Solar dos Mouros

Rooms

All the rooms are similarly furnished, but none are carbon copies of the others. They come in neutral colours with comfy beds and lots of modern art. Light pours in through the big windows and bounces off the clean, white walls. There are minibars and TVs and in every room.

Double Rooms are a pretty good size (16sq.m) and are tucked away on the ground floor. Luxury Twin Suites tend to be huge (42sq.m) and have partial castle views. Luxury Suites offer charming vistas that drift on for miles across the river. Some also have alcoves with room for a table and chairs.

The Luxury Duplex Suite has a big window to frame the view. The bedroom and bathroom are located upstairs on the mezzanine floor. On the fifth floor, at the top of the building, is the amazing Deluxe Suite. Its enormous terrace and panoramic views over Lisbon are a real plus, although be aware that it has sloped ceilings and is accessed via a spiral staircase.

In all rooms you’ll find a couple of armchairs, blond wood floors and marble bathrooms.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

You eat breakfast in the restaurant on the first floor. There’s fresh bread and toast, plates of cheese and ham, freshly-squeezed orange juice, cakes, yoghurt and fruit.

For other meals, the restaurant serves light dishes such as salads, sandwiches, cheese and ham plates, and tapas. There's also a sushi menu and a selection of plats du jour (daily specials), which might include steak tartare or bacalhau (cod) - the staple fish in Lisbon. Hotel guests get 10% off food and drink, so it's definitely worth dining in one evening.

Local restaurants are close by. You can eat in the castle grounds overlooking the city: you pay for the privilege, but the view is worth it - just make sure you book a good table. There are quite a few fado restaurants about – places where you eat to the strains of live traditional Portuguese music. Clube de Fado is local and one of the best, but again you pay handsomely for the pleasure. Conquistadors offers good traditional Portuguese food and is reasonably priced. The most stylish place is Chapito. You can eat inside, outside, order a drink, dip into tapas or scoff a big meal. Views tumble down hill to the River Tejo and beyond. Zambeze is also recommended - African and Portugese food.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service

Activities

• The Castle of St George is one street north. It’s high on the hill with stupendous views over the city. It was home to Portugal’s kings from 1147, the year the Moors were driven from Lisbon. Leave the castle walls to the east and you’ll find a pretty square with a batch of cafés and a miradouro for more views
  
• Alfama is the district between the castle and the river below. It is considered Lisbon’s prettiest district, perhaps because it’s one of the few sections that survived the 1755 earthquake, which clings to the hill between the castle and river below. Mazy alleyways and stone stairs lead you down to the water. The cathedral is here too
  
• The Number 28 tram runs down to the centre. Lisbon’s trams are a treat: old, yellow and gorgeous. They’re not fast, and they move jerkily, but they’re the only way to get around town
  
• Watch your feet as you stroll through the city – several streets are paved with beautiful Roman-inspired mosaics. Many show nautical images as reference to Lisbon’s important relationship with the sea
  
• If you want the best shops in town, head to Avenida Liberdada, the capital’s main street. The Fashion Clinic is the place to go for all the designer names
  
• The 20th-century Design and Fashion Museum (MuDe) is one of the best collections in Europe. There are over 1,000 works by the likes of Charles Eames and Arne Jacobsen, and 1,200 couture fashion pieces by famous names such as Viviennne Westwood and Balenciaga. Closed on Mondays
  
• Discover the influence of colonialism in multi-cultural Martim Moniz. Its Fusion Market sells produce from all over the world, and stalls sit alongside street performers
  
• Belém is where the great explorers set off to conquer the new world. The Portuguese empire was born as a result and the Padrao dos Descobrimentos commemorates their endeavours. You’ll also find the Torre de Belém and the Monastery of San Jeronimo
  
• Sporting and Benfica both play in town. Tickets aren’t that expensive

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Traditional cultures

Kids

Only children over the age of 13 are accepted

Best for:

Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

All rooms except the Deluxe Suite can fit 1 rollaway bed

Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Solar dos Mouros is in central Lisbon, close to the castle and 15km south of Lisbon airport.

By Air:
Lisbon Airport is the closest (15km).

From the Airport
A taxi will likely cost around EUR15; make sure the taxi has a meter.

By Car:
See our car rental recommendations - but the hotel doesn't have private parking so you'll need to leave it in the public carpark 200m from the hotel.

Local Transport
The bus stop (no.37) is 20m from the hotel; the Santa Apolónia railway station is 10 minutes' walk away.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.