2 weeks ago
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Columbia Hillen
Opening our balcony doors astatine Lisbon’s Bairro Alto Hotel during the day, my companion and I enjoyed the excited hustle and bustle beneath connected the iconic, tree-lined Praça de Camões square.
Closing them astatine night, we enjoyed undisturbed silence, the cleanable look for dependable sleep.
Columbia Hillen
Occupying an full artifact of 4 buildings that was partially derelict, this 87-room, 5-star edifice stands astatine the borderline betwixt 2 historical neighborhoods - the elegant buying territory of Chiado and the bohemian bars-and-cafes Bairro Alto.
Though refurbished astatine a outgo of implicit 32 cardinal euro with each the mod-cons and reopened 5 years ago, the edifice inactive breathes an aerial of creation deco elegance, from the metallic signifier successful the elevators to discreet frescoes connected immoderate of the lobby walls.
Columbia Hillen
There is besides a delightful carved wood spiral staircase stretching up from a discreet boutique cafe serving java with pastries and snacks specified arsenic creamy Portuguese custard tart (pastel de nata), almond and ovum pick pastry (Jesuíta) and vino and ail chickenhearted pastry (empada de frango em vinha d’alhos) to a quiescent Mezzanine level that offers a cosy leisure abstraction for guests reminiscent of a luxury yacht with a humble room of magazines and books.
Columbia Hillen
Overall, furnishings passim the edifice contiguous a premix of wood, wicker, tile and marble, artisanal rugs, antiques, classical paintings, sculptures and modern lighting. A immense tapestry, with a macramé base, by Oficina 166 (Diana Menezes Cunha) occupies a partition extending implicit 3 floors, its plan relating to the city’s assorted hills.
Columbia Hillen
Highlight of our room, 408, was its wrought-iron balcony overlooking the decoratively tiled quadrate with the statue of Luís de Camões, 1 of Portugal’s starring poets, successful its centre. Reminiscent of Piccadilly Circus (with lighter traffic), this is simply a fashionable gathering spot for people - tourists, buskers, joggers, singers and circuit guides. Our fourth-floor country offered an envious viewing-point to seizure the vibrant, ever-changing scenes below.
Columbia Hillen
Duck-egg walls, hardwood floor, leather-clad rubbish bin, achromatic crook of the period lighting switches and a hand-painted vertebrate connected the partition helped assistance our country its ain personality. Other furnishings included a framed oblong partition reflector successful the hallway, an armchair successful 1 corner, a partition TV and a enactment table and chair. Our marble and tiled bath featured Le Labo toiletries, a vintage rotund wash-hand basin and step-in shower.
As small things matter, notation should beryllium made of the hotel’s attraction to country work details including its enactment of pillows, escaped earthy digestion capsules arsenic good arsenic complimentary stamps and postcards, adjacent cloth wipes for eye-glasses.
Columbia Hillen
Dining is astatine Bahr edifice connected the 5th floor, reached by 1 of 2 elevators, the different going to a 6th level rooftop bar. Both places person outdoor patios with panoramic views implicit the metropolis and the River Tagus.
Before moving inside, we enjoyed pre-dinner cocktails alfresco with a snack of barnacles connected toast portion watching the prima dilatory set. The oval-shaped interior is of modern plan with minimalist decor, with white, marble-topped tables and a hardwood floor.
Columbia Hillen
Artefacts adjacent the entrance, including a accepted comb, knife, demijohn of reddish vino and a shoeshine bench, harken backmost to aboriginal bohemian beingness successful the district. At the acold extremity is is simply a spacious unfastened room with a situation of ‘Jupiter’ precocious stools, wherever I counted 7 chefs moving connected a engaged Saturday evening.
The leather-bound nutrient and drinks paper is varied, comprising respective pages.
Columbia Hillen
My companion chose ceviche of tuna with watercress and edamame (steamed soya beans) portion I opted for grilled squid which arrived arsenic a tiny mound of runner beans, turnip tops and seaweed with bladed slices of the oversea carnal interspersed throughout.
With the accent connected seafood, different starters included tuna sashimi and crab cracker but determination was besides fried murphy tatin with char siu, a Cantonese-style of barbecued pork, and piri piri chicken.
Columbia Hillen
Beware of the screen bread, the fragrant wheat and oats sourdough assortment with seaweed crackers and delicious food is addictive.
Mains ranged from roasted octopus and Thai pasta stew to Iberian pork and Alentejo lamb with eggplant. My companion chose bluish lobster, which came arsenic 2 generous slices, jacket-less, assemblage and claw. The accompanying bisque-like condiment based successful portion connected marrare, a 19th period classical look prepared with nutrient banal and cream. I chose beef loin aged 35 days with a crunchy chestnut puree and Szechuan sauce.
Columbia Hillen
For businesses, the edifice besides provides 4 elegant gathering rooms successful a quiescent helping of the building. The edifice besides has a wellness centre with gym, sauna and a treble massage room.
Aside from its good plan by prize-winning architect, Souto de Moura, and interiors by Atelier Bastir, prized determination sets the Bairro Alto Hotel apart. ‘Bairro’ means ‘neighborhood’ and this cardinal one, acceptable connected a hill, dates backmost 500 years. Here locals and travellers battalion its constrictive cobblestone streets to socialise extracurricular countless bars. From here, Chiado, Lisbon's buying and theatre hub, is simply a minute’s locomotion distant arsenic are awesome 18th buildings specified arsenic the Bertrand Bookstore, opened successful 1732 and reportedly the oldest bookstore successful the world, and the National Theatre of São Carlos with its rococo decorations.
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