Lisbon – Hotel Estrela

I’m back from a lovely birthday weekend in Lisbon. The weather was kind and we did an awful lot of wandering up and down the town’s hilly cobbled streets. We stayed at the Hotel da Estrela. Opened only last October, it’s housed in a historic palace in a pretty area just west of the city centre. Next door is a tourism college which clearly inspired the hotel’s schoolhouse decor, and the hotel even has the students in to get practical experience.

The schoolhouse decor carried on in the room, which had fun blackboard carpets, writing slates, and a salvaged desktop and classroom posters on the walls. Both the bed and the bathroom were huge and super-luxe, and the best part was a little gift of flowers and ginjinha (local cherry liqueur) on my birthday.

The dining room downstairs is beautifully decorated with a mix of vintage school chairs mixed with Eameses and other classroom paraphernalia artfully arranged. Unfortunately there was nothing veggie on offer so we couldn’t try it out, but the menu did look nice and they have an interesting payment structure where you only pay what you feel the dish was worth.

Just down the road from the hotel is the pretty Basília da Estrela, and it’s also near the Rato metro stop and the Jardim da Estrela. I’d definitely recommend a stay here if you’re in town – if you’re prepared to trek to the top of the hill on which it’s perched! Check their website for rates and more info.

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