Both in Chiado, similar in size, six minutes apart on foot. The Ivens suits friends and design lovers who like colour, with Rocco downstairs; Bairro Alto Hotel suits first visits and couples who want calm Portuguese rooms and a guests-only rooftop with river views.
The design oneMaximalist jungle interiors in the middle of Chiado, with a good Italian restaurant downstairs.
€€€€From about €500 a night
Choose The Ivens if
The catch
Entry rooms are small, and the hotel names no outlook for them.
The all-rounderThe Lisbon hotel that gets location, character and a rooftop right all at once.
€€€€From about €525 a night
Choose Bairro Alto Hotel if
The catch
Rooms facing the square hear Bairro Alto nightlife and the tram until late.
| Best for | The Ivens | Bairro Alto Hotel |
|---|---|---|
| Best design hotels in Lisbon | On the list | On the list |
| Best central hotels in Lisbon | On the list | On the list |
| Best hotels with a view in Lisbon | Not on the list | On the list |
| Best hotels for food and drink in Lisbon | On the list | Not on the list |
The IvensBairro Alto Hotel
The Ivens
Bairro Alto Hotel
The verdict
Both in Chiado, similar in size, six minutes apart on foot. The Ivens suits friends and design lovers who like colour, with Rocco downstairs; Bairro Alto Hotel suits first visits and couples who want calm Portuguese rooms and a guests-only rooftop with river views.
Questions people ask
Both in Chiado, similar in size, six minutes apart on foot. The Ivens suits friends and design lovers who like colour, with Rocco downstairs; Bairro Alto Hotel suits first visits and couples who want calm Portuguese rooms and a guests-only rooftop with river views.
The most fun hotel in central Lisbon. Book a higher floor, eat at Rocco and enjoy the theatre of it. Maximalist theatre in the middle of Chiado, with a destination Italian downstairs and a Marriott engine behind the scenes. Loud, fun and social rather than calm or particularly Portuguese.
There is no pool. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.
For a Lisbon trip made on foot, with a proper bar to come back to, this is the choice. The position, the rooftop and the feeling of the place are hard to beat. The most central address in this edit, with a rooftop half the city seems to know about. It is lively, unmistakably Lisbon and priced for the position rather than for facilities.
There is no pool. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.