meanwhile, throws off the nondescript moniker with huge terraces and jaw dropping riverine and city views.
DO
Like a mother bird gently nudging its offspring out of the nest, the InterContinental Lisbon sets the stage for blow-out feasts and dreamy nights in soft linened beds, and then takes the view that it’s time for guests to spread their wing and explore all the splendid sights and experiences that Lisbon has to offer. But if you really can’t bear to be parted, then sign up to Clube VII next door for a spa and fitness menu for adults and kids, that has everything from gym and pool, to crossfit and tennis.
One Bedroom Suite with Terrace
EAT
Lisbon’s justly famed gastronomic scene is telescoped into the InterContinental’s in-house dining offerings. Leading the pack is Akla where, against a modernist setting lined with Portuguese tiled panels, the menu blends seasonal local flavours and produce with Josper oven charcoal grills and Instagram-perfect plating.
There are blissful green views of Eduardo VII Park to go with evening cocktails, whilst Uptown Bar is a convenient spot in which to have a beefsteak sandwich and Caesar Salad while sipping botanical spirits and sugarcane-based liqueurs, dance a little, and then shimmy back up into your turned-down bed.
Codfish at Akla
THE FINAL WORD
There may be many reasons to check into the InterContinental Lisbon – not least its genteel address and fabulous views – but chief among them is its gold-plated reputation for delivering a quietly faultless stay that’s amped up by an in-the-know concierge.
BOOK IT: Rates from €250 for a classic room. iclisbonhotel.com
