Hotel Review: The One Palacio Da Anunciada, Lisbon

The One Palacio Da Anunciada Hotel Review: After a delightful three-night stay at Sublime Comporta during our family Portugal vacation this Summer, we drove one hour up to Lisbon to spend two nights at the newly opened boutique hotel, The One Hotel Palacio Da Anunciada.

Review by Contributing Editor Romi Howard

Just opened in February 2019 as an 83-room boutique luxury hotel, The One Palacio Da Anunciada was once a 16^thcentury aristocratic family home and palace. After sitting empty for decades, the hotel underwent an extensive refurbishment by One Hotels (the high-end division of the Spanish H10 chain) to restore the palace back to its original splendor while adding welcome modern tech touches and a contemporary design to counterpoint the ornate architecture. We couldn’t wait to check it out for ourselves.

Admittedly, we grew a bit hesitant as we drove our car past a Hard Rock restaurant and other tourist stops as we made our way to the hotel. We had nothing to fear. By the end of our stay, we all agreed that the hotel’s location – close to bustling Avenida da Liberdade (where all the designer stores and hot restaurants are located), the lively Rossio Square and the funicular train – was key to making our stay so easy and enjoyable.

Quietly nestled on a little side street, The One Hotel Palacio is tucked away from all the fray. The entrance is so non-descript and setting so discreet, we almost missed the entrance, save the strategically placed doorman.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

As soon as we walked through the hotel doors, however, the luxurious One Hotel Palacio is anything but discreet. We were immediately struck by the magnificent high gilded painted ceilings, grand stone staircase to the insanely beautiful original marble floors of the palace, it is simply magnificent. The intricate details – the stunning murals, frescoes, stained glass windows and mosaics – were all evident throughout the grand spaces. And, I loved the juxtaposition of the restored 16^th century architecture with the modern furnishings throughout the spaces – a balance of old and new.

Likewise, as we walked outdoors, we were pleasantly surprised by the beautiful grounds which include a substantial patio terrace, gardens and a sleek, modern pool perched high on another level with views over Lisbon’s rooftops. Considerable for an urban, boutique hotel.

PUBLIC SPACES

The garden patio is a beautiful space to enjoy cocktails as well as breakfast in warmer weather months. The O Jardin Wine bar is directly underneath the expansive outdoor pool area and another great place to have cocktails in the warmer months.

Another free-standing bar is located at the end of the 60 foot pool. This pool was a fantastic city hotel pool – an oasis within the hustle and bustle. I felt like I was at a resort rather than a boutique hotel. Here, cabanas abound with a lounge, music piping through the speakers, and spectacular views of the hotel garden, the courtyard beyond and the colorful surrounding rooftops.

Restaurant Condes de Ericeira is the hotel’s gorgeous main restaurant located on the second level, where you can dine under the stunning restored frescoed ceilings. During the summer, the terrace off to the gardens is a lovely place to linger near the fountain and 100-year old preserved dragon tree (the hotel was restructured during the renovation so the tree was not harmed) that is a focal point of the outdoor space. Breakfast is served here in the colder months or in inclement weather.

Boémio cocktail lounge sits adjacent to the lobby and is a wonderful place to have a drink or read a book in the daytime (it doubles as a chic library). Interestingly, it is not open for drinks in the warmer months but you can certainly hang out there. This bar originally housed the stables, the shops and the workshops on the street open to the locals and the public.

ROOMS/SUITES

There are 83 guest rooms and suites located across two buildings separated by the grand lobby. All the rooms and suites feature Bassol 1790 bedding and robes of pure Egyptian cotton, 100% goose feather pillows, rain shower heads, USB chargers and international plugs, and complimentary Nespresso coffee machines and tea/coffee selections.

Hand painted ceramics by local Portuguese artists hang above the beds in every room of the hotel. Rooms are contemporary/modern in design with an understated tone using bleached wood walls to showcase the art on its walls. Most overlook the private gardens.

The smallest category are the Cozy rooms at 269 square feet, some facing the pretty courtyard gardens. The Deluxe rooms, at 322 square feet, are a bit more spacious. For families with young children, the 484 square foot Deluxe Family rooms is ideal with a King bed and pull out sofa.

The Junior Suites, which we were upgraded to at booking by Inviato, are also a spacious 484 square feet. Some of the bathrooms have double vs. single sinks so make sure to request ahead of time if this is important to you.

There are three suite types: Tower suite (located in the old tower building in a loft style with a spacious bathroom featuring free standing tub), the Attic suite on the top fourth floor (with a sloping ceiling) and the Garden suite which has direct level views of the garden and two separate rooms (bed and living space) for more privacy. The latter also has a complimentary cocktail trolley!

Note as this an original palace, each room has different architectural characteristics. Ceilings can be low in some and sloping in other rooms.

OUT AND ABOUT IN LISBON: OUR FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT, DRINK AND VISIT

100 Maneiras

JncQUOI. Just a 5-minute walk from the One Palacio, this is the place to see and be seen. There is a great restaurant upstairs and a great concept store and popular bar downstairs.

Restaurante 100 Maneiras. We loved this forever hot spot in Bairro Alto neighborhood. My husband had a beet tartare that he said was the best fish he ever had in his life.

Any of the Jose Avillez restaurants (the Danny Meyer of Portugal):

Mini Bar Teatro. Tapas style lounge, low-key but sophisticated.
Cantino do Avillez. Informal bistro style restaurant.
Bel Canto. His original Michelin-starred restaurant that put him on the map.
Beco Cabart Gourmet. His latest concept restaurant with cabaret show.

A Cevicheria. Great fish place for lunch They take no rezzies but it is worth the inevitable wait. A giant octopus hangs over the balcony. Yummy food, hip place. A must visit.

A Cevicheria

O Ramiro. Gained instant fame when Anthony Bourdain featured this seafood restaurant on his show.

Other notable places to eat and drink:

Prado
Alma (Michelin Star chef Henriques Sa Pessoas)
Eleven (Michelin Star chef Joaquim Koerper)
Bota Sal
O Asiatico
Tapisco

Peixaria da Esquina. In Campo da Onique, a charming neighborhood, this is a local place with yummy food, local ingredients, and excellent service.

There are MANY rooftop bars in Lisbon, especially in the Bairro Alto district, where locals and tourists alike congregate.

OUR FAVORITE SIGHTS IN LISBON

Cabo da Roca

Cabo da Roca. The westernmost point in continental Europe, the cliffs are really something spectacular. Tourist attractions but well worth it. Think cliffs of Moeher in Ireland. We had a private car and driver take us there and combined it with the sights of Sintra and Cascais along the way (Note it can be windy!).

Panteao National (pantheon). An incredible baroque structure in the Alfama district honoring all the famous Portuguese from past to present. The terrace rooftop of this structure showcases the best view in all of Lisbon. This was hands down our favorite monument to see in all of Lisbon.

Sāo Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint. Great viewpoint adjacent to the graffitied tram cars.

Alfama District (the old city quarter)

Bairro Alto district

Museo do Chado

Padrāo dos des Cobrimentos on the banks of the Tejo Estuary.

Jeronimos Monastery

Photos by Jeff Howard and The One Palacio da Anunciada. Copyright protected.

Loved	Didn't Love
Location, location, location. Tucked away on a quiet street dotted with inviting wine and tapas bars and coffee shops, One Hotel is removed from the hustle and bustle of the city yet steps away from everything we wanted to see. The Bairro Alto and Alfama districts, the Time Out market, the graffiti-painted trams perched high above the city – they are all a stone’s throw away from the hotel. The dramatic public common spaces in the hotel were just incredible. The Boémio cocktail lounge, just steps from the entrance, is cool and chic. The grand entry and staircase and other common interior spaces are all lovely. The outdoor courtyard with the 100-year old dragon tree and gardens were particularly appealing. The modern, sleek pool (which is great for laps in the morning) was a fantastic spot to relax at the end of the day with a cocktail in hand. The whole vibe of the hotel was fantastic. The hospitality of all the staff was warm, courteous, and engaging. The concierge really went out of their way to try and find the right spots for us. Eating breakfast on the garden patio was such a beautiful way to start the day (even if the breakfast choices were rather eclectic).	While the common areas were stunning, some areas felt like an afterthought. The gym, located in the lower level was small and windowless (as someone who uses hotel gyms quite a bit, this is my pet peeve). The guest room hallways felt narrow and poorly lit and the elevators felt cramped. (The latter two, respectfully, could be due to the limitations of renovating a historic palace). A little nuance that bothered me was the brightly lit exit signs prominently displayed throughout the property. I wish they could be more subdued as it was a distraction from the beautifully preserved spaces. The breakfast selection was a bit odd with a buffet selection of petit fours, quiches and canapés and fruit I did not recognize. A hot breakfast is offered but for me, it was a strange buffet selection. The bathroom in our Junior Suite had only one sink (some Junior Suites have two, a good thing to request when booking) and was small comparative to our room.
Don't Miss	Skip
Pasteis de Belem. The original and the BEST nata in all of Lisbon. Time Out market. The food stalls here are just incredible. A Cevicheria. Great fish place for lunch They take no rezzies but it is worth the inevitable wait. Restaurante 100 Maneiras. We loved this restaurant in Bairro Alto neighborhood. The graffitied tram cars.
Rooms to Get	Tips
If you are traveling with a young family, go for the Deluxe Family Suite with pull out sofas. The Garden Suites offer the most privacy with level views of the garden and separate living room and bedroom spaces. The complimentary cocktail trolley is a plus! The Junior Suites are spacious and ideal for a couple. Double sinks are offered in only some of the rooms. If important to you, request at the time of booking. Most rooms have views of the courtyard. But best to make sure!	If you are making your way from Comporta to Lisbon, as we did, you can alternatively take a ferry for part of your drive. It is a little longer but nice in the Summer and a different way to arrive to Lisbon.

The One Palacio da Anunciada

As a Preferred Platinum Partner (through Classic Travel), Inviato is pleased to provide the following benefits to its clients when booking The One Palacio da Anunciada: