Torel Palace Lisbon

Elegance, style and sweeping city views combine at the Torel Palace Lisbon.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of staying at a Torel hotel, their modus operandi is simple: they take lost and forgotten buildings and turn them into luxurious boutique lodgings. Their décor always strikes a discerning balance between historic chic and pleasant ostentation, the nature of the buildings they rescue dictates that no two rooms are alike, and the hotel locations – whether in the city or countryside – are often the perfect place to be.

The Torel Palace Lisbon is where it all began back in 2013. Four grand, inner-city mansion houses were combined – they’re lovingly referred to as the Pink Palace, the Blue Palace, the Lavra Palace and the White Building – and all date back to the turn of the 20^th century. Lisbon famously sits on seven hills and the position of the original mansions here on the high Camara Pestana is no accident. Indeed, there was a time when the tower which tops the White Building was the city’s highest point, and the panoramic view of the districts of Principe, Bairro Alto and Baixa is truly wonderful, particularly in the evenings when you’re relaxing in the outdoor courtyard with a glass of vinho branco.

The hotel as thirty-three rooms and suites spread across the three palaces, with five studio-style apartments in the White Building. High ceilings, bold colours, antique furniture and cosy furnishings all add to the opulence, and bottom-to-top windows make the most of Lisbon’s legendary ambient light. Together with the outdoor pool and garden, the Calla Wellness Spa offers arrange of treatments, including a Turkish-style hammam, a relaxation courtyard and a well-equipped gym. The hotel’s own 2Monkeys has a well-earned Michelin star, indicative of the culinary creativity of Chef Vitor Matos and his excellent team – be sure to make time for dinner at least once during your stay. Breakfasts, lunches and more informal dinners are courtesy of the Pavilion restaurant, and nightcaps are available at the Duke’s Bar.

The Torel Palace is well-placed as a base from which to explore the city, and being tucked away from the usual tourist hotspots gives the hilltop Camara Pestana a more-local feel. Lisbon’s oldest funicular runs from the hotel down to Anunciada – from here, it’s short walk to the tree-lined Avenida da Liberdade, and downtown to Baixa and the riverfront beyond.