Fénix’s group of hotels sit like giant neon disco cubes alongside the giant roundabout of Praça Marquês do Pombal. The four-star Fénix Lisboa bags the spot on the corner and offers simple accommodation with easy transport access. Rooms have decorative feature walls plus timber bedheads and furnishings. Some rooms have wooden floors and others are carpeted, and big windows give lots of natural light. While the bathrooms may be a bit on the small side, overall the rooms are comfortable. The hotel is known for its rockstar breakfast, which has plenty of options to keep your tummy tied over until lunch. Said lunch (as well as breakfast and dinner) can be enjoyed at the European-style Espaço Jardim restaurant. The chilled City Garden Lounge extends from the lobby and has a garden terrace perfect for some late afternoon cocktailing or a nightcap. Hit it up in summer.
Location: The hotel is conveniently located right near the Marquês do Pombal metro as well as the first Hop On Hop Off bus stop. Lisbon’s most beautiful shopping street, Avenida da Liberdade starts on the other side of the roundabout and leads to the downtown area.
Nearby:
Level Eight Rooftop Bar & Lounge: When you’re up eight floors chilling on this rooftop, the views are darn good, and the cocktails aren’t bad either.
Avenida da Liberdade: This is Lisbon’s premium shopping strip where you can tread across beautiful mosaic pavement under an arch of towering trees. The building façades along this street are also stunning, so what better place to drain some pennies?
JNcQUOI: This trendy fashion and gastronomy fusion sits on Avenida da Liberdade and has a men’s clothing store on the lower level, oyster bar and deli on the mid-level, and a fine dining restaurant upstairs. Front up on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night between 10pm and 2am to join one of JNcQUOI’s bathroom gigs. This place has a cool loo, and yep, DJ-rockin’ toilet parties are a thing.
Miradouro do Parque Eduardo VII: This lookout is located on the border of the park named after one of Portugal’s most famous fado singers, Amália Rodrigues. Walk up the long gentle slope from the roundabout to admire a sweeping city view across the manicured gardens.
Good for: Leisure travellers in particular, including couples and die-hard shopaholics, will enjoy the Fénix Lisboa’s location near Avenida da Liberdade and plentiful public transport options.
Amenities: Room service; free Wi-Fi; minibar; restaurant; bar; concierge; laundry service
Time Out tip: Grab a drink and a bite to eat at one of Lisbon’s traditional quiosques (kiosks) along Avenida da Liberdade. If you front up on a summery weekend evening you might also catch an outdoor DJ.