One of the best things about the Portobay Liberdade is its location just steps away from Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon’s grand avenue styled after the Champs-Élysées in Paris. We could get just about anywhere we wanted to go by strolling down its wide tree-lined median, admiring the designs in the mosaic-tiled sidewalks.
Most of the 98 rooms have a balcony and the 5-star hotel also has an indoor pool, gym, spa, bar with outdoor seating and a gorgeous restaurant with a lavish breakfast buffet and courtyard where we dined every morning. The lively rooftop bar has stunning views of Lisbon.
Rooms at Portobay Liberdade
I flung open the curtains and was delighted to see our spacious balcony. We could have hosted a dance party on it.
Our room also had a desk, minifridge, coffee station and large bathroom with a bathtub, a feature that is quickly disappearing from hotels, much to my dismay. After a long day of sightseeing, there’s nothing I like better than settling down in a hot tub to rejuvenate me.
The hotel has five categories of rooms, including junior and regular suites.
Please see our related story: Never use these ATMs, have plenty of cash and 100 other tips for visiting Portugal.
Other Amenities
The award-winning Mandalay Spa at Portobay Liberdade has twice been awarded Best Luxury Hotel Spa in Portugal. In addition to the treatment rooms, there’s a sauna and Turkish bath.
There’s also a large indoor heated pool with an outdoor patio. You can work out on your own at the gym or book an appointment with one of the team of personal trainers who can conduct an evaluation and created a customized fitness program for you.
Food and Drink
Located in the lobby of the hotel, Aviator6 cocktail bar has indoor and outdoor seating, more than 300 kinds of drinks and serves lunch, dinner and light snacks. After sightseeing one day, we took a seat outside on the patio and enjoyed a cocktail.
The rooftop lounge, Deck 7, has a cozy feel with its separate lounging areas, and also has a jacuzzi and an area for sunbathing.
The main restaurant, Bistrô4, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with cuisine it describes as “inspired by some French classics, Portuguese flavors and a Brazilian touch.”
We had breakfast here each morning and I’ve never seen such a lavish breakfast buffet, including an entire section of gluten-free items like muffins and cereal. Chris developed a lactose intolerance last year and was delighted to see lactose-free yogurt.
In addition to the buffet you can also order dishes off the menu so on our last morning, I opted for deliciously decadent Eggs Benedict.
We felt Portobay Liberdade was the perfect choice for our three-night stay in Lisbon.
