Question about Lisbon Hotels

[Psoque]

Hi. We are planning to take a round trip Lisbon cruise in November 2010. We are planning to stay in Lisbon one night before the cruise and maybe one night after the cruise as well.

 

I have been researching the properties online and we are thinking about staying at Hotel Real Palacio. I would like to hear from anyone who stayed there before. I'm a bit reluctant because their rates appear to be a little lower than other five star properties.

 

Also, we have never been to Lisbon, but if we want to maximize our sight-seeing activity before boarding the ship, is there a particularly good location for our hotel?

 

Thanks.

[MGC]

Hi. We are planning to take a round trip Lisbon cruise in November 2010. We are planning to stay in Lisbon one night before the cruise and maybe one night after the cruise as well.

 

I have been researching the properties online and we are thinking about staying at Hotel Real Palacio. I would like to hear from anyone who stayed there before. I'm a bit reluctant because their rates appear to be a little lower than other five star properties.

 

Also, we have never been to Lisbon, but if we want to maximize our sight-seeing activity before boarding the ship, is there a particularly good location for our hotel?

 

Thanks.

 

I haven't stayed at that particular hotel, so I will refer you to TripAdvisor if you haven't been there yet for other reviews.

 

However, I think that this hotel is really a little too far north of the touristy areas of Lisbon, which tend to be closer to the waterfront. It looks like it might be relatively close to a Metro station, which would make getting around a little faster, but Lisbon is a pretty city, and it would be a shame to miss it all by being underground. This isn't a hotel I'd pick for a good tourist recommendation.

 

Another warning - star ratings in Europe don't necessarily mean the same thing that star ratings elsewhere do. A four-star hotel may mean that it has a certain checklist of amenities - an elevator, room service, dining areas, a radio in the room - but does not necessarily convey any guarantee of quality. Your 5-star hotel may meet all of the qualifications for a 5-star hotel, but may be less expensive because they aren't necessarily the nicest. Or, it may be less expensive because it's not in the most sought after location.

 

I'd personally rather stay closer to the Restauradores area on or near Avenida Liberdade - my choice would be Britania Hotel.

[Psoque]

Hi. Thanks for your input. Yes, I have already checked the typical websites including Tripadvisor, and the hotel appears to have received positive reviews consistently, whatever that is worth.

 

We are thinking about taking as much of public transportation, including the underground metro and surface trams, to see as much of the city as possible since we will only be there for about 24-30 hours before we board the ship.

 

Yes, I heard about Hotel Britania from others as well. We were thinking about spending somewhere around $150 per night for two, and if the breakfast is either included or reasonable at the hotel, that would actually save us some time (and money) for sightseeing.

 

We know that hotels in Europe are not supposed to be that cheap, but we are not necessarily interested in staying in the "best" hotel, as long as it is safe, clean, and in a convenient location. We are highly mobile and athletic couple, so walking 10-15 minutes to get to a train/tram station is not a problem.