2 days ago
The best hotels in Lisbon's city centre for 2025 – for stays near popular restaurants and bars
Lisbon manages to pack a wealth of must-visit attractions, restaurants, bars and experiences into a compact and walkable centre – even if the city's infamous seven hills make getting around more taxing on the legs than a glance at Google Maps might suggest. The right hotel location saves you time, energy and taxi fares in this deceptively steep city.
While Lisbon has evolved dramatically over the last decade, Europe's second-oldest city (first place goes to Athens) has embraced its newly hip persona without losing the eccentricities that make it so easy to love. Even in the tourist heartlands of the Baixa, Bairro Alto, and Chiado, hole-in-the-wall bars and brightly lit tascas sit alongside vegan cafes, artisan coffee roasters and Michelin-starred restaurants. The best city centre hotels embrace this too, offering modern amenities and stylings and in former palaces, handsome townhouses, and even a former bordello.
This selection highlights Lisbon's best central stays – places that position you perfectly for exploring while enjoying the best of Portuguese hospitality. Each provides a comfortable base from which to discover a city where trams navigate narrow streets, laundry flutters from balconies, and the scent of freshly baked pastries mingles with salt air from the nearby Tagus.
Best hotels near Lisbon's city centre 2025
At a glance
1. Casa do Barão hotel
The discreet entrance of this city-centre boutique hotel gives little hint of what lies beyond. Step inside to discover a characterful property where guests are greeted with home-baked cakes, communal decanters of port wine, and a leafy garden complete with a small-but-inviting dipping pool. The owners have packed the place with treasures from their Brazilian adventures and works by hot Portuguese artists like Vhils. All rooms are individually styled; the best boast private terraces perfect for surveying surrounding rooftops. Breakfast on the terrace, sip port in the wood-panelled library, or retreat to the games room when evening chill sets in. Step outside and you're minutes from both Chiado's elegant shopping streets and Bairro Alto's legendary nightlife.
2. The Lumiares hotel
Just steps from one of Lisbon's busiest viewpoints, this converted 18th-century palace impresses with its Art Deco stylings, low-key luxury and a chic rooftop bar serving sweeping city views along with its appetising petiscos and craft cocktails. The five-star boutique hotel is within stumbling distance of Bairro Alto's famously lively bars and restaurants, and a few minutes' walk from chic Chiado and Principe Real. Solid soundproofing keeps street noise at bay. The 53 apartment-style suites come equipped with kitchenettes, Nespresso machines, Portuguese ceramics, and locally-crafted furniture. A compact spa offers rejuvenating treatments for post-sightseeing recovery.
Address: R. do Diário de Notícias 142, 1200-146 Lisboa
3. Hotel Britania Art Deco
Lisbon's only surviving original 1940s Art Deco hotel sits tucked on a quiet residential street running parallel to Avenida da Liberdade. Part of the Heritage Collection of historic hotels, its cork-lined walls, geometric patterns, and polished woods will thrill Art Deco purists. The vibe is friendly rather than elitist, though – the cheery bartender whips up welcome drinks tailored to guests' tastes in a photo-worthy setting, and servers in the adjoining breakfast room cheerfully offer champagne with morning pastries, setting a decadent tone for city explorations. Rooms are spacious for central Lisbon, and designer shops, plus Lisbon's big-ticket tourist attractions, are easily reachable on foot.
4. Bairro Alto Hotel
Perfectly positioned at the point where shopping-centric Chiado meets party-central Bairro Alto, this five-star member of Leading Hotels of the World makes the most of its prime location. The 87 rooms are a thoughtful mix of Portuguese heritage with contemporary design and feature marble bathrooms with heated floors. The gym and wellness area offers massage treatments, while the addition of an in-house pastry chef means you can enjoy super-fresh pasteis de nata with your morning coffee. BAHR restaurant delivers refined Portuguese dishes with seasonal ingredients and excellent pairing advice from a sommelier. To top it off, staying here gives you a head start on non-guests for bagging a seat on the rooftop terrace for some of Lisbon's best cocktails with Tagus views.
5. Heritage Avenida Liberdade hotel
This 18th-century townhouse sits on Lisbon's grandest boulevard – think Champs-Élysées but with marginally less glamour but better weather and more al-fresco food and drink kiosks. The 42 rooms feature warm woods, plush bedding and marble bathrooms. An extra touch is the round-the-clock lounge for complimentary tea, coffee, port, and pastries, which saves a fortune on minibar charges. The location is spot-on for shopping and sightseeing, while the basement houses a small indoor pool with a Jacuzzi – perfect for soothing feet tired from pounding Lisbon's cobblestones.
Address: Av. da Liberdade 28, 1250-145 Lisbon
6. Alma Lusa Baixa/Chiado hotel
Housed in a converted 18th-century Pombaline building just steps from Praça do Comércio, this boutique charmer has a near-perfect location for exploring the (blissfully hill-free) lower reaches of the city. The 28 rooms showcase Portuguese heritage through handmade tiles and traditional textiles, while Delfina restaurant serves updated local classics paired with regional wines. It's a stone's throw to the waterfront, from where you can walk/run/cycle along the banks of the Tagus as far as Belem, passing the hip 'hoods of Alcantara and Santos along the way. Alternatively, stroll the wide avenues and praças of the Baixa towards Chiado and Bairro Alto. Don't be scared of getting lost, staff pride themselves on insider recommendations that steer you away from tourist traps and toward under-the-radar Lisbon experiences.
7. Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel
Perched at the edge of Bairro Alto with São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint across the street, this restored 1747 palace puts you within minutes of Lisbon's best restaurants and bars. The hotel's solid soundproofing ensures quiet nights despite the busy location. Guests receive a complimentary wine tasting, with the property's 18th-century tiles and frescoes providing evidence of its remarkable survival of the 1755 earthquake. Federico restaurant serves Portuguese-French fusion cuisine. Though wine-focused, the hotel is unexpectedly family-friendly – babysitters can be arranged if parents want to explore nearby bars and tascas without the kids.
8. Palácio das Especiarias hotel
This delightfully quirky guesthouse occupies a 16th-century palace that once belonged to a spice merchant (hence the name "Especiarias"). Steps from Chiado's main square, it's a rabbit's warren of kooky-chic features, from hidden libraries to vintage cars and a piano that's often used for breakfast recitals. You could easily spend hours enjoying the daily afternoon teas or exploring all the hotel's nooks and crannies, but it would be a shame – the location puts fado houses, trendy boutiques and countless restaurants within staggering distance.
Address: R. da Madalena 122, 1100-330 Lisboa
9. LX Boutique Hotel
If you're looking for a chic place to stay after a late night in Lisbon's downtown party district, this is the place. LX Boutique opened in 2010, right at the start of Cais do Sodré's transformation from seedy no-go area to Lisbon's busiest nightlife hub, and remains a solid option for party people (despite best efforts to keep the noise out, light sleepers would be wise to look elsewhere). By day, it's a short walk to the riverfront and Praca do Comercio, Lisbon's grandest square, as well as hangover-fueling fuel to suit all tastes at the always busy Time Out Market food hall. If that sounds too much like hard work, on-site sushi restaurant Confraria LX has been impressing locals and visitors since the hotel's inception.
Address: R. do Alecrim 12, 1200-017 Lisboa
10. Madam's Lodge hotel
Amorous visitors to Lisbon will find a lot to enjoy about this saucily themed guest house amid the 24/7 party action in Cais do Sodré. The guest house is run by the team behind adjoining Pensão Amor – a much-loved cocktail bar and performance space housed inside a former bordello. What is now Lisbon's party central was once the city's red light district, and Madam's Lodge embraces this colourful history with burlesque-inspired décor, antique erotica and plush velvet furnishings throughout its intimate rooms. The nocturnal chaos of Pink Street rages right on the doorstep – Madam's Lodge might not guarantee a good night's sleep, but that would be missing the point.
11. Sublime Lisboa hotel
A cosmopolitan counterpart to its beach-chic sister hotel Sublime Comporta (opened in 2014, leading the charge for a wave of luxury hotels in a destination now beloved of A-listers and the fashion press), Sublime Lisboa has occupied a beautifully restored 20th-century townhouse since 2022.
It's a compact space, with just 15 rooms and suites, but there's attention to detail everywhere, from the bespoke furnishings in each room to the Art Deco-inspired lounge. The onsite restaurant, Davvero, serves Italian food with flair courtesy of head chef Isaac Kumi – it's wise to book in advance as the small space fills up fast with well-heeled Lisboetas. Guests are assured of a table here at breakfast, though, which includes an elegantly presented continental breakfast alongside à la carte options. The location is slightly off the tourist track in leafy Amoreiras, but it's a stone's throw to the heart of downtown and urban green spaces like Parque Eduardo VII.
FAQs
When is the best time to visit Lisbon?
Similar to many southern Mediterranean destinations, the shoulder seasons of spring (April/May/June) and early autumn (September/October) are the best for sightseeing without the sweltering heat. Average daily temperatures in May range between 17C and 22C, while September temperatures average around 25C.
What currency do I need?
Like all cities in Portugal, Lisbon uses the Euro as its official currency.
How many days should I book?
For a first-time visitor to Lisbon, three to four days is a good length of time to explore the city's main attractions.
How much to budget per day?
Anywhere from €60, depending on the choice of food outlets, travel and entry to museums and attractions.
What is Lisbon best known for?
Lisbon is best known for its colourful architecture (including the 25 de Abril Bridge), rich history (visit the 16th-century Belém Tower and Moorish São Jorge Castle), world-renowned restaurant scene, Fado music and picturesque old town. Don't leave without sampling a pastel de nata or a dozen.
Why trust us
The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by Lucy Bryson,The Independent's hotel expert in Portugal. Lucy has a deep knowledge of the destination and visits Lisbon regularly. All our contributors either live in these locations or visit frequently, ensuring a personal and informed perspective. When picking which hotels to include, they consider their own experience staying in the hotels and evaluate location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller.
