The Editory Riverside Hotel, an Historic Hotel

The hotel’s distinctive style and really comfortable beds made a great impression, and the shower pressure was excellent. We used it as a base in Alfama, and the location worked well. It’s right by the train station, so announcements can be loud, though things seemed quiet from 11pm to 4am. There were plenty of extras in the room, including lots of charging points. Breakfast staff were warm and helpful, and the rest of the staff were great too. I’d stay again.

The hotel has plenty of character, and our room had a lovely view. The beds were very comfortable, the shower pressure was strong with reliably hot water, and the complimentary minibar was a nice extra. The front desk and door staff were consistently welcoming. Still, for a place presenting itself as five-star, the service and upkeep didn’t quite meet our expectations. We chose it because my husband and I enjoy historic, unusual properties. The main busy area is around a 15-minute walk away, along a really beautiful route, so the distance was fine for us, though worth knowing about. Our room looked beautiful, but cleaning could have been more thorough. Dust and bits of debris were left in corners, and the next day’s housekeeping missed the used cups and rubbish, despite our request for a room turnover. They’re small things, but they count at five-star prices. The worst part was a power cut that left the hotel dark and without water for several hours. I understand outages happen, but staff gave very little information, with no torches, candles, or useful updates. We eventually went downstairs ourselves to find out what was going on. I’d expected more support and communication from a hotel at this level. One evening we were also refused a table at the restaurant because they weren’t serving more than 10 guests at once, even though the room looked quite spacious. That was surprising for a hotel of this standard. There’s a lot to like about the building, but the experience didn’t match the luxury we expected.

The neighborhood had a great feel, and we enjoyed staying there. The hotel was convenient for what we needed, and the breakfast had lots of options and was really good. Our room was a good size for two, quiet, and had a comfortable bed. I liked the decor and nostalgic atmosphere. Staff even offered to take our car to the parking lot after our three-hour drive from the Algarve because they could see we were tired. Such a thoughtful gesture. They also kept our luggage after checkout and helped us mail a postcard. We spent two nights there, went to the Algarve for three, then came back before leaving Portugal. We’d happily stay again. My only small gripe was that there was nowhere in the shower area to hang a towel or robe.

We had a pleasant stay, and the hotel is ideally placed by the old town, waterfront, and train station, right above the station. It was an easy, flat 10-minute walk to the cruise terminal. We paid €190 in advance on the hotel website three months earlier for a non-refundable one-night weekend stay in a “Cozy Double Room River View” with breakfast. The €8 local tax was due on site. The entrance is on the water-facing side of the station. The foyer doesn’t look like much, but upstairs the hotel feels stylish, retro, and classy. We got to check in a couple of hours early, which we appreciated. Our room was on a low floor, and the buildings blocked part of the view, so perhaps the early check-in played a part. The ceilings are very high, and the air conditioning worked reasonably well, though it took a while to cool the room. There were free drinks in the minibar and complimentary coffee. The shower was hot with good pressure. We could hear some street and train noise, so earplugs might help, but we still slept well. The breakfast buffet was excellent, with good local choices and eggs or omelets made to order. Getting there from the airport isn’t a simple, direct train ride. You can take a taxi, though beware, Lisbon has some of the most scammy taxi drivers in the world, or use the subway. One option is a one-stop ride followed by a train change to this exact station; the other involves a longer walk or carrying bags. We’d recommend the hotel.