Review: Verride Palacio de Santa Catarina Lisbon hotel review

Why book?

This historic palace is now a thoroughly modern escape. While many original features remain, clever design and use of space make this intimate 19-room hotel feel spacious and inviting. Add to that a Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant, creative breakfast and ideal location next to one of Lisbon’s most popular viewpoints, and it’s not hard to see why guests rate this property so highly.

Set the scene

Located in Chiado, the busy central neighbourhood that belongs to Lisbon’s best restaurants and shops, Verride Palacio de Santa Catarina has managed to find a peaceful hilltop space with one of the best views of the city and over the River Tagus.

There are touches throughout that remind you this is a boutique hotel created with love; the property’s own magazine, The Palace Times, is proudly on display in reception, for example. And it’s hard to miss the huge bouquet of (real) flowers, replenished regularly that scents the reception for arriving guests.

The backstory

The former home of an 18th-century count, Palacio de Santa Catarina was brought to life as a hotel by architect Teresa Nunes da Ponte and is now home to a mixture of restored and new design details; think checkerboard marble flooring, original archways, stucco ceilings and oversized windows bringing light in. The original building was damaged in the 1755 earthquake but has been lovingly restored to maintain as many original details as possible while offering a luxury experience. Guests will notice luxury design details throughout, and it’s abundantly clear that everything from the Portuguese bedspreads to trendy Aesop toiletries has been thought through.

The rooms

More affordable rooms are nice, but have a more generic feeling about them with white walls and plain furniture – although the high ceilings win bonus points, and most rooms will have a view and plenty of light, thanks to oversized windows. Something that was particularly appreciated: the light switches were labelled, so I didn’t need to flick them all on and off each night trying to figure out which controlled what.

The suites are particularly show-stopping, and undoubtedly a highlight of the property – and, in fairness, probably some of the most beautiful in the city. The Royal Suites are a picture-perfect representation of luxury Lisbon; restored azulejo tiles and custom-made silk de Gournay wallpaper decorate the walls surrounding a huge, free-standing domed bathtub, while in the bedroom an oversized bed sits centrally, ready for guests to wake up and take in the view of the river.

The food and drink

A highlight of our stay was the breakfast, which is served a la carte and not via buffet. Each day, the chef prepares a new dish – we had a delicious eggs benedict during our stay – and a tower of different courses is served ceremoniously, making this feel far more luxe than most hotel breakfast offerings.

The property is home to Michelin-starred restaurant Suba, which has wonderful rooftop views and a fine dining menu where diners can expect dishes such as royal crab, miso and green curry; Pigeon, quince and smoked carrot and Azores pineapple, passion fruit and yuzu. Meanwhile, new bar The Lisbon Club 55 is named after Club 44 in NYC, and is accessible from street level, so it doesn't just welcome guests of the hotel. We didn’t get a chance to stop for a drink, but the menu, which features inventive cocktails and sharing plates of food, was tempting.

The neighbourhood

It’s hard to be more central than Chiado. From the hotel, you can walk to most tourist attractions in Lisbon, including a stroll down to the river, which makes this spot a wonderful base for first-time visitors. It’s located down a quieter street, but there may occasionally be some noise from the nearby miradouro (viewpoint). Personally, I enjoyed watching the city come to life in the early evening, as locals and visitors flocked to watch the sunset with a Sagres in-hand.

The service

Service is, for the most part, polite – doors are opened for guests who are greeted by name, for example. However, there is little warmth to the service, and an unfortunate incident during check-out left me with a slightly sour taste in my mouth when I left.

The welcome tour and treats left in the room at turn-down show that guest experience is a priority for the property, but for this to excel as a memorable hotel, a little more affability is needed.

Eco effort

The restaurant uses organic produce and locally sourced ingredients, but more could be done in terms of the bathroom products, which included miniature-sized shampoo, conditioner and shower gel in plastic bottles.

Accessibility

There is one adapted room available.

For families

The upmarket, serene hotel is more suited to adults than children, and the small rooftop pool is better for lounging than playing. While kids are welcome here, adults are more likely to appreciate their stylish surroundings.