The best boutique hotels in Lisbon, by Time Out travel editors

Tucked away down a cobbled alley in Lisbon’s old town, memmo Alfama is a boutique hotel that blends effortlessly into its surroundings, feeling more like a stylish Portuguese home than a traditional hotel. The maze-like property has 42 rooms, all slightly different, with cosy corners and an intimate atmosphere throughout. One of its standout features is the first-floor terrace with a ruby-red pool and sweeping views over Alfama and the Tagus River.

Time Out tip: Memmo Alfama also offers walking tours, workshops and shared fado evenings that connect guests directly with the neighbourhood.

Address: Travessa das Merceeiras, 27 - Alfama, Lisboa 1100-348

Price: from €136 per night

Closest transport: memmo Alfama is approximately half an hour by taxi from Humberto Delgado Airport. The nearest metro stations are Terreiro do Paço and Santa Apolónia.

Hotel Hotel: so good they named it twice? This super-central Lisbon hotel is not your average stay. The alternative vibe is strong from the minute you step into the snazzy lobby – terrazzo floors, curving walls – and check in with the super-friendly staff dressed in natty, multicoloured sweatshirts. If it’s past lunchtime, they’ll offer you a glass of port on arrival. The bedrooms here aren’t huge, but thanks to the hotel’s side-street location, the front-facing rooms are surprisingly quiet considering how central you are.

Time Out tip: Check out Elevador da Glória for a quaint tram ride up a steep hill to the breathtaking views of the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara – and the eternally-cool neighbourhood of Príncipe Real.

Address: Travessa da Glória 22, 1250-118 Lisbon

Price: Starting from approximately €150 per night

Closest transport: Avenida metro station is around a seven-minute walk

Sitting atop one of Lisbon’s seven hills, Torel Palace Lisbon is a boutique hotel set across two former palaces dating from 1902 and 1904, later expanded into four buildings. Opened as a hotel in 2013, it combines historic architecture with an intimate, design-led feel. Rooms are individually themed after Portuguese kings and queens, giving each one a distinct character. Despite its generous facilities – including terraces, pools, restaurants and a spa – the experience remains personal and refined, with standout city views to match. 

Time Out tip: Check out the handmade mini pastel de nata section at breakfast, handmade by the hotel’s chef. 

Located in the heart of Bairro Alto, The Lumiares Hotel & Spa is a five-star boutique hotel set within an 18th-century former palace. Here you’ll find 47 apartment-style suites with a home-away-from-home vibe, and design that draws heavily on Lisbon itself, with Portuguese designers, artists and crafts featured throughout, from furniture and textiles to artwork. The hotel balances historic character with contemporary restraint, offering an intimate, locally rooted experience that prioritises space, individuality and a strong sense of place over traditional hotel formality.

Time Out tip: Head to Lumi Rooftop at sunset for the views; it’s one of the best in the city.

Address: 142 Rua do Diário de Notícias 1200-146 Lisboa

Price per night: Low season from €220, high season from €280

Closest transport: Restauradores Metro Station or Lisboa–Rossio Train Station under 10 minutes by taxi; 30 minutes by taxi from the airport.

They say people are what’s most important in a place, and they may be right. Santiago de Alfama might be valuable all by itself, but it would not be the same if not for the friendliness and warmth of the staff in charge. The hotel’s charm also comes from architect Luís Rebelo de Andrade's decision to maintain the original fifteenth-century design of the building, preserving the Roman fragments found during the renovation, uniting past and present under the same roof. Rooms are modern and light, but preserve much of their original charm. 

Time Out tip: The hotel has a selection of tours including a wine-tasting tour that takes you through Arrábida national park.

Address: Rua de Santiago 10-14, 1100-494 Lisbon

Price: Starting from approximately €300 per night

Closest transport: Santa Apolónia metro and train station is around a 10-minute walk

When you think boutique, you think small but luxurious, which is precisely what Palacio Ramalhete offers. There are only nine rooms and seven suites, so there’s an air of exclusivity too. The decor is all very chic, almost regal in fact, and the location on Janelas Verdes Street is as pretty as the hotel’s name, which means Bouquet Palace. There’s also an outdoor pool, which is heated for those slightly cooler Lisbon nights.

Time Out tip: Take in all of the beautiful architecture of this 18th-century palace from the stucco ceilings to the intricate tiles and aged concrete pillars. Stunning.

Address: Rua das Janelas Verdes 92, 1200-692 Lisbon

Price: Starting from approximately €120 per night

Closest transport: Santos train station is around a nine-minute walk

Graça Viterbo, one of the busiest interior decorators in the country, was tasked with turning a palace where writer Eça de Queirós once lived into a boutique hotel. Mission brilliantly accomplished: the result is there for all to see at the welcoming As Janelas Verdes, a 29-room manor where every corner has traces of the literary and artistic heritage of one of Portugal's most important novelists. There is a friendly mood to the place, perfect for lovebirds looking for the romantic side of Lisbon. 

Time Out tip: Start each morning with a peaceful breakfast in the vine-trailed courtyard.

Address: Rua das Janelas Verdes 47, 1200-690 Lisbon

Price: Starting from approximately €150 per night

Closest transport: Santos train station is around a seven-minute walk

Even before it opened, a neon sign blinked on its black tile facade announcing the arrival of a new boutique hotel at the Avenida da Liberdade. Nobody knew what it would be like, but you could predict it would be original and somewhat irreverent. It is a sort of punk outsider among a preppy lot, whose enviable confidence allows it to ignore the formality of its neighbours. It’s a hotel that doesn't take itself seriously – but don't confuse playfulness with slackness.

Time Out tip: You could go elsewhere to enjoy traditional cuisine or you could just grab a table right here at 138 for a gastronomical dining experience that celebrates local, fresh ingredients.

Address: Avenida da Liberdade 138-142, 1250-001 Lisbon

Price: Starting from approximately €180 per night

Closest transport: Avenida metro station is a two-minute walk

Eighty-four rooms – and no two are alike. Some are Art Déco, others are classic, others modern and one of them even has a sloped ceiling as if it were an Alpine cabin. Brown's Central is everything but dull. Despite being located in the middle of Pombaline downtown in an old building, it does not seek to impress through its link to the city’s history. Instead, it breaks through the stigma of the hotel as a closed-off space to be a meeting point and an arts venue. 

Time Out tip: Being just a 10-minute stroll from Bairro is the perfect excuse to swing by Manteigaria. 

Address: Travessa do Conde da Ponte 4, 1100-163 Lisbon

Price: Starting from approximately €170 per night

Closest transport: Rossio train and metro station is about a six-minute walk