Lisboa Carmo Hotel

It puts on a surprisingly genuine face to its guests, it is contemporary, refined and informal; the staff is friendly, the mood is almost festive, as if you're visiting friends. The Carmo's 48 rooms, much like the rest of the hotel, operates under a “less is more” rule, with classic furniture and neutral colours, and the occasional shiny bauble – a gold-rimmed mirror, a colourful armchair, bucolic wallpaper, a leather-upholstered big chair. Only the top floor rooms have an old-style bathtub and a broad view of the Tagus – try and get one of these. If that's not possible, any balcony will afford you a view of the Largo do Carmo. That's not a particularly fascinating view, but history buffs might be interested in learning this was the stage for Portugal's April 25, 1974 revolution, and that nearby lie the ruins of the Carmo Convent. There is also a lively kiosk and plenty of outdoor tables where you can sit and spend a lazy evening watching passersby. From the Largo do Carmo, any direction, up or down, will lead you to an interesting destination, full of nice things to do, taste or discover: downhill you will find the typical stores of the Rossio and the city centre; uphill, you will find new businesses and restaurants at the Príncipe Real.