Novotel Lisboa

The staff were lovely, and the room was clean, comfortable, modern, nicely decorated, and well equipped. I stayed three nights and absolutely loved it. There was even a bathroom wall socket, which is useful and unusual in hotels. I wasn't asked for a deposit. Breakfast was average to me. The metro is nearby, a couple of stops from the centre. You can reach it by walking down through the park in front of the hotel. It's poorly lit at night, so watch the stairs and use your phone light. The hotel is about 20 minutes from the airport. A couple of things didn't work well: the bathroom floor got wet after showering even though I was careful, and the minibar in my room didn't work, so I couldn't eat the salad I'd stored there. Payment was confusing. They charged me for the first night a day before check-in, then asked me to pay the full stay on arrival. I ended up paying for the stay plus one extra night and had to wait for that night to be refunded. It would have been easier to keep the first night's payment and charge me for the rest when I arrived.

The location is good, with places within easy walking distance and a sightseeing bus stop on the same road. The room was clean and modern, but we booked for three and didn't get enough pillows. We had to switch on the fridge ourselves, with no instructions, and tea and coffee weren't reliably topped up. There was no welcome information, such as a reception phone number. Renovations were underway when we arrived. Reception had moved, the gym was closed, and parts of the hotel were under construction, but we hadn't been warned ahead of time. I didn't use the pool, though it looked tired. It's not a horrible hotel, but I wouldn't stay again.

The hotel worked especially well for us as a family. There were lots of families with children, particularly around the dining area, and it gave the place a relaxed, pleasant feel. We felt welcome and well looked after throughout our stay. We were there from December 30th to January 3rd with our two children, aged 5 and 7. Renovation work was going on, but it was moderate from our perspective, and the team did their best to keep guests comfortable and undisturbed. The room was excellent, breakfast had a rich variety, and we really enjoyed having dinner at the hotel too. Service ran smoothly the whole time. A fantastic stay and well managed despite the work, deserving of five stars.

The hotel was being renovated around the entrance, so it wasn't in its usual setup, but that didn't affect our stay. The bar and breakfast were excellent, and staff were great. Our room had a fridge, very good WiFi, a great shower, and plenty of English-language TV channels. We chose the hotel for its metro access. San Sebastio station and El Cortes Ingles are about a ten-minute walk over fairly even ground, and the city is around 45 minutes away on foot. It's outside the usual tourist area, where we found restaurants and shops a bit less expensive. It's a little farther to travel, but the redline metro runs between the airport and Dan Sebastio. I'd recommend staying here.