Palacio Ramalhete

Rooms

No two rooms are the same, but all are light, bright and blissfully quiet, with wooden floors, antique furniture, and beautiful ceilings clad in whitewashed beams or ornate plasterwork. You’ll also get comfy queensize or kingsize beds, along with flat-screen TVs, free WiFi, bathrobes and Rituals toiletries.

The higher up the price ladder you go, the more space and opulence you get. If you can afford to splash out, the Executive Rooms and Suites - all with sofas or separate lounges, and some with river views - are truly stunning. Our favourites were the Dove Room, once the house’s chapel, which has waist-high azulejos and a frescoed wall behind the shower, and the quirky Old Kitchen Suite, whose sitting area is set under the original copper-roofed stone hearth. We also loved the panelled Old Oak Room, which has Chesterfield sofas and a palette of masculine greys; it's the only room which can be set up as a twin. Most luxurious of all is the Ramalhete Suite, which comes with chaises longues and a vast sitting room. More recently, 4 newer Suites have been added around the swimming pool area, which we look forward to viewing on our next visit.

But don’t worry if your budget won’t stretch, as the cheaper Standard and Superior Rooms, set in the eaves at the top of the building with views of the river or patio, are still spacious enough. Ours, Os Maias, had tile-trimmed walls and a little ante room with a cushion-piled sofa; another, the Garden Room, opens out onto the courtyard. Two rooms – the Museum Room and Attic Room – sit side by side on their own landing.

Note that bathrooms across all categories have a mix of showers and tubs, and there’s no guarantee of the latter even at the top end of the spectrum. If a soak is important to you, enquire when booking.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Palacio Ramalhete’s breakfast buffet (normally included in the rates) is one of the best spreads we’ve come across in Portugal. Laid out in the elegant panelled bar each morning are all sorts of cheeses, cold meats, juices, yoghurts, breads and pastries, along with some more unusual additions such as pâtés and smoked salmon. You can eat inside or take your plate out to the courtyard, where the delicate scent of jacaranda floats on the breeze. Staff will come and find you at your table to take orders for hot drinks - the cappuccinos and espressos are very good.

At other times of the day, there’s a menu of tapas-style dishes (also available via room service) - gazpacho, mussels, cheese and charcuterie boards, bachalau lasagne. They're perfect for a quick lunch, a light supper or a snack to accompany the vast selection of wines, spirits and cocktails - we can highly recommend the Botanist (Scottish gin, tonic, fresh mint and citrus zest) and the Summer Healer (dry white port, rum, lemon and basil) from the range of tempting concoctions.

You’ll have to head out for anything more substantial, but there are a couple of excellent restaurants nearby. We strolled a little way down the street to Le Chat, a striking glass cube set on top of the cliff just behind the National Museum of Ancient Art, and tucked into an octopus salad, sweet potato chips and delicious mojito-flavoured ice cream as container ships manoeuvred around the port beneath us. You can also hop on the tram to the numerous eateries lining Praça do Comércio in the centre of town - our favourite was Chefe Cordeiro, where Michelin-starred José Cordeiro serves up inventive seafood dishes such as seared scallops with lime risotto.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Kids' meals
• Light meals
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service

Activities

• Browse the extensive collection at the National Museum of Ancient Art, just a few doors up the street from the hotel. Perhaps most interesting are the lacquer screens depicting the arrival of Portuguese explorers in Japan in the 1540s, and an exhibition of extravagant gold jewellery from colonial Goa
  
• Hop on the tram and head into the downtown Baixa district, where you'll find excellent shopping together with the Museum of Fashion and Design, which charts the evolution of style over the course of the 20th century
  
• Pop into the national winemakers' association (ViniPortugal) on Praça do Comércio for an exhibition on Portuguese tipples. Entry is free, and there are tasting opportunities along the way
  
• For independent boutiques, take the 1901 iron-built Elevador de Santa Justa from Baixa to the classy Chiado district
  
• From Baixa, you can also catch Tram 28, the most iconic route on Lisbon’s network of rickety yellow streetcars, and rattle up through the twisting streets of the historic Alfama neighbourhood to the Sé cathedral and São Jorge Castle
  
• Or head in the opposite direction from the hotel to Belém, from where Portuguese ships set off to conquer the new world. Here you’ll find 2 of Lisbon’s most iconic monuments - the Padro dos Descombrimentos and the Torre de Belém - along with the gothic Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, which houses the archeological museum
  
• Once you’ve seen Belém’s sights, stop at the Antiga Confeitaria de Belém (open since 1837) for some of the best custard tarts in the city, or head over to modern cocktail bar A Margem for sundowners overlooking the Tagus
  
• Learn about Portugal’s haunting folk music at the Museu do Fado, then take in a live performance at one of the many fado clubs dotted around Alfama. We particularly liked Mesa de Frades, housed in a tiny converted chapel

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Wine tasting

Kids

Although Palacio Ramalhete is a peaceful and refined retreat, children of all ages are welcome – and a splash around the pool will provide welcome relief from the heat of the city.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Only the Suites can accommodate an extra bed or baby cot for families of 3, and the largest Suite has space for 2 children.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 30 minutes
• Shops: 2 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Palacio Ramalhete is situated on Rua das Janeles Verdes, the main thoroughfare through Lapa, a quiet neighbourhood which lies just to the west of Lisbon city centre. It’s a couple of minutes’ walk from Tram 15, which heads to the downtown Baixa district in one direction and historic Belém in the other.

By Air:
Lisbon Portela Airport is only 7km away and is served by numerous flights from the UK, elsewhere in Europe and further afield - click on the links below for a list.

From the Airport
You can hop in a cab or ask the hotel to arrange a transfer (see Rates). There’s also a metro link from the airport to the city centre, but you’ll then need to take a tram to the hotel, which can be tricky with luggage.

By Train:
Lisbon has 2 main rail stations - Santa Apolónia, which is served by trains from Spain, France and northern Portugal, and Gare do Oriente, the terminus for trains from the Algarve (see Seat 61 for more information). It’s an easy taxi ride from either station to the hotel.

By Car:
We don’t recommend driving in Lisbon (the roads are congested and parking is difficult), but if you want to hire one to explore the surrounding area, see our car rental suggestions.

Detailed directions will be provided when you confirm a booking through i-escape.com.

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