America Diamonds Hotel

The America Diamonds Hotel is housed in a yellow eight-story historic building on a busy street, and it makes a solid first impression with an eye-pleasing, contemporary lobby. There are large, navy drum fixtures on the ceiling throughout, mod sofas, and a colorful print of a city scene framed in gold as a focal point. Even better, the adjoining cocktail lounge is positively chic, with elegant wood paneling, pale-pink velvet sofas dotted with red throw pillows, and a beautiful glass midcentury globe pendant hanging in the center of the space. A cobalt blue wall backing the bar adds extra zest and completes the look. The hotel's guest list skews toward couples, but families stay here too, and shoppers are lured to the location near El Corte Ingles mall, the city's largest. 

America Diamonds Hotel is in the Avenidas Novas district, where there are plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars, but it isn't the most convenient location for sightseeing. The Picoas metro station and bus stop are across the street, however, for easy access to central Lisbon's attractions. El Corte Ingles mall (Lisbon’s largest mall) and Eduardo VII Park, which has panoramic city views, is a little more than a five-minute walk, while Marquis of Pombal Square and the north end of Avenida da Liberdade is 10 minutes on foot. The Medeiros E Almeida Museum (paintings by Rembrandt and Rubens) is 10 minutes by bus, as is Rossio Square and Rossio Train Station. The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum is a 12-minute stroll, and the Lisbon Zoo and Children’s Museum takes roughly 15 minutes by bus. The hotel is also a 15-minute bus ride from the north end of the Bairro Alto district and the Gloria Funicular, which runs down to Restauradores Square. Lisbon Portela Airport is a quick 10-minute drive, and slightly longer by bus.

Standard guest rooms are colorful and pleasant, but they certainly aren't as attractive as the hotel's public spaces. The red, white, and blue decor is a nod to the hotel's name, and there's basic light-wood furniture and floors. Suites, on the other hand, are more inspired and modern. Expect charcoal gray upholstered sofas and chairs, accent walls behind beds with attractive print wallpaper and black-and-white photo murals of city street scenes, and pretty lavender and plum accents.  All units come with flat-screen TVs, lightly stocked minibars, safes (fee for use), and free Wi-Fi, but they lack kettles and coffeemakers don't come standard. Suites and Romantic Rooms add furnished balconies, chilled sparkling wine, and espresso machines. Family Rooms (two interconnected rooms) are also available. Bathrooms have a contemporary design, and all come with showers or shower/tub combos, bidets, hairdryers, and nice bottled toiletries. Suites and Romantic Rooms feature jetted tubs, bathrobes, and slippers. Room views are mostly of the street and surrounding buildings.

The America Diamonds has a fairly extensive lineup of amenities. The free breakfast buffet gets a thumbs-up from guests, and it includes eggs, bacon, and wide range of cold items. For lunch and dinner, there's a sushi restaurant on-site, which also gets good reviews from guests, located on the top floor in a room with city views. Hotel guests receive a discount voucher, and room service is available. The lobby-level cocktail lounge offers light bites and a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and it hosts special events like wine and cheese tastings and live music. The hotel also has a business center, bicycle rental, airport transfer (for a fee), luggage storage, and 24-hour front desk with concierge service. There is no pool or fitness center on-site, but there are public gyms within a walk or bus ride of the hotel. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. The hotel offers free parking (subject to availability), and there's nearby public parking for a fee.