5/5 Bryan F. 2 years ago on Google
The
One
Palacio
da
Anunciada
may
well
be
the
perfect
city
hotel.
Tucked
unassumingly
into
a
thoroughly
and
beautifully
rehabilitated
palace
on
the
the
R.
das
Portas
de
Santo
Antão,
the
hotel
manages
convenient
proximity
to
the
grand
shopping
boulevard
of
Ave.
da
Liberdade
(think:
Lisbon’s
Champs
Élysée),
the
Rossio
train
station,
and
the
bustling
Praça
dos
Restauradores
in
the
Baixa,
while
still
retaining
a
quiet
and
calm
away
from
the
crowds.
There’s
no
loud
branding
here,
no
grand
porte
cochére.
Just
a
quiet
and
a
unassuming
entrance
that
leads
to
a
round
marble
table
filled
with
flowers
and
a
wide
staircase
that
suggests
some
of
the
opulence
found
upstairs.
The
magic
of
The
One’s
stunning
renovation
is
reserved
for
guests:
first,
the
spectacular
“secret”
garden
on
the
second
floor,
with
a
100-year-old
tree
casting
shade
on
patio
tables
arranged
around
a
central
fountain,
and
the
glamorous
pool
overlooking
it
all
on
the
third
floor.
Enjoy
breakfast
here,
or
an
evening
cocktail;
it
is
the
perfect
retreat
from
the
din
of
the
city
and
a
true
luxury
for
guests.
Second:
the
guest
rooms,
from
basic
rooms
to
suites,
are
just
right
in
all
the
ways
that
matter:
expansive
spaces,
with
high
ceilings,
wide
plank
flooring,
plush
carpeting,
and
ample
storage
found
in
built-in
closets;
excellent
though
still
romantic
lighting,
from
hidden
LEDs
in
the
ceiling,
floor
lamps,
and
table
lamps;
separate
toilet
and
shower;
luxurious
linens
and
plush
mattress;
and
soothing
interior
design
created
by
shades
of
beige
and
taupe,
and
accented
by
large
blue-and-white
platters
mounted
over
the
bed
(instead
of
the
typical
drab
art
found
in
so
many
luxury
hotels).
The
staff
don’t
let
the
chic
and
sophisticated
design
outshine
them.
Each
staff
member
was
helpful
without
being
obsequious,
attentive
without
being
too
doting.
From
checkin,
where
the
staff
unloaded
our
packed
car
and
brought
our
bags
to
our
room
while
we
ran
an
errand,
to
arranging
restaurant
reservations
when
nearly
every
restaurant
was
booked
(it
was
Holy
Week),
we
were
delighted
by
the
staff’s
eagerness
to
help.
We
did
not
eat
dinner
at
the
hotel,
but
breakfast—served
in
a
grand
room
off
the
garden
or
within
the
garden
itself—was
a
nice
departure
from
typical
hotel
breakfasts:
even
the
grandest
buffet
can’t
compare
with
the
quality
of
cooked-to-order
service,
so
the
hotel
offers
an
extensive
menu,
including
freshly-squeezed
orange
juice,
for
one
price
(or
included
with
the
room,
depending
on
your
package).
After
a
week
of
travel
and
one
buffet
after
another,
we
reveled
in
the
luxury
of
relaxing
in
the
garden
each
morning
as
wait
staff
brought
us
anything
we
wished.
The
One
Palacio
da
Anunciada
is
an
ideal
European
city
hotel:
modern
amenities
and
design
in
a
spectacularly
rehabbed
historical
palace;
warm
and
understanding
service;
a
central
location
but
tucked
into
a
quiet
street;
and
the
charm
of
a
boutique
hotel.
Strongly
recommended.