Lisbon is a very pleasant destination that is very trendy. For my latest stay there I opted for the Altis Belem. Altis is a small local chain of luxury hotels and the Altis Belem is the only one of them that has joined Design Hotels which, by the way, after having left us disappointed for a long time, is starting to rise in our esteem.
Access and location
As its name suggests, the Altis Belém is located in the Belém district, which can be reached from the airport and the city center with one transfer or by cab in half an hour.
The hotel enjoys a prime location: on the banks of the Tagus River with an unobstructed view of the ocean, just 100 meters from the famous Belem Tower. It may be a bit far from the center (but the metro is right next door) but it’s worth it 100 times over.
It may be a bit far from the center (but the metro is right next door) but it’s more than worth it.
The very stylish and sleek facade of the hotel can be seen from afar.
As soon as I arrived, the bellman grabbed my luggage and accompanied me to the reception. All in style and sobriety, I am conquered.
The staff is very friendly and speaks to me spontaneously in French. The check-in will be done very quickly. The good news is that the Altis Belém, unlike most Design Hotels, applies almost all the benefits of the Starwood SPG loyalty program including upgrades. Bad news: the hotel is full so no upgrade and I will get the Deluxe Room I had booked.
A very nice Deluxe Room.
The receptionist accompanies me to my room. The hotel is actually a long corridor with rooms on both sides. It’s easy to find your way around.
I am surprised by the size of this room yet standard. A real lounge area, an office area and a large bed.
A little gift from the management.
And for the first time on Travelguys a 360° view!
The view of the marina and, behind it, the Tagus and the ocean is superb.
I am more than seduced, the room is very bright and pleasant moreover.
Very nice at night too.
The bathroom is also very large and has a bathtub and a large shower.
There is nothing to complain about, I would have been satisfied with less.
Other good news: the minibar is free!
The room will prove to be a very pleasant place to live and the very comfortable bedding will only add to the excellent experience.
We finish with the traditional video.
A very stylish hotel
In this case, this Design Hotels is very well named.
On the landing of each floor a mini lounge with fruit and drinks.
Once again the superb lobby.
Very comfortable spaces to sit, chat, watch TV…
And the building seen from the outside.
Nice bar and starred restaurant.
The hotel bar is also very well designed
It offers, above all, a terrace with a unique view.
The cocktail menu is not amazing but the cocktails are well executed.
The hotel has a “normal” restaurant and a Michelin 1 star one. Unfortunately, I won’t have time to try either of them.
Un very small rooftop
Altis Belém has a rooftop pool on the 3rd floor. The receptionist had warned me: the pool is very small but the view is amazing. This proved to be true.
At the end of the afternoon, it was impossible to find a place on the few deckchairs of the rooftop and the pool, just big enough to cool off, was overloaded with people. Really not pleasant.
On the other hand, the view on Lisbon is worth to go up for a few moments.
I will retry in the morning with more success. And there it was a very nice experience before the place filled up little by little.
In 360°…
And in video…
Big regret: the pool only opens at 9am. A real drawback for early risers who would like to enjoy the hotel’s facilities before visiting the city. Such a late opening kills part of the morning and it’s a shame.
A spa…but what a spa!
So in the absence of a pool that can be used in decent conditions during peak hours, I fall back on the Spa.
The gym it hosts offers the minimum acceptable, without more (you will see it on the video).
Then we find a hammam,
Turkish bath,
Sauna,
cold bath,
and…the highlight of the show…a huge indoor pool!
Very large and deep enough for swimming.
The water temperature is ideal and the massaging jets a real delight.
A short video to better understand.
As for the indoor pool, I hadn’t seen anything as good since the Heliopic in Chamonix. It is perhaps even a little above…
However, the comparison stops there because I did not test the treatments.
Finally a place infinitely more pleasant than the overcrowded rooftop. The sun in less, the tranquility in more.
But again it is a pity that these facilities only open at 9am. Too late for a morning workout or swim before starting the day. Very regrettable.
The Altis Belém: to discover absolutely.
The Altis Belém Lisbon is definitely a great hotel to discover. Its price positioning is quite high for Lisbon (I had the room at 250 euros per night) but the setting and the service more than justify it.is Belém: to discover absolutely.
We regret the size of the rooftop, compensated by the excellent spa even if it does not save everything.
No, the most regrettable thing, which makes the property lose points in terms of facilities and experience for money, is the opening hours of the various facilities. 9 am is really too late and, whether you are there to visit or on a business trip, it really breaks the day, as long as you have the possibility to start it at the time you want, otherwise it will be at the end of the afternoon but it is not the same, especially for the gym.
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