Emily McAuliffe

Lisbon is the city for aesthetes. Or rather, it’s the city for anyone who has ever accidentally walked into a lamppost, fallen down the curb or tripped over thin air trying to take the perfect shot of urban beauty. From massive monasteries to those gorgeous rambling streets and – oh! – the interiors of the churches, this city is a visual feast and then some. So where better to find somewhere equally lavish and artfully decked out to stay in than the Portuguese capital? When so many of a city’s hotels are, quite literally, named after palaces, you know you’re onto a winner when it comes to luxury accommodation options. We’ve rounded up a long-ish list of our favourites, including some longtime faves and a few characterful newbies. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed. Updated March 2025: We've updated our list with two five-star hotels: the well-named EPIC SANA Lisboa Hotel and the literary-loving Books & Wine boutique hotel.  RECOMMENDED:The best things to do in LisbonThe best Airbnbs in LisbonThe best boutique hotels in Lisbon Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Lisbon's best family-friendly hotels offer the perfect getaway to the city. From all the activities you can do outdoors to all the beaches you have near the city, Lisbon is a magical playground for children. If you’re planning a family break to the city make sure you choose a hotel that knows how to make your stay really special. There are hotels that will bring milk and cookies to your little ones beds before they go to sleep or that will take care of them while you go to a fancy dinner. Below are the best family-friendly hotels in Lisbon – they’ll soon make you wish you were six again! RECOMMENDED:The best things to do in Lisbon

Lisbon has become something of a tourist hotspot in recent years and with this comes the rise of big hotel chains. But as a Time Out reader, we know you'll be after somewhere with a little more je ne sais quoi. That's why, when we drew up this list, we took into account design, location, service, amenities, architecture and value for money, while also considering vibe and aesthetic. From low-key and tasteful boutiques to hotel spas bursting with luxury, the options are all here for you. Now, all you need to do is pick a fave… RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in LisbonThe best boutique hotels in LisbonThe best eateries at Time Out Market Lisboa Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

The Rochester Hotel kitchen shifted gears mid 2018, rewriting its standard pub menu to one focused on Southern Indian flavours, with chef Mischa Tropp drawing inspo from his mother’s homeland. Now your pub dinner comes with restaurant-style service where waitstaff know Kerala from Kashmir, and swiftly wipe away evidence of the city’s flakiest parota (layered flatbread) and crisp chilli-laced poppadums. Those chasing a serious curry kick should order the chef’s favourite – a fiery fish curry made with the daily catch from the markets. There’s also a hot-but-not-too-spicy slow-cooked beef neck in ginger and garlic. It’s rich, oily and deceivingly filling and will have you mining the bowl for any remainders. The half-chook Kashmiri curry is a milder alternative, with hunks of chicken swimming in a bowl of smooth chilli sauce, tanged with tamarind and sweetened with caramelised onion. What it lacks in Insta aesthetics it makes up in flavour. If you’ve overestimated your spice tolerance, you can as a side of silky housemade curd (imagine a runny, natural yoghurt) that lets you drizzle a sour slave over the top of all those strong flavours. What’s a pub menu without sliders? Here they’re made with a sweet bread traditional to Goa and filled with chorizo, prawns or chilli potato. Vegetarians don’t miss out, with soft strips of cabbage flavoured with coconut and translucent curry leaves; and green papaya with chilli gravy. Don’t know where to start? There’s a $55 ‘shut up and feed me

Coppa Spuntino is a city favourite for quality Italian fare from chef Vinnie Clist. The small, narrow restaurant packs seating onto the footpath terrace, along the bar and by the arcade-facing windows, while a big woodfired oven flames at the back ready to crisp up Coppa’s housemade pizzas. This is the place to cool off with an Aperol Spritz in hand, or with a glass of wine from the restaurant’s Italian-accented list wines. The restaurant’s location in Brisbane CBD’s financial district makes it high on the corporate hit-list for a sophisticated business lunch or an afternoon send-off.    

This rowdy, no-frills Vietnamese joint has been a Brissie favourite for Asian-style eating for years – since ’83 to be precise. Clearly they’re doing a lot of things right. You’ll often see groups lining up at the door to cram into the double story digs, booze in hand, since this is one of those rare places still welcoming BYO (as an added bonus, the local bottle-o is conveniently located down the street). Grab your mates and order a round fried rice, steam boats, or get yourself a big bowl of noodle soup, which is a signature strength of the Vietnamese.    

Giant swirling fans hover over an open deck to create an inviting Mexican-themed pit stop in sunny South Bank. To the side of the big eating area is a prime people-watching bench-seat bar, and the overall design is predictably colourful with bright murals wrapping around the restaurant’s central columns. Mucho Mexicano’s menu includes the usual suspects like tacos, nachos and tostadas, and the cocktail list includes Sangria and Margaritas. Prefer a twist on the classics? including  You can get your tequila cocktail made with mango and blood orange, or pineapple and jalapeño. For breakfast try Mexico’s spin on French toast, deodos gitanos, which comes laden with caramel and cream. This place does split bills so is a good option for group gatherings, and there’s a function room upstairs for special events.    

Nest opened in early 2015 and forms part of the Shangri-La’s Hotel Jen, conveniently located near the Roma Street bus and railway station. Chef Mark Young focuses on share-style plates with an Asian twist, like tea-smoked duck, five-spiced pork belly and sticky beef wontons, plus deep fried peanut butter ice-cream for dessert. It’s a big space so the restaurant is good for groups – you can order an all-in feast to pass around the table. The bar area at the entrance, decked out with green studded-velvet lounges, is a cool spot to hang for a relaxed drink and serves a range of tap beers and cocktails.  Don’t forget to look up to see the haphazardly spiky nest creation dangling from the ceiling.

Affectionately referred to as the Salt ‘n’ Bat by locals, this fish and chippery has been an institution for University of Queensland students and St Lucia locals for well over a decade. While the casual eatery has changed hands a number of times in its day (swinging between fresh and frozen produce in the process), current owner Charlie Lambis sets the bar high. As a third generation fish and chip shop owner (with a fourth gen coming through the ranks), Lambis gets Australian and New Zealand seafood delivered fresh daily and fillets fish onsite, including Queensland wild snapper and sea perch from the cool waters of NZ. The family’s Cyprus heritage is honoured with Greek-style Turkish delight and sticky housemade baklava.

Gambaro is one of Brisbane’s oldest seafood haunts, having started as a fish and chip shop in 1953. The establishment has considerably upped the ante since then, and now functions as a multi-award winning, high-end dining experience tailored to seafood lovers. Lukas McEwan has been head chef since 2013 and focuses on scoping the best produce. Seafood is sourced locally wherever possible and gets delivered daily to star in linguine marinara and panko-crumbed fish. Service here is smart and professional without being stuffy, and the candlelit space is divided with sheer curtains to create an intimate atmosphere.

Bloodhound nails the grungy hipster vibe and is a rollicking good place for a Sunday sesh or casual mid-week shindig. A motley collection of knick-knacks and booze bottles adorn the exposed brick walls, and a giant graffitied bird takes flight behind the bar. There’s a tapas, taco and burger menu to keep you on an even keel, plus ten beers on tap and a stack more in the fridge. From its position on the corner of Brunswick and Robertson Streets in the Valley, the space looks quaint, but carry on past the bar and there’s a bay window and booth seating at the back, plus the Nightjar Bar and entertainment space upstairs, complete with a wrap-around balcony. Check Bloodhound’s website for performance dates.  

Hatch & Co is one of the Gasworks Plaza’s original food establishments. The open-plan restaurant makes the most of Brisbane’s enviable climate and looks out over the neon-lit gasometer frame and twinkling fairy lights at night. Foliage sprouting from the walls and timber finishes create a fresh, country kitchen look, while the smiling staff zip around between wooden tables taking orders. The menu includes salads, share plates and wood-fired pizzas, and happy hour extends from 3-6pm on weekdays with discounted beer, wine and cocktails.    

Tech-heads and design freaks will love this spot. Power sockets and USB ports are a dime a dozen and a remote control lets you flick, switch and dim to your heart’s content. The Evolution hotel is something of a revolution, and strives to be a hotel of the 21 st century with mod-cons and flexible service (including self-check- in). It’s got some quirk factor too, notwithstanding the fact that the hotel is supported by a giant stone hand. There’s also urban art displays about the place. Inside, the rooms are spacious and modern and include a sitting area, desk and a city view to boot. Bold coloured feature walls and mosaic bathrooms give a pop of character. From the comfort of your bed you can adjust the temperature, mood lighting and drapes as you fancy using the hotel app or your TV. The hotel strikes a younger vibe with a groovy neon-lit bar that transforms into a dancefloor as the night wears on and is pumped up by the resident DJ. If you get the 3am munchies post-boogie, you can wander down to the 24-hour deli for a snack. On the top floor there’s a fitness centre with a heated pool, a sauna with dang-fine view, and a Turkish bath. Everything is open around the clock. Location: The hotel is located in Saldanha, which is a commercial area slightly outside the main tourist action. Your best bet is to jump on the metro at the Saldanha station (or walk 15 minutes to São Sebastião if you’d prefer not to change lines to get to the central Baixa station) and scoot downtown to hi

You’ll be walking distance to everything at this modern hotel on Lisbon’s high street. Everything hrtr is clean as a whistle and the staff are there to greet you with a smile. Inside, the hotel has a bit of a swanky vibe and common areas maximise on space with armchairs tucked in nooks and crannies. A dark colour scheme feels quite heavy in the lobby area, but the rooms have a brighter colour palette along with comfy beds, high ceilings and smooth wooden floors. If you want fresh air, some rooms have a small balcony overlooking the street or pool; then any noise from the busy avenue outside can be promptly silenced by closing the double-glazed windows. The pristine white bathrooms are luxurious and come equipped with an integrated Bluetooth sound system and rain showerhead. Tabik Restaurant has a creative menu served in a leafy oasis spruced with decorative wooden space dividers and timber tabletops. There’s also the chilled Tabik Garden (of the vertical variety) where you can down a cocktail or two while feeling at one with nature. Just sit back and let the mix-masters work their magic. The hotel has a small covered swimming pool on the roof, plus a gym, sauna and Turkish bath. Location: Avenida da Liberdade is one of Lisbon’s most beautiful streets, lined with some of the city’s most beautiful buildings. You can shop ‘til you drop at high-end stores and pull up a chair at one of the alfresco quiosques (kiosks) for a drink and nibble. Both the Avenida and Restauradores metro

A 200-year- old building has been converted into a comfy bunkhouse that has spacious share rooms, plenty of natural light and a kick-ass crew that’ll welcome you like family. They don’t call it home for nothing. Take your pick from single or dorm rooms (including a gals only option), which all offer comfort as well as air conditioning and the cosy feel of timber floors and bedframes. If you opt to share your sleeping quarters you’ll be pleased to know each bed comes with a storage space and a personal power plug to juice your devices. All rooms have a shared bathroom, and here, ladies, you’ll find a hairdryer to get your locks party-prepped. When you need some chill time, you can hang on the couches in the library or make some friends over a board game or PlayStation duel. Keen to hit the beach? Then sign yourself up for a surf lesson with the hostel’s resident surfer dude and tackle the waves just outside Lisbon. If getting thrashed by the sea sounds too hardcore, keep your feet happy and dry with a walking tour instead. The hostel offers the convenience of a 24-hour reception and complimentary linens. This place is consistently showered in stars when it comes to ratings, so trust your fellow travellers and book yourself in. Location: The hostel bags a prime position in downtown Lisbon. If you walk straight out the door you’ll hit the main commercial avenue, Rua Augusta in two minutes, and if you carry on another three blocks you’ll reach the Baixa-Chiado metro station. Shop