Hyatt Regency Lisbon is one of Lisbon’s newest five-star hotels catering to business travellers and holidaymakers alike. Opened last September, the hotel sits in the Belém district, just outside Lisbon’s city centre. An area home to the Jeronimos Monastery, Belém Tower and most importantly, its renowned custard tarts, pasteis de Belém. The premium five-star hotel comes with plush interiors, a relaxing spa and airy suites with enviable views over the iconic April 25th Bridge – named to mark the date of the country’s peaceful overthrowing of dictator Salazar in 1974.
Location 7/10
To put it plainly, Hyatt Regency Lisbon isn’t in the heart of Lisbon. Instead, it sits beside the Tagus River in the quaint former seafaring neighbourhood of Belém. Its proximity to the Lisboa Congress Centre, however, makes it a solid place for business travellers. The location, on the outskirts of the city, may put off city breakers who want everything on their doorstep. However, it’s only 16 minutes on the train to Caise do Sodre in downtown Lisbon or a 10-15 minute drive. Reach Lisbon’s trendy LX Factory – a converted industrial area with galleries, restaurants and bars – in just over ten minutes on foot. Lisbon’s airport is around 25-minutes by taxi.
Rooms 9/10
Each of the hotel’s 204 spacious rooms were designed with Portugal’s maritime past in mind yet stop short of being pastiche: think loads of oak wood and subtle blue hues. All are decorated in a kind of Japandi style – blending minimalist furniture with neutral colours. Huge suites, which feel more like high-end apartments, come with sprawling wrap-around balconies – best enjoyed at sunset with an icy glass of vinho verde. Fully-kitted-out kitchens and relaxing living rooms, with massive HD Smart TVs, make them a favourable choice for families and guests staying longer than a night or two.
Style, staff and stuff 8/10
Interiors at Hyatt Regency Lisbon are refreshingly muted. And clearly, the hotel’s design was carefully thought out to provide guests with a tranquil, modern retreat from Lisbon. Hyatt Regency Lisbon’s lobby is a wide-open, mind-freeing space with modern, welcoming design and plenty of areas to work from. Facilities-wise, the 24-hour-gym is as well-equipped as any you’ll find in Lisbon. However, the crown jewel is the on-site spa managed by one of Europe’s best wellness and luxury brands, Serenity. Accessible via a swirling staircase – a stunning architectural slight of hand – guests here float from steam room to the sauna, passing through the sensorial showers before a swim in the pool for around £31 per day. While a range of different treatments are available at extra cost. Additionally, the soon-to-open rooftop bar and restaurant will add that extra je ne sais quoi – unfortunately no rooftop pool in the offing.
Food and Drinks 7/10
The hotel offers a couple of options for food and drink. Vice Versa serves a compact typical Mediterranean breakfast (cereal, eggs, fruits, etc) buffet for £21. It also doubles as an all-day restaurant with an extensive menu of international and local Portuguese favourites, like the salmon wellington or the tuna and oysters from the raw bar. Restaurant staff are gregarious characters who do an excellent job entertaining guests throughout the evening – especially the flamboyant Diogo. The hotel’s other food option, Zest, is a quick and healthy takeaway counter serving smoothies, avocado toasts, fruit, and yoghurt bowls. And the seabass we ordered at midnight was far from a damp squib, unexpected for late-night room service.
Fact Box:
Standard double rooms from around £215. Breakfast is £21. Spa access costs around £31 per day per guest. Hyatt Regency Lisbon
R. da Junqueira 63, 1300-343, Lisboa, Portugal