VIP Executive Éden Aparthotel

Back in 1996 the Portuguese government gave this property an award for being “The Best Urban Renovation Project” -- and rightly so because its grand, artfully-maintained Art Deco facade ingeniously hides a curvaceous contemporary hotel. Evidence of its days as a 1930’s cinema remain: The front of the imposing stone building still bears the name Eden Teatro and is adorned with a frieze portraying actors and a movie crew. So it seems appropriate that the hotel lobby has a dramatic look. Unfortunately, boxy black leather armchairs, red shag rugs and a mirrored wall clearly reflect its turn-of-the-21st-century overhaul. Thanks to reasonable prices and a strategic location, the guests who gather in it are a mixed bag of frugal tourists and business travelers.

Lisbon is a city made up of distinct districts, and Baixa represents their collective heart. Fronting the river, it has the aptly-name Barrio Alta (a cobbled area crammed with bars and restaurants) rising on one side and the evocative, centuries-old Alfama (crowned by São Jorge Castle) on the other. Having been rebuilt following the 1755 earthquake, Baixa boasts broad avenues, stately architecture plus enticing plazas -- and the VIP Executive Eden Aparthotel, on Praca dos Restauradores, is centrally located within it. The Restauradores metro station is a two-minute walk and the Rossio train station is five minutes away on foot. Numerous top sights are in walking distance too, as are shops, whether along Avenida da Liberdade (Lisbon's tree-lined main artery) or in Chiado (the city's main retail district). Suburban Belem, which is home to popular attractions like the Jerónimos Monastery and Belem Tower, is 36 minutes away via Lisbon’s efficient public transit system. 

• Two-minute walk to Restauradores metro stop
• Three-minute walk to the Avenida da Liberdade
• Five-minute walk to Rossio train station
• Seven-minute walk to the Santa Justa Elevator
• 11-minute walk to Barrio Alto
• 11-minute walk to Chiado
• 15-minute walk to Lisbon Cathedral
• 15-minute walk to Praca de Comercio, a beautiful riverfront plaza
• 25-minute walk to Alfama (nine minutes by public transport)
• 19 minutes to the National Museum of Ancient Art by public transport
• 28 minutes to Lisbon Portela Airport by public transport (19 minutes by car)
• 36 minutes to Belem by public transport

Dated accommodations, despite being generously size, are the real drawback here. Studios, for instance, have a Spartan main room with either one double or two twin beds, built-in blond-wood furnishings and institutional carpeting -- picture a dorm room... 10 years ago. Apartments add a ho-hum living room with a pull-out couch and dining area. In both categories, the blue-and-white bathrooms are better, displaying flashes of the pretty tilework for which Portugal is famous. In addition to a sizable tub with hand-held shower, they are outfitted with bidets and glass shelving which leaves lots of room for towels and toiletries. The separate kitchenettes are compact yet conveniently equipped with a two-burner stove-top, a microwave, toaster, electric kettle and an unstocked mini-fridge that seems small by North American standards; there is a sufficient supply of pots, dishes and utensils as well. Air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, safes, hairdryers, and free Wi-Fi are other standard amenities; in some rooms, balconies are a welcome bonus feature. 

Open seasonally, the curvy (though reportedly cold) rooftop pool provides stunning city vistas that are tough to top. The loungers edging it amp up the relaxation level, while the terrace of the adjacent restaurant/bar lets diners also drink in the view; candle-lit lanterns on the outdoor tables make it especially pretty at night. Inside, sail-like blinds and portal-style lights lend the glass-walled space a nautical feel; the downside is that it resembles something you would see on a cross-channel ferry. Downstairs, the hotel’s small breakfast room (where a chaotic morning buffet is served at extra charge) has a sterile conference-room feel. Other features include a 24-hour front desk with a multilingual staff and a bare-bones business center with printer and guest computer. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.