

The monolithic exterior of this modernist 1950s building is harsh, but inside all the comforts of a classic luxury hotel abound. The soaring marble lobby and opulent decorative touches (oversized crystal chandeliers, full-wall tapestries by Portuguese artist José Sobral de Almada Negreiros) impress. The Ritz, as the hotel is called by locals, houses 282 rooms, and even the smallest ones are quite spacious, especially for Lisbon standards. Some of the rooms are more pared-down in design but most deliver old world elegance with couches swathed in brocade, porcelain accessories, and bold paintings by national talent. All but ten are equipped with balconies (some of which look out as far as the Tagus River), and each room’s bathroom is decked out in marble in hues from grey to pink to green. Its elaborate breakfast buffet, comprised of everything from local pastries and made-to-order eggs to dim sum, is the city’s best. (Rooms, from $310)