Hotel Hotel, Lisbon

TL;DR

• The name: — one of the best (or maybe worst) hotel names we’ve seen
• Casual & chic: sits at the intersection of casual, chic, and luxurious
• Effortless execution: playful name but serious about tasteful design
• Locally made: interiors curated by local artists & craftspeople
• Check prices here

Hotel Hotel, Lisbon. You just don’t know what to expect from a hotel named Hotel Hotel, do you?

One person could see irreverence, a pair of adorably goofball owners, maybe?

Another might imagine a whole bunch of exhaustingly self-curated hipsters slouching about the place.

Either way, it could all easily turn gimmicky.

This is definitely on the hip side of things, but the way it’s executed is so effortless it’s hard to dislike.

Any ironic, self-indulgent humour is limited to the name.

The rest of Hotel Hotel is lovingly constructed by a team of local artists and craftspeople.

From framed paintings in the room to the abundant plants spread throughout the property, the curation is perfection.

Even if you take your travel very seriously, we’d encourage you to give Hotel Hotel a try.

And if you like a little bit of cheek, we won’t have to try too hard to convince you.

What are the rooms like?

• 40 rooms: — a variety of sizes and uniquely furnished spaces
• Muted & elegant: colours balance the playful brand
• Small room warning: some rooms as small as 16 sq m
• Junior vs Superior: size oddities — suites vary more by design than sq m
• Well equipped: with smart TVs, coffee & tea makers, robes & minibars
• See each room in detail here

Rooms are where the hotel feels a bit more serious.

Colours are muted, sophisticated, perfectly balancing the boutique’s more casual elements.

Touches of pattern, elegant furnishings, quilted headboards, and marble bathrooms round it all out.

Rooms at Hotel Hotel are quite simple, and occasionally very small.

Don’t go for the ‘Small’ rooms unless you’re prepared. If you’re lucky, you get up to 21 square metres, but each room is unique, and they go as small as 16.

We’ve seen smaller, but we’d still advise couples or space-lovers to upgrade.

Standard and Terrace rooms are still on the smaller side of normal, but the large windows open things up quite nicely.

We were a bit surprised to find that Junior Suites are the same or slightly smaller than Superior.

Most of the variety is in the design, that is, Suites have swish little living areas. Others revolve around the bed.

Whatever you choose, you’ll enjoy plush queen mattresses, gorgeous hand-picked furnishings unique to each room, smart TVs, coffee & tea makers, robes and slippers, and cute little minibars.

What are prices like?

• Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

• Animal restaurant: lush, greenery-filled and oasis-like
• Bar: perfect for pre-city-exploration cocktails or weekend nightcaps
• Yoga: daily schedules on-site
• Tattoo parlour: in the basement, for if it’s your very first holiday, and you get a bit carried away by it all

The onsite restaurant and bar nicely encapsulates the Hotel Hotel vibe.

Animal, as it’s called, is absolutely stuffed with greenery and has an oasis-like atmosphere.

The food is great, and the bar feels like a perfect place for a pre-Lisbon-exploration cocktail or nightcap.

Design is contemporary, but with none of the bright white minimalism. It’s a lush, velvety, nature-forward take on opulence.

There is a pool, tucked under an open trellis next surrounded by a green wall and mural.

We imagine the wintertime isn’t swim-friendly, but the space is lovely enough that you might just want to hang out there anyway.

The tattoo parlour in the basement might contradict our claim that they’re not trying too hard to be cool, but we’ll let you decide.

There’s no gym here but the friendly Hotel Hotel hotel staff can arrange day passes to nearby facilities.

They also offer a robust schedule of yoga classes on-site.

How is the neighbourhood? Anything interesting nearby?

• North of Bairro Alto: — excellent central location
• Avenida da Liberdade: walking distance for high-end shopping
• Central & upscale: not at all the gritty side of Lisbon
• 20-minute stroll: to the Tagus riverfront
• Close to culture: Museum of Contemporary Art, docks, Bairro Alto nightlife

Sitting comfortably north of the Bairro Alto, Hotel Hotel offers an excellent location close to a number of popular spots.

You’ll stay walking distance from Avenida da Liberdade, home of everything chic and upscale.

It’s definitely not an experience the Lisbon underground scene kind of location.

But it’s superb for anyone who likes some chic shopping and dining, and it’s still super-central.

Lisbon’s not too big, anyway. A stroll towards the Taugus won’t take you more than 20 minutes or so.

Around here, you’ll find cultural pleasures like the Museum of Contemporary Art and endless picturesque docks and quays.

Head back up to Bairro Alto for nightlife, or check out some backstreet Fado houses in Alfama.

If you can handle the hills, it’s less than half an hour on foot. Otherwise, it will be a small blip of a cab ride.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“I booked Hotel Hotel for the value and design — and got so much more. The staff are young, hip, and genuinely welcoming. Everyone, from reception to the bar to management, seemed to love what they do, and it shows. The bartenders were creative, breakfast generous and interesting, and dinner at Animal carefully prepared and delicious. The art and design are striking, and the pool feels like a tropical retreat right in the middle of Lisbon. Exceptional value, thoughtful design, and amazing service — I’ll absolutely stay here again….”

“What an amazing stay we had! Everyone was so kind and helpful, we had a feeling like we were home. The exterior area with a tropical garden gives you a sense of being in the Eden, meanwhile you are next to the main points of interest. There are plenty of public transport, but we did not use it because everything is in the walking distance. And I highly recommend the hotel restaurant, delicious meals with affordable prices, service was excellent also. I’m already missing this place and will be glad to come back in the future….”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”If I’m really stretching for something to improve, I once had to wait a bit too long for the elevator — but that gave me time to take the stairs and enjoy the artwork on each floor….”

”Room very small , not much hanging or storage space, small sink area – not very practical!…”

Read all the reviews right here