Rua Barbosa Du Bocage 8, Sintra, Portugal | (888) 616-5829
Restored 18th-century palace with refined interiors
Manicured grounds with a hedge maze and superb panoramas
Set in scenic Sintra Mountains, 30 minutes from Lisbon
Elegant rooms with genuine antiques and frescos
Fine-dining restaurant with garden views
Outdoor swimming pool and tennis court
Extensive top-quality breakfast buffet included
Free Wi-Fi in public spaces
Swimming pool is unheated
Wi-Fi only free for hotel's loyalty program members
A few spots in need of
refresh
No spa facilities
The 30-room Hotel Tivoli
Palacio de Seteais is housed in an elegant 18th-century palace
perched on a hill overlooking the Sintra Mountains. Ornate interiors are
filled with numerous genuine antiques and have a refined, elegant style that extends to the guest rooms, which offer modern amenities like Nespresso machines and flat-screen TVs.
Views are stunning from many vantage points, including the outdoor pool and fine-dining restaurant. The lack of free Wi-Fi in rooms is a disappointment, and a few corners of the hotel could use attention, though standard rates
are impressively reasonable for such lavish hotel in a truly picturesque
setting. For a cheaper -- and far less extravagant -- option in Sintra town, take a look at Hotel Tivoli Sintra.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Elegant and romantic 18th-century palace set on manicured grounds
Entry to the Hotel
Tivoli Palacio de Seteais is through an unassuming opening at the end of a line
of green, spearhead railings overlooked by a small gatehouse. A cobblestone
driveway shaded by rows of trees leads past a swathe of manicured lawn lined with sculpted hedges and shrubbery to the property's gleaming white facade and monumental arch decorated with bronze sculptures. Stepping inside this restored late 18th-century palace, the light,
airy interiors provide the backdrop for numerous
classical furnishings, antique oil paintings, and rich tapestries. While lavish
and palatial, the overall effect has an elegance and delicacy
that conjures a genuinely classical -- and romantic -- ambience. The gardens are even
more impressive, featuring a hedge maze with a centerpiece ornamental fountain and
stunning views over the scenic Sintra countryside. Operating as a luxury hotel since 1954, the Seteais
Palace continues to attract a mature and well-heeled crowd, as well as regular
wedding parties and even a roll call of celebrity guests including the likes
of Neil Armstrong, Sean Connery, and Johnny Depp.
Location
Hilltop setting overlooking stunning Sintra countryside, a half-hour drive to Lisbon
The hotel's
expansive grounds are set on top of a hillside overlooking the rolling
landscape, forests, and national parkland of the Sintra Mountains. Guests will want a car to tour the area's sights as there's not much within walking distance. Local
attractions include the picturesque Moorish Castle and Pena Palace, both around a 15-minute drive from here. It's a five- to 10-minute drive to the town of Sintra, which
has a train station that connects to Lisbon's central Rossio Station in around
an hour. Sintra Station also has a taxi rank and bus stop that drops off just outside the hotel.
Alternatively, Lisbon can be reached in a half-hour by car.
Rooms
Genuine antiques, hand-painted wallpaper, and stunning views
Much like the rest of the property, room decor is refined and elegant, with genuine neoclassical and
neo-romantic antique furnishings, traditional Portuguese carpeting, and subtle
floral-pattern wallpaper -- mostly original 18th-century panels that are hand painted. Some upgraded rooms open to a spacious terrace, while suites add elegant lounges and original frescos, gorgeous velvet furniture, and handsome oil paintings. Vases and other classical decor sit on marble fireplaces in units like the Superior Room that we visited. Most
rooms feature lovely views of the Sintra hills or the nearby Moorish Castle
or Pena Palace. Amenities include well-stocked minibars, Nespresso machines, and
flat-screen TVs with cable channels, while marble-topped bathrooms offer fluffy bathrobes and shower/tub combos or separate tubs and walk-in rainfall showers. All of the classical superlatives aside, though, we did spot some areas that the hotel could attend to, including chipped paint and worn wooden surfaces on furniture in some rooms.
Features
Excellent breakfast buffet and swimming pool with superb panoramas
A superbly-presented
and extensive breakfast buffet with a staggering selection of fruit is included in the rate. The meal is served in the
fine-dining restaurant, which also offers excellent lunch
and dinner menus accompanied by views over the gardens and beyond. It's an elegant space that continues the hotel's classical aesthetic. The hotel has a bar and a selection of extremely elegant salons in which to relax. Fine panoramas are also available from the hotel's outdoor swimming pool, although it's unheated, and there's also a tennis court. While there's no spa, in-room
massage treatments can be arranged. Wi-Fi is free in common areas, but incurs an extra fee for in-room use -- though it's free for members of the hotel's loyalty program. Luxury perks include free shoe shines, and the hotel has dry cleaning, laundry, and pressing service. The hotel can help arrange local tours and excursions as well. Car services can also be booked.
