Olissippo Lapa Palace Review: Embracing History in Lisbon

One of the world’s oldest cities – centuries older than London, Rome and Paris – Lisbon is on every savvy traveler’s radar. 

Portugal’s once-sleepy capital is now one of Europe’s hottest capitals.

And it’s home to one of Europe’s most romantic hotels – the Olissippo Lapa Palace.

Olissippo Lapa Palace review

Of course, there are many beautiful places in Portugal to visit.

But as the capital, Lisbon has much to offer.

You could easily spend three days in Lisbon without getting bored. Coolhunters flock to trendy districts like the LX Factory barrio, with its mod eateries and art galleries.

Still, as I discovered to my delight on a recent visit, some Lisbon addresses haven’t shed their storied past. Rather than race full-blast into today’s techno-centric world, they celebrate their history.

And that is true of the Olissippo Lapa Palace.

One of the best 5-star hotels in Lisbon

Part of the Olissippo hotel group in Portugal, the Olissippo Lapa Palace hotel boasts luxurious rooms, decor that reflects its historical origins and the crème de la crème – a large outdoor swimming pool in a beautiful garden setting.

Originally built in 1870, this former palace was the home of a noble count before being turned into the 5-star Lapa Palace Hotel in 1992.

I was particularly entranced by the ladies’ bathroom off the reception. Padded with plush pink floral silk wall coverings, it looked like a romantic boudouir from days gone by.

Frothy pink curtains even graced the entrance to each, ahem, toilet stall.

Which Lapa Palace Hotel room to book?

The hotel has 109 rooms and suites in three different sections: Palace Wing (original palace building), Garden Wing and Villa Lapa.

Palace Wing rooms are in the original palace building and have a more traditional Portuguese décor. Each of these rooms is also decorated differently; styles range from Art Deco to Louis XV.

Garden Wing rooms are less ornate.

Villa rooms and suites are the most exclusive and private.

But every room has its own balcony and comes with lovely L’Occitane toiletries, air-conditioning, flat-screen TV, free WiFi and twice-daily service.

I love hotels that ooze history, and so I was happy to discover our room was in the Palace Wing.

It was luxurious in a quiet understated way, with aqua silk-covered chairs, plush carpeting and heavy drapes. A single orange carnation added a pop of color to the grey, all-marble bathroom.

Best of all – the huge balcony had a smashing view of the garden and pool below and Lisbon’s wide Tagus River beyond, where small ships were docked.

Lisbon hotel with a pool

Speaking of the pool… Yes, several Lisbon hotels are 5-star hotels with pools.

But few can boast the history of the Hotel Olissippo Lapa Palace. And I doubt there’s another luxury Lisbon hotel with an outdoor pool to match this one, which is set in a lush garden.

Surrounded by lawns and with chaise lounges under umbrellas, the pool looked like a very inviting spot to relax.

We only had one day in Lisbon.

And unfortunately, we were too busy enjoying some of the best things to do in Lisbon to take advantage of the pool! (I’ve promised myself, next time…)

Quiet location near vintage tram stop

No review of the Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel would be complete without talking about its location.

Tucked away on a hilltop in one of Lisbon’s most prestigious neighborhoods, the Hotel Lapa Palace is surrounded by embassies (the U.S., Swiss and Bulgarian embassies are just around the corner) and elegant, red roofed mansions.

You can take a taxi to get to the city’s central hub with its pedestrian cobblestone boulevards, shopping streets, museums and historical sights (Baixa, Chiado and Alfama districts).

But the tram is so much more fun!

Tram #25 stops a few blocks away.

This tram is one of Lisbon’s famous vintage yellow trams, with wooden seats and wood windows that slide open; I couldn’t resist poking my head out (carefully!) to better take in the views.

And then, after a day of sightseeing, we’d return to the luxurious cocoon of the Lapa Palace.