38.71° N · 9.14° W — Praça do Comércio, Lisbon

Guide

Where to Stay in Lisbon

Six neighbourhoods, 13 hotels checked against their own websites, and what Lisbon's €4 tourist tax and airport Metro mean for your booking.

Andrew LoveseyOctober 24, 202613 min read

Checked at the source26 sources, linkedFacts checked 24 Oct 2026

For most first-time visitors, the best place to stay in Lisbon is Baixa and Chiado, the flat grid of streets between Rossio and the river plus the hillside shopping district above it. It puts Praça do Comércio, the tram lines and the Metro within walking distance, and it holds a strong mix of historic and design-led hotels. Choose Príncipe Real for a quieter, residential feel with views, Avenida da Liberdade for large full-service hotels, Alfama for atmosphere, Lapa for gardens and space, and Belém for the riverside monuments.

Lisbon is a city of hills, stairs and cobbles. Where a hotel sits matters more than its star rating: a short distance on the map can be a steep climb on foot. Each area below notes who it suits and what to flag to clients before they book.

Two practical points for every quote: Lisbon’s municipal tourist tax is €4 per guest per night, charged at the property and capped at seven nights, and the Metro runs straight from the airport into the city. Both are covered below.

Hotel comparison

Room counts and details below come from each hotel’s own website, as of October 2026. Rates change daily by season, so we have not published a “from” price; check live rates before quoting, and remember the tourist tax is added on top.

Hotel	Area	Rooms (per hotel)	What stands out	Best for
Pousada de Lisboa	Baixa (Praça do Comércio)	90 rooms and suites	Former ministry building on the riverside square; heated indoor pool	First-timers, history
Bairro Alto Hotel	Chiado (Praça Luís de Camões)	Not stated on the pages checked	Guest-only sixth-floor terrace; member of The Leading Hotels of the World	Couples, food-focused stays
The Ivens	Chiado (Rua Capelo)	87 rooms, including 10 suites	Explorer theme; 150 sq m penthouse with a river view	Design lovers
Memmo Príncipe Real	Príncipe Real	38 rooms	Heated outdoor pool, open around the clock; city views	Couples, small families
The Lumiares	Bairro Alto	Not stated	Apartment-style suites with private kitchens; rooftop bar	Longer stays, families
Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon	Eduardo VII Park (top of Avenida da Liberdade)	282 (244 rooms, 38 suites)	Rooftop running track; collection of mid-20th-century Portuguese art	Classic luxury, brand loyalists
Tivoli Avenida Liberdade	Avenida da Liberdade	264 rooms and suites	Outdoor pool in gardens; Anantara Spa; SEEN Sky Bar	Families, groups
Valverde Lisboa Hotel & Garden	Avenida da Liberdade	Not stated	Relais & Châteaux; Valverde Suite with rooftop and castle views	Couples, small-hotel fans
Memmo Alfama	Alfama	42 rooms	Guests aged 16 and over; pool and terrace over the rooftops	Adults-only trips
Santiago de Alfama	Alfama	19 rooms	All-day café, bistro and bar	Quiet, small-hotel stays
Olissippo Lapa Palace	Lapa	95 rooms	19th-century palace; tropical garden; indoor and outdoor pools	Families, space
Pestana Palace Lisboa	Western riverfront, toward Belém	194 rooms and suites	Palace and gardens classified as a National Monument; free shuttle to the centre	Resort feel in the city
Altis Belém Hotel & Spa	Belém	50 rooms and suites	One-Michelin-star Feitoria; rooftop pool	Monument-focused stays, food lovers

Baixa and Chiado: the first-timer’s base

The Baixa is the low, level grid rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, running from Rossio down to Praça do Comércio on the river. Chiado climbs west from it, with theatres, bookshops and cafés. Together they are the most walkable base in the city, and the easiest to explain to a client on a first visit.

Aerial view of Pousada de Lisboa on Praça do Comércio — Pousada de Lisboa. Photograph · Pousadas de Portugal

Pousada de Lisboa. Set on Praça do Comércio, a few metres from the Tagus, the building dates from after the 1755 earthquake and once housed government ministries, including the Ministry of Internal Administration. Pestana converted it into a hotel in 2015. It has 90 rooms and suites over four floors, a heated indoor pool open year-round, a gym and one restaurant, RIB Lisboa. The Great Hall, once the meeting room of the Council of Ministers, keeps its restored gilded ceiling, and some rooms display works lent by the Lisbon Museum. It is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Terreiro do Paço Metro station, on the Blue line, is the nearest stop.

Sunset over Lisbon rooftops and the Tagus from the Bairro Alto Hotel terrace — Bairro Alto Hotel. Photograph · Bairro Alto Hotel

Bairro Alto Hotel. Despite the name, it sits on Praça Luís de Camões at the top of Chiado, on the edge of Bairro Alto. It is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Its fifth-floor restaurant serves Portuguese cooking by chef Bruno Rocha, and its terrace is open to the public; a separate sixth-floor rooftop is for hotel guests only. Rooms take a maximum of three adults, so larger families will need two.

Facade of The Ivens hotel in Chiado, Lisbon — The Ivens. Photograph · The Ivens

The Ivens. In a 19th-century building on Rua Capelo, in Chiado, The Ivens calls itself an explorers’ hotel and carries Marriott’s Autograph Collection branding. It has 87 rooms, including 10 suites with a lounge area, seven premium rooms with city views and a 150-square-metre penthouse with a river view. There is a signature restaurant, a bar and a jazz club.

Príncipe Real and Bairro Alto: views and a quieter night

Príncipe Real, north of Bairro Alto, is a residential neighbourhood of gardens, concept stores and restaurants. Bairro Alto itself is a grid of narrow streets that fills with bars at night. Clients who want to be close to the nightlife without hearing it should look to Príncipe Real.

Aerial view of Memmo Príncipe Real and its terraces above the Príncipe Real neighbourhood — Memmo Príncipe Real. Photograph · Memmo Hotels

Memmo Príncipe Real. Reached through an archway and tunnel off Rua D. Pedro V, the hotel has 38 rooms, many with views over the city. Its heated outdoor pool overlooks Lisbon and is open to hotel guests around the clock. The Superior Two Bedroom (45 square metres, two bathrooms) works for families; cots are available but extra beds are not. Private parking costs €30 a night, subject to availability. Café Príncipe Real serves modern Portuguese food.

Penthouse living room with balcony at The Lumiares — The Lumiares. Photograph · The Lumiares Hotel & Spa

The Lumiares. A former 18th-century palace in Bairro Alto, converted into apartment suites with private kitchens, a spa and gym, and the Lumi rooftop bar and restaurant. Suite types run from studios to two-bedroom suites and a penthouse, which suits families and clients staying a week or more.

Avenida da Liberdade: big hotels on the boulevard

Avenida da Liberdade is Lisbon’s tree-lined main boulevard, running from Restauradores up to Marquês de Pombal and Eduardo VII Park, with luxury fashion houses along its length. It is flatter than the old quarters and has the city’s largest full-service hotels, at the cost of some old-Lisbon character.

Lobby lounge with flower arrangement and chandelier at Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon — Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. Photograph · Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon

Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. Opened in 1959 and managed by Four Seasons since 1998, the hotel faces Eduardo VII Park from Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca. It has 282 rooms over 10 storeys: 244 guest rooms and 38 suites. Four Seasons describes its art as one of Portugal’s largest privately owned collections of mid-20th-century Portuguese art. Facilities include a rooftop running track with views across the city, a four-treatment-room spa, the 28-seat CURA restaurant led by chef Rodolfo Lavrador, and Varanda.

Main entrance of Tivoli Avenida Liberdade on Avenida da Liberdade — Tivoli Avenida Liberdade. Photograph · Tivoli Hotels & Resorts

Tivoli Avenida Liberdade. At Avenida da Liberdade 185, it has 264 rooms and suites, an outdoor pool surrounded by gardens and an Anantara Spa. Dining includes Cervejaria Liberdade for Portuguese seafood, SEEN Lisboa by Olivier and the rooftop SEEN Sky Bar. Its size and pool make it a practical choice for families and groups.

Guest room bed and reading lamp at Valverde Lisboa Hotel & Garden — Valverde Lisboa Hotel & Garden. Photograph · Valverde Lisboa Hotel & Garden

Valverde Lisboa Hotel & Garden. A Relais & Châteaux member at Avenida da Liberdade 164, opened in September 2014. Rooms run from Classic and Garden rooms with balconies to suites; the Valverde Suite (about 55 square metres) has rooftop and castle views. It is the boulevard’s small-hotel alternative.

Alfama: old Lisbon, steep streets

Alfama is the oldest quarter, a tangle of lanes and stairways between São Jorge Castle and the river, known for fado houses and viewpoints. It is the most atmospheric place to stay and the hardest to reach by car. Brief clients on stairs and cobbles, and arrange luggage help in advance.

Terrace pool at Memmo Alfama overlooking the rooftops of Alfama — Memmo Alfama. Photograph · Memmo Hotels

Memmo Alfama. On Travessa das Merceeiras, a short walk from the cathedral and the castle, it has 42 rooms across seven categories, many with views of Alfama or the Tagus. The hotel welcomes guests aged 16 and over, and offers no cots. The heated outdoor pool overlooks the rooftops and is open 24 hours. A daily walking tour is included. There is no hotel parking; the hotel points drivers to the nearby Chão do Loureiro car park, which cannot be reserved.

Superior King bedroom at Santiago de Alfama — Santiago de Alfama. Photograph · Santiago de Alfama

Santiago de Alfama. At Rua de Santiago 10–14, in the heart of Alfama, this is a 19-room hotel with views over old Alfama. Audrey’s Café, Bistro & Bar serves breakfast, lunch on the terrace, afternoon tea and dinner.

Lapa: embassies, gardens and space

Lapa, west of the centre above the river, is a quiet district of embassies and large houses, close to the National Museum of Ancient Art. It suits clients who want a calm base with a garden and are happy to take taxis into the centre.

Pink nineteenth-century palace facade and entrance of Olissippo Lapa Palace — Olissippo Lapa Palace. Photograph · Olissippo Hotels

Olissippo Lapa Palace. The house was built in 1870 and turned into a palace by the Count of Valenças, who received a licence to renovate it in 1887. It stayed a family home until 1988 and opened as a hotel in 1992, after a five-year reconstruction. Today it has 95 rooms in a Palace Wing and a Garden Wing, a tropical garden, indoor and outdoor pools, and a spa with sauna and Turkish bath. It is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Space and pools make it one of the stronger family options in central Lisbon.

Belém and the western riverfront: monuments and sea air

Belém, on the river west of the centre, is home to Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower. It is a good base for clients focused on museums and monuments, or for a final night before a drive to Cascais and Sintra, but it is a tram, train or taxi ride from the old quarters.

Rooftop pool deck at Altis Belém Hotel & Spa with the 25 de Abril Bridge beyond — Altis Belém Hotel & Spa. Photograph · Altis Hotels

Altis Belém Hotel & Spa. A 50-room hotel overlooking the Tagus and the Doca do Bom Sucesso marina, with river views from its rooms. Its restaurant, Feitoria, led by chef André Cruz, holds one Michelin star, according to the hotel. There is a rooftop with a panoramic pool and a BSpa by Karin Herzog.

Pestana Palace Lisboa's nineteenth-century palace seen across its gardens — Pestana Palace Lisboa. Photograph · Pestana Hotel Group

Pestana Palace Lisboa. Between Belém and the centre, the Palácio de Valle Flôr was built from 1890 for the Marquess of Valle-Flôr and reopened as a hotel on 18 May 2001. The palace and its French-style gardens are classified as a National Monument. It has 194 rooms and suites, including four Royal Suites with terraces and river views in the palace’s former family quarters, an outdoor pool in the gardens, an indoor pool and the Magic Spa. The hotel puts Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery about 2 km, or 10 minutes by car, away, and runs a free shuttle to the historic centre.

For hotels opening in Portugal over the next year, see our new hotels opening tracker.

Best for

First-time visitors: Pousada de Lisboa or The Ivens, for walkable access to Baixa, Chiado and the river.
Families: Tivoli Avenida Liberdade or Olissippo Lapa Palace, for space and pools; The Lumiares for kitchens. See the school holidays calendar before you quote.
Adults-only trips: Memmo Alfama, which welcomes guests aged 16 and over.
A pool in the city: Memmo Príncipe Real, Memmo Alfama, Tivoli Avenida Liberdade, Pestana Palace Lisboa or Altis Belém.
Brand loyalists: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon.
Food-focused stays: Altis Belém, for Feitoria, or Bairro Alto Hotel in Chiado.

Lisbon’s tourist tax

Lisbon City Council charges a municipal tourist tax on overnight stays. Since 1 September 2024 it has been €4 per guest per night, for guests aged 13 and over, up to a limit of seven nights per stay, or €28 per person. Hotels we checked in October 2026 still list the €4 rate and say it is not included in room rates, so clients pay it at the property.

Rule	Detail
Rate	€4 per guest per night
Who pays	Guests aged 13 and over
Cap	Seven nights in a row per stay (€28 per person)
Exempt	Guests staying for medical treatment, for the treatment period plus one night (and one companion); students and scholarship holders in the first 60 days of each academic year

Source: Lisbon City Council, as of October 2026.

What it means for a quote: two adults and a 14-year-old on a five-night stay pay €4 × 3 × 5 = €60. Stretch it to ten nights and the cap applies, so the bill stops at €28 each, or €84 for the family. A child aged 12 pays nothing. The tax is per person, not per room, so it is worth a separate line on the invoice.

Getting there and getting in from the airport

Lisbon Airport (LIS) sits about 7 km from the city centre, according to Visit Lisboa, the city’s tourism association. Confirm current nonstop options from Canada, the US and the UK with the airlines when quoting, since schedules change by season.

Metro. Aeroporto station is on the Metro’s Red line. The airport puts the ride into the city at about 20 minutes. Change at São Sebastião for the Blue line, which runs to Terreiro do Paço on Praça do Comércio. Trains run from 6:30 am to 1 am every day, roughly every 6 to 10 minutes depending on the time of day, according to Metro de Lisboa. Riders need a navegante card, which costs €0.50, according to the airport, and works on both the Metro and Carris buses. Lifts link the platform, concourse and street.

Taxi and ride-hailing. Taxis wait outside arrivals and departures. The airport’s own guide puts a fare to the centre at about €10 to €15, depending on traffic and including luggage fees; ask for the meter and a receipt. Bolt and Uber pick up at P2, level 2, in arrivals. For clients heading to Alfama, a car to the door is worth it: the lanes are steep and narrow.

City buses. Carris buses stop near the terminal, and the 2026 on-board fare is €2.30. The airport notes that city buses only accept luggage up to 50 x 40 x 20 cm, so they are not a practical option for clients with suitcases.

Onward by train. Gare do Oriente, Lisbon’s main-line rail station in the east of the city, is about 10 minutes from the airport by Metro, for clients continuing by train.

When to go

Visit Lisboa describes the city’s winters as mild and its summers as hot, moderated by the sea, with spring and autumn generally sunny and mild. Spring and early autumn are the most comfortable months for walking the hills, and summer is the busiest and hottest. Winter is quieter and good value for city stays, though some rooftop pools and terraces may not be in use in cooler weather, so check with the hotel before selling a pool as a feature.

Booking tips for advisors

Match the hill to the client. Alfama and Bairro Alto mean stairs and cobbles. Clients with limited mobility are better placed in Baixa, on Avenida da Liberdade or at a hotel with a car at the door.
Check age rules before you quote families. Memmo Alfama takes guests aged 16 and over; Memmo Príncipe Real has cots but no extra beds; Bairro Alto Hotel caps rooms at three adults.
Quote the tourist tax as a separate line. At €4 per guest aged 13 and over, a family of four with two teenagers pays €16 a night until the seven-night cap.
Split the stay. Three nights in the centre plus one or two in Belém or at Pestana Palace gives clients the old town and the riverfront without daily cross-town taxis.
Arrange parking ahead. City-centre hotels often have limited or no parking. Memmo Príncipe Real charges €30 a night, subject to availability; Memmo Alfama has none.

FAQ

What is the best area to stay in Lisbon for a first visit?
Baixa and Chiado. They are flat or gently sloped, central and close to the river, the Metro and the trams. Pousada de Lisboa, Bairro Alto Hotel and The Ivens are all in the area.

How much is Lisbon’s tourist tax?
€4 per guest per night for guests aged 13 and over, for up to seven nights per stay, so no more than €28 per person. It is paid at the hotel and is not included in room rates.

How do I get from Lisbon Airport to the city centre?
The Metro’s Red line runs from Aeroporto station into the city in about 20 minutes; change at São Sebastião for the Blue line to Praça do Comércio. A taxi takes the strain out of a luggage-heavy arrival.

Is Alfama a good place to stay?
Yes, for atmosphere, fado and views, but the streets are steep and narrow and car access is limited. Memmo Alfama only takes guests aged 16 and over and has no parking.

Which Lisbon hotels have a swimming pool?
Among the hotels in this guide: Pousada de Lisboa (indoor), Memmo Príncipe Real, Memmo Alfama, Tivoli Avenida Liberdade, Olissippo Lapa Palace (indoor and outdoor), Pestana Palace Lisboa (indoor and outdoor) and Altis Belém (rooftop).

Sources

Where to stay near Praça do Comércio, Lisbon

Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.

Filed under Travel Guide Planning guide

Andrew Lovesey Editor-in-Chief

Andrew Lovesey is Editor-in-Chief of Not An Atlas, and always on the hunt for the next big thing: where to go, where to stay and what's worth the photo. His first trip was to the family cottage in Prince Edward Island, all rolling hills, red sand cliffs and jellyfish drifting in the North Atlantic. He'll sit anywhere but the middle seat (no armrest wars), never flies without the adapter that lets his AirPods play the in-flight movie, and has eaten at a McDonald's in every country he's visited. Iceland gets a pass because it doesn't have one. He once learned to bead earrings from Aleqa Hammond, Greenland's first female premier, on a ship in the Northwest Passage, and will tell anyone who'll listen that Cincinnati is wildly underrated. Friends say charming, driven and loyal. His mum says persuasive. Next stop: Greece.

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