The four-star Novotel Lisboa is a comfortable accommodation option in Lisbon’s north. While the common areas could do with a spruce-up in places, the rooms are clean and comfortable and the staff is helpful.
The Novotel has all the facets of a well-appointed hotel; gym, restaurant, bar, play area for the kiddies and a smashing buffet breakfast to hit every morning. Choose from a superior room and dive into a king-sized bed at the end of the day, or upgrade to a two-bedroom suite, where you can wind down with two televisions. Rooms have tea and coffee facilities so you can whip up a morning buzz without leaving the room. The vintage-style restaurant A Bicicleta flaunts a cool modern setting, while the Bar A Bicicleta is the spot to sip a casual drink. If you’re in the mood for a buffet, opt for the Tejo restaurant to sample a range of international cuisines.
Location: The hotel is easy enough to reach via public transport, with the São Sebastião metro station a ten-minute walk away. São Sebastião is outside the tourist centre of Lisbon, so the area feels a little commercial. It is however where you’ll find the department store El Corte Inglés and a collection of other shops and cafés. The Novotel is also a stone’s throw from the Gulbenkian Museum, one of Lisbon’s most impressive cultural spaces.
Nearby:
Museu Calouste Gulbenkian: This museum includes both the founder’s private collection as well as modern exhibitions showcasing Portuguese art from the end of the nineteenth century to the present day. Guided tours are available.
Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa: Lisbon’s renowned zoo is just over a kilometre from the hotel. Here you’ll find a diverse range of animals, including gorillas, elephants, dolphins and lemurs.
El Corte Inglés: Lisbon’s major department store stocking high-end brands of clothing, accessories and homewares is located a ten-minute walk away. The supermarket downstairs shelves a wide variety of goods, including international foods.
O Talho: O Talho means ‘the butcher’, which should give you a clue as to what’s on the menu at this restaurant by well-known Portuguese chef Kiko Martins. There is in fact also a butchery onsite.
Good for: Leisure and business travellers will feel at home at the Novotel, and even the family pet can tag along. The hotel also welcomes families and offers safe play areas, late check-out options and gifts for kids.
Amenities: Pool; room service; free Wi-Fi; minibar; restaurant; bar; gym; laundry service
Time Out tip: Up to two children 15 years or younger can stay and eat breakfast for free if they share a room with their parents or guardians. Ask the hotel about their family rooms at the time of booking.