Sublime Lisboa Review

A residential-style boutique hotel offering understated, sophisticated comfort, Sublime Lisboa is the perfect base from which to discover the Portuguese capital. Choose from 15 rooms and suites, each with soul-stirring style, while Davvero restaurant and bar immerses you within the city’s dynamic, contemporary food and drink scene.

It’s a joy to make new discoveries in favourite destinations, and Sublime Lisboa is a real treat. This understated, elegant townhouse in Lisbon’s Amoreiras neighbourhood seems to have escaped the attention of the guidebooks and instead is popular with savvy travellers in the know, as well as locals who seek out the elegant dining. Sublime Lisboa sits discreetly on a leafy street, offering a refreshingly genuine and refined experience without the pretentiousness – it’s sublime, writes Andrew Forbes (The Luxury Editor).

The Property

The building itself is an early 20th-century townhouse sitting close to the Parque Eduardo VII urban park, home to the Club 7, which has a gym, spa, and tennis courts, all available to Sublime Lisboa guests.

Sublime Lisboa feels more like a private residence than a hotel. I wandered into the library salon on my first evening and found myself thumbing through art books surrounded by interesting, storied objects collected from across the world

Accommodation

This elegant house has 15 rooms and suites, where designer Rita Andringa has shared her signature, evolved, natural chic style throughout.

The design choices are bold – like the wall in my living area of my compact Pateo room was painted a rich mustard – but each works perfectly to create a unique space.

When I arrived, I found handcrafted pasteles de nata waiting for me alongside a small bottle of Ginjinha, a cherry liqueur that I learned dates back to the 17th century. It was a simple yet elegant welcome that felt authentic to the place I was visiting.

The Italian sofa in the living area became my reading spot each evening. I kept noticing small details – the room service menu and even the little basket for my keys were made from handcrafted leather. The mini bar wasn’t the usual cramped fridge but housed in an elegant sideboard with a marble top, with a full selection of sought-after spirits displayed alongside the coffee machine, and I also appreciated finding a Bose Bluetooth speaker.

There was something interesting about the mix of textures throughout the room – the rug, upholstery, cushions, and wallpaper should have clashed, but somehow created a harmonious whole.

The bathroom is stylish, with its black steel-framed glass door that reminded me of mid-century designs. The toiletries, including hair mask, delicate shampoo, shower gel and handmade soap were locally made by a Portuguese company called Oliófora – I noticed they used cold-pressed oils and essences of tangerine, lemongrass, and lemon. One of the thoughtful turndown gifts was a wonderful shea butter, almond and tea tree foot cream

Each room works with the original architecture, creating unique, cosy yet light-filled spaces, with no two rooms being the same. I was told Rooms 4 and 5 can connect through a shared vestibule – good for families travelling together. My favourite was Room 15, a Lisbon Suite on the top floor under the eaves, which gave it an unexpected cosiness despite its generous size.

Walking down my hallway, I stopped at photographic prints that poked fun at various world dictators, including Portugal’s former authoritarian leader – examples of personality that are subtly discovered by the guest.

Davvero Restaurant

I was refreshed to find contemporary Italian cuisine at Sublime Lisboa. Davvero occupies a bright space off the main lobby where the kitchen team focuses on what they call ‘the purest Italian tradition with a contemporary twist.’

I sat at the bar and ordered a Bellini. On the menu were some interesting house creations like a Summer Negroni that adds white Vermouth and Italicus to the traditional recipe, and a Martini Al Tartufo made with truffle-infused gin that seemed popular.

Chatting with the staff, I learned that Chef Isaac Kumi comes from Treviso, a town near Venice. He collaborates with Executive Chef Hélio Gonçalves, Sous Chef Pedro Calhau, and Pastry Chef Mauro Abignente, who started his career in a small pastry shop in Bisceglie, Italy.

Dinner began with a delicious basket of breads including a homemade brioche, some olives, and small pieces of Parmesan. The staff spoke perfect English and seemed genuinely eager to explain the menu.

We took the signature beef loin carpaccio, parmesan cream sauce, the tempting fried artichoke with anchovy mayonnaise and a classic, creamy fresh burrata, with pesto Genovese.

Looking through the primi options, I spotted several classics as well as Pappardelle al funghi selvatici, fresh pasta with wild mushrooms, and Squid ink Gnocchi with cuttlefish and red mullet. The Spaghettoni Cacio e Pepe reminded me how satisfying simplicity can be – just good “Gragnano” spaghetti, pecorino cheese and black pepper.

For main courses, it had to be the Branzino, grilled wild sea bass with caponata, lemon and caper sauce and the Ossobucco alla milanese with saffron risotto.

The dessert menu revealed some interesting options, all handcrafted by the pastry chef and his team. The restaurant has a signature Gelato di Vaniglia, vanilla ice cream with crunchy hazelnut and pistachio cream, while I couldn’t resist trying the Tarteletta al limone e passione, a tart with lemon and passion fruit, topped with meringue and served with yoghurt gelato.

City Escapades

Lisbon is one of my all-time favourite destinations – a city that brims with authentic charm, and capital cool while retaining the ability to surprise. There are always new galleries, pavement cafés or hot dining spots to discover, and the feeling of space and light thanks to sweeping views out towards the water make the city feel invigorating.

If you are filled with energy, then I recommend you take up the chance to use the amazing facilities of the nearby Club 7. Here you find a gym, spa as well as tennis courts – it’s got a great social, urban vibe too, so you enjoy lingering for a post-exercise smoothie.  By the way, the hotel also offers in-room wellbeing treatments, including massages.

Heading back to Sublime Lisboa after a day exploring the city, I realised what makes this place work for me – it wants to return to a stylish friend’s home rather than coming back to a hotel.

I appreciated how the property sits quietly in the Amoreiras neighbourhood, which feels residential and authentic compared to the more touristy areas. Yet it’s well-positioned for exploring.

With so many big international hotel brands discovering Lisbon now, I found myself grateful for discovering this smaller, more personal place. It connected me to the city in ways a larger property likely wouldn’t have – through conversations with staff who offered their favourite local spots, design elements that reflected Portuguese style and a scale that felt cosy and welcoming.