Located in one of the city’s most affluent precincts, InterContinental Lisbon is a classic five-star hotel that needs a little love.
When it opened in 2015, the InterContinental Lisbon set a new benchmark for luxury in the Portuguese capital. By this stage, the iconic building, constructed in 1984, had lived through several iterations, including as the Le Méridien and later as the Tiara Park Atlantic Lisbon. Steps from both peaceful Eduardo VII Park and chic Avenida da Liberdade, and with views of the city’s Tagus River, the hotel introduced international levels of refinement at a time when Lisbon was coming of age as a contemporary European capital, making it popular with the city’s finance industry.
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Fast forward to today and much of that yesteryear glamour is still evident, in part thanks to a renovation undertaken in 2020 that attempted to brighten public spaces and apply new technology throughout. When I arrive, there are Porsches and BMWs lined up in the forecourt and the dark lobby, which smacks of brooding early century décor, is a hive of activity, despite the fact we’re a good taxi trip from the city centre.
That said, the shine is starting to tarnish at the hotel’s softer edges. Porters watch on as we tug luggage from the Uber and a stern, robotic staff member glares her way through the check-in process as if we were at a busy train station kiosk (so much for Portuguese hospitality). However, after a few minutes I head to the bank of elevators, room key in hand. The hotel features 331 rooms and suites across several categories (Classic Rooms, Classic High Floor Rooms, Family Rooms, Classic City View Rooms, Classic City View High Floor Rooms, and Classic River View Rooms) including the luxurious Two Bedroom Suite for titans of industry.
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My cool, calm Classic River View Room, which is dressed in muted shades of blue and grey, is spacious and has most of the amenities you might need, including a sizeable work deck, a bathroom with stand-alone bath, ample wardrobe space, and captivating views across the park to the Marques De Pombal. However, it still feels dark, dated and weathered, with few power outlets (no international sockets or USB outlets) and I suspect those well-intentioned renovations may have run out of steam.
An added benefit worth looking into is access to the Club Lounge, which, unlike at most hotels, is located directly off the lobby. It’s a refined space of book-lined walls, lounge chairs and sofas that presents a wide range of evening snacks and beverages. It’s also a nice alternative to the chaos of breakfast (more on that in a moment), especially if you’re just looking to fuel up and depart.
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The only weakness is again a human one, with service painfully slow on each night I visit, save for one young lad who was playing host, bartender, and chef while his colleagues chatted in the pantry.
Breakfast is the opposite case; despite willing staff serving as fast as you can expect a waiter to move – the vast Eduardo VII dining room on the first floor is a frenzy of hungry cruise ship passengers – and a matre’d that’s as gracious as an old-world general manager, the food is quite poor in terms of quality and presentation and has that school canteen mass-produced feeling.
For something a little more elegant, you might want to try Akla, the hotel’s signature restaurant (which has a stunning new Autumn menu), and a favourite with the black suited bankers of the nearby financial precinct. Located off the lobby, the eatery is home to chef Eddy Melo’s Mediterranean cuisine laced with seasonal Portuguese produce.
Beyond that, despite its five-star pedigree, the hotel doesn’t have much in the way of amenities. There’s no pool, no spa and only a small fitness room. However, I enjoy my morning walks in the serene Eduardo VII Park, as I’m sure countless other guests have in the hotel’s extensive history.
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