Eurostars Lisboa Parque

Set into a hillside, this low-slung hotel is clad in creamy stone and accented with industrial steel. That combination lends it a contemporary look that carries on into its light-filled lobby. Across from the reception desk, a stylishly subdued lounge offers lots of armchairs for relaxing, plus free newspapers, a TV, a computer station, and a bar (all of which encourage lingering). The area’s sharp angles are softened by warm woods and other natural materials, creating a streamlined elegance. But despite the up-to-date design, this place qualifies as comfy and casual rather than cool -- and the mix of business travelers and tourists who book rooms here seem to like it that way. 

Just off bustling Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, the Lisboa Parque Hotel occupies a comparatively quiet location in a largely residential area near Eduardo VII Park and Marquês de Pombal Square. The latter’s eponymous metro stop -- which is a five-minute stroll away -- gives fast, easy access to top attractions. From there, you can reach the city’s tourist center in two stops. Two other stations (Picoas and Parque) are also less than 10 minutes from the hotel; however, energetic sightseers can walk down to Rossio Square in 25 minutes or go all the way to the riverfront Praca de Comercio in about 30. Shopping is even closer at hand because the hotel is 11 minutes on foot from El Corte Inglés department store and 14 from Avenida da Liberdade (Lisbon's broad, store-lined boulevard).    

• Five-minute walk to Marquês de Pombal metro station
• Seven-minute walk to Eduardo VII Park
• 11-minute walk to El Corte Inglés shopping center
• 14-minute walk to Avenida da Liberdade
• 16-minute walk to the Gulbenkian Museum
• 11 minutes to Rossio train station by public transport
• 12 minutes to Santa Justa Elevator by public transport
• 14 minutes to Lisbon Cathedral by public transport
• 14 minutes to Praca de Comercio by public transport
• 22 minutes to the National Museum of Ancient Art by public transport
• 21 minutes to Castelo de Sao Jorge by public transport
• 31 minutes to Lisbon Portela Airport by public transport (18 minutes by car)

The spacious rooms here are clean, quiet, and air-conditioned. Crisp white linens and minimalist furnishings in warm wood tones give them an attractive contemporary look, though they lack those colorful little extras (accent pillows, area rugs, or wall art) that typically add pizzazz to such spaces. All include functional desks, minibars, LCD TVs with international channels and free Wi-Fi but not the tea/coffee-making facilities you might expect in a hotel of this caliber. All also have mod four-piece bathrooms done up in rather loud green marble with generously sized shower/tub combos. Note that some accommodations come with furnished balconies. Suites feature a separate living and dining area; if you’re traveling with children, triple rooms are available as well, and cribs or cots can be brought in for an added charge.

This Eurostars outpost covers the basics well, starting with a sleek on-site restaurant that specializes in Portuguese and Mediterranean dishes, which can be paired with a solid selection of Iberian wines. A sustaining breakfast buffet that features gluten-free options is set up in this same spot each morning, and light fare is served each evening at the adjacent bar; round-the-clock room service is available too. 

A pair of meeting rooms outfitted with audio-visual equipment will appeal to business travelers, while all guests will appreciate the free computer station in the lobby and the bright fitness area with its sauna and small but serviceable workout room. (FYI, joggers who prefer alfresco exercise can take a run in nearby Eduardo VII Park instead.) Other hotel perks include a 24-hour reception desk with friendly multilingual staffers, comprehensive concierge services, laundry/dry-cleaning services, paid indoor parking, free daily newspapers in the lobby, and free Wi-Fi throughout.