Review: Lisbon’s new luxury hotel combines history with the contemporary in the heart of old town

You can’t find a closer luxury hotel to Lisbon’s buzzing historic centre – and walking into the new Andaz Lisbon (the first of its brand in Portugal) immediately brings calm and blessed air-conditioned relief. Before I even spotted the front desk, staff took my bags and I was escorted into a chic modern lobby where I was offered a drink to take the edge off the travel day (sparkling wine, mineral water or espresso, whatever works for you, the staff smiled).

While I waited, I noted the difference between the grand stone exterior of this 200-year-old bank building and the colourful contemporary nods to Portuguese art and ceramics inside. Look closely at those stately blue ceramic pieces in the lobby and you’ll laugh at their whimsical sea creature design, modern nods that make a beguiling contrast to the 18^th-century Virgin Mary azulejo panel nearby, which was unearthed during the hotel renovation.

A hotel tour later revealed the historic-contemporary design extends into its 170 rooms – most noticeably in the recently opened first-floor loft wing. What were once bank offices are now three grand suites that make the most of the marble floors and carved woodwork. Sleek furniture and decorative Arraiolos tapestries juxtapose delightfully in these rooms where natural light floods through arched windows that reach for the 15-foot-high ceiling.

As I finished my welcome espresso, I settled into the relaxed-luxury vibe I was picking up. Not every hotel can pull it off. The Andaz Lisbon was doing it nicely.

Why you should visit

In the heat of a Lisbon summer, the reliable air conditioning – from rooms to restaurants and common areas – may be reason enough to book. But that’s just one bonus of this hotel, which opened in March. I was also won over by the warmth and cheeriness of the breakfast team in the sixth-floor dining space.

Cheerfully slinging local favourites, such as a ham-and-cheese toast with tangy São Jorge cheese and cured bísaro presunto ham (a sandwich hearty enough to power you through a morning of exploring), or making sure your coffee mug is never empty – even offering a box so you can pilfer snacks from the buffet for later – the service really stood out.

This colourful space turns into Luzzi, a fine-dining restaurant with a Lusitanian influence, where the menu shows off culinary influences from Portugal’s Age of Discovery, including flavours from Goa, Macau, Mozambique, Japan, Cape Verde, Angola and Brazil.

The hotel ran fado performances on Friday and Saturday nights in the lobby during my visit, which was an easy way to experience this quintessential Portuguese art form. Principal guitarist Acácio Barbosa made it clear that concert-hall quiet was required to enjoy Soraia Cardoso’s expressive vocals. And he got it, transforming a lobby full of jabbering tourists into a spellbound audience. The music was magical and touched my soul.

Since you’re in the neighbourhood

We had three days in Lisbon so we enjoyed the “centre of it all” location in the heart of Baixa. We were steps from the Rua Augusta Arch (some rooms have views of the arch as does one cozy alcove in the Andaz rooftop bar). The Praça do Comércio, one of Europe’s largest and liveliest squares, is also a quick walk from the front door.

We had the Lisboa card (which covers all public transit, even from the airport, and many museum entrance fees). It took us in all directions and neighbourhoods but even when we got lost, it was never long before another bus or subway came along. Happily, we found MUDE – Museu do Design right behind the Andaz on Rua Agusta for our culture hit of Portuguese design and fashion.

Only a block away from the hotel is a stop for Lisbon’s much photographed wooden tram as makes its way up and down this city of seven hills. Make time for a ride: Tram #28 is an excellent way to see more at public-transit prices.

Room for improvement

Two things irked me, perhaps unreasonably but enough to mention. While I never had to wait long for an elevator, there is no way I’d miss it if my attention wandered: The doors open with a singsong, two-tone, ding dong that struck me as too goofy even for the light-hearted luxury Andaz vibe. More problematic was the inconsistent water pressure in our third-floor shower. Some days, the rainfall showerhead felt too literal, like I really was trying to wash my hair in a light drizzle. Other times, it was pleasantly pluvial.

The takeaway

Located right in the heart of the city, Andaz Lisbon was a good base for this first-time visitor. The brand is fun and I loved the thoughtful design (overlapping blackout curtains in the rooms!) and décor brimming with Portuguese talent – even the minibars have Vista Alegre espresso and tea cups and saucers decorated with Lisbon’s famous black and white sidewalk stonework. And truthfully, hotel room coffee has never tasted so good when sipped from proper china.

Andaz Lisbon, R. do Comércio 132, located in the Baixa neighbourhood. Rooms from $425 a night in low season; one round of minibar drinks and snacks free in all room categories. Historic loft suites start at $2,400 a night.

The writer was a guest of the hotel, which did not review or approve this article. Stories are based on merit; The Globe does not guarantee coverage.