“Downtown desperately needed this” – Andaz Lisbon Hotel Review

If there’s one thing I consider overflowing-Lisbon doesn’t need more of, it’s international chain hotels. Or worse still, another Airbnb. The city is suffering one of Europe’s worst housing crises. So one would assume that I’d view the opening of the spacious-yet-homely 170-room Andaz Lisbon, just seconds away from the iconic Arco da Rua Augusta, as another planning misstep. Wrong. For once, I was excited to see a branded business open its doors – and not as luxury private apartments. It’s excellent in every possible way. And most importantly, a very welcome addition to Baixa (downtown).

Andaz Lisbon, the brand’s first Portugal property, hides some of the most gorgeous, urban rooms I’ve ever slept in. Suites speckled with high-tech touches, cosy mahogany panelling and layers of local art. Windows framing postcard landmark views. A top-notch rooftop restaurant plating up Portuguese-infused perfection and bespoke breakfasts. And, most importantly for a city break, everything is right on your doorstep. While the price point is perhaps a little steep – at least until the much-awaited spa area opens, currently there’s only a gym – those seeking central luxury will feel right at home.

Location: “Arch-view suites sum up the spectacular setting”

Being frank, I believe Lisbon’s downtown desperately needed this – or at least something special – to return some grandeur to the dashing Baixa district that’s been overrun with tourist-tat shops and seemingly devoid of local life for nearly a decade now. A brand with passion taking over such an iconic block-covering building – the former headquarters of the Investment Bank of Portugal – or rather two different buildings joined together, which explains some of the split-floor quirks inside, was arguably the best outcome for visitors and locals alike. 

If you’re lucky enough to snag one, the handful of arch-view suites sum up the spectacular setting, framing Lisbon’s iconic gateway to the vast, river-facing Praça do Comércio. Rebuilt after the devastating 1755 Earthquake, the orderly, grid-like Baixa district is right at the heart of the city, with pedestrianised thoroughfares and carpeted with the patterned-stone calçada portuguesa. For some years, the area’s slowly fallen foul of all the naff bits that crop up in a heavily tourist district, but with Andaz’s arrival and the reopening of MUDE Design Museum across the street, it’s feeling more of a place to be, rather than to pass through, once more. 

But as a base, the location can’t be beat. Alfama is just to the left, the nightlife and shopping of Chiado and Bairro Alto to your right. It’s all within easy striking distance on foot. Plus, there are trams on the doorstep to Belém, and Cais do Sodre for trains to Cascais, or Rossio for Sintra connections, are both quickly reached on foot. For a long weekend in Lisbon, you’re right in the middle of it all.

Service: “Those touches are especially welcome straight after a flight”

Service was faultless. For those new to the Andaz concept, it can seem a little distant at first – but you quickly realise that whenever you want or need something, it’s taken care of effortlessly, quickly and in a friendly manner. Personally, I love this approach – I don’t want to feel constantly checked up on, or like I have to put in the work on vacation to be looked after. It’s obvious from arrival that the comfort of the guest is put first. There’s no large check-in desk, but rather you’re invited to take a plush seat or sofa in the downstairs lounge, handed a drink, and the formalities are taken care of right there using a table. Those touches are especially welcome straight after a flight. 

Throughout my stay, I found the team to be incredibly well-trained but also simply kind. Every wine, breakfast dish and option was explained with intimate knowledge, and nothing was too much trouble. Sure, these things should be a given at a five-star property. But it was the tone and caring nature of the delivery that gives Andaz Lisbon the edge over some of its local competition. While I didn’t try any of the curated experiences, the concierge can arrange tailored tours of Lisbon, such as their “seven hills by night” outing, where a driver will zip you around the sights, sounds and sips of the city at dusk.

Design: “Portuguese art is respected and celebrated”

Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola has fully embraced the Andaz concept of making a branded chain hotel adapt to its local identity. Elements of the historic building, such as the marble staircase on arrival, and other artefacts from the bank have been preserved and integrated, but the focus is more on soft furnishings, splashes of colour and paying homage to signature styles, much of the work by local artists such as Sophia Cruz.

Portuguese art is respected and celebrated throughout the property, from bold walls of blue azulejos (hand-painted ceramic tiles) and Bordallo ceramics to regal half-height wood panelling in the rooms that contrasts with pink marble bathrooms and statement pieces. Then there’s the rooftop, which is a riot of geometric patterns, vivid colours and youthful energy. Yet there are no visual banalities; the Lisbon design references are sometimes as subtle as the type of craftsmanship employed, from cork to ancestral embroidery techniques. 

The Rooms: “For once, I found I didn’t want to dash straight out to sightsee”

Andaz Lisbon’s rooms are beautiful creations. And as someone who is usually more fussed about the hotel’s other facilities, or exploring the city, for once, I found I didn’t want to dash straight out to sightsee. Of the 170 rooms, there are 12 different types, including the signature suites which are divided across three categories – so do pay attention when booking – and an adapted wheelchair-accessible room.

I stayed in one of the corner arch-view suites, which had excellent views of the Arco da Rua Augusta and the pedestrianised road of the same name . Different categories might look out onto tram-zipped roads or the other side of the block. But while the views were magnificent, the interior design is what made me feel especially at home. 

Dividing the bedroom from the lounge is somewhat of a wide, central dark wood pillar – which actually houses the (second) toilet and walk-in wardrobe, with fold-out doors to either separate the rooms or give a more open-plan design. It’s a design I’ve never seen before, but it really gave the room an edge on most other five-star properties I’ve stayed at. Trendy but comfortable sofas, a bed where even an insomniac like me slept like a baby, a separate bathroom (be aware that most rooms are shower only) with twin sinks, and all the modern touches – coffee machine, sensor lighting at night to the bathroom, well-placed switches and sockets including near the bed – you’d expect. Best of all, it was silent at night. I’ll admit I was expecting the location to be noisier, but the windows did the job. 

Food & Drinks: “Happily, it doesn’t feel like a hotel restaurant”

While I’m not usually a huge fan of international chain hotels, I’m never a fan of their onsite restaurants. Unless there’s literally no other option due to distance or time, I avoid them like the plague. So I very much took my seat in Luzzi, the funky, enclosed rooftop restaurant atop Andaz Lisbon, expecting disappointment. Wrong again. It’s now firmly on my favourite Lisbon restaurant list, and is arguably a dining destination in its own right. Why? Because happily, it doesn’t feel like a hotel restaurant.

“We know what the prices are like right now in Lisbon, and we don’t want to position ourselves as a special occasion restaurant,” Executive Chef Bruno Alves tells me as he announces the specials. It was an intentional decision to operate the restaurant semi-separately from the hotel, and creating something that wants to, and most importantly will, appeal to Lisboetas makes it all the better for guests. There’s more atmosphere; it feels more playful and cosmopolitan thanks to the local crowd, and it means the Chef always has to work harder to win the city’s residents back. And hard he works indeed – all at prices that aren’t too dissimilar to an average meal on the streets below.

The menu puts Lusotanian Cuisine at the forefront – dishes from and influenced by Portugal’s colonies and the so-called “Age of Discovery”, the period where the Portuguese set sail to explore, colonise and founded the transatlantic slave trade. I’d also worried about the menu and dishes keeping this old-colonial mindset. But with Brazilian-born Bruno Alves at the helm – who has worked internationally, including Japan – those concerns were unfounded. Every dish was incredible: chouriço samosas paying homage to Goa were crisp and intense; the Brazilian Moqueca fish stew balanced cream and plump prawns perfectly; Macao dumplings bathed in a fragrant soy broth were parcels of heaven, and I found it hard to resist scraping the last morsel of the duck rice from the bowl. A Negroni in adjacent Bar Z, vinyls spinning and illuminated Castelo de São Jorge in the distance, the perfect nightcap. Different events, DJs and live music give the reasons to return the following night. 

In the morning, Luzzi becomes the hotel’s breakfast restaurant. While it’s a separate operation to Luzzi by night, the same care goes into the service. There’s a buffet with the expected cheeses, mini pastel de nata, juices and the like, but also an à la carte menu with dishes such as Lisbon Benedict, which uses local smoked trout rather than imported salmon – one of the various, but undeclared, sustainability touches. 

The second dining and drinking space in the hotel is the Andaz Lounge lobby “quiosque”. Designed with the traditional kiosks of Lisbon’s terraces and parks in mind, the space recreates a more relaxed hangout where you can enjoy just a wine (from the all-women producer wine list) or coffee, grab a pastry, or relish slightly more filling dishes or an affordable set-price lunch menu. The fusion take on a bifana, Portugal’s typical pork sandwich, which here was doused in katsu sauce, was delicious. This is the same space where check-in is done, and in the mornings, a complimentary coffee machine is set up for guests with an early check-out to get their morning caffeine fix – a nice touch on my departure. 

*I was a hosted guest of Andaz Lisbon during its soft opening. As always, all opinions are my own, and I operate a strict review policy: if any provided service doesn’t meet the standard, it simply isn’t published. If you’re reading this, it was one of the good ones.