Heritage Avenida Liberdade

The sunset-blue facade of the Heritage hotel is the only original remnant of this 18th-century palace on Lisbon’s Avenida Liberdade; the interiors are unrecognizable, pure contemporary luxury, courtesy of the designer Miguel Câncio Martins, perhaps best known for the interiors of the Buddha Bar in Paris. There’s no oversized religious idol dominating the space here, but there is a certain similarity of style, if you look closely: rich materials, classic references, clean lines and a warm, welcoming palette.

But it’s a hotel, you say, not an interior design catalog. And of course you’re right. What matters most is that the rooms are big and airy, sunny when you want them to be and blacked-out when you don’t, and packed with thoughtful extras like hideaway televisions and CD/DVD entertainment centers. Beds and baths are the focus, the former king-sized and heaping with pillows and fine linens, the latter bright, spacious and well-equipped.

The Heritage group works harder on service than on self-promotion, and it shows — this is the kind of boutique hotel that feels cozy and homey, where others come off self-promoting and exclusionary. It’s simple enough, just a good-looking and comfortable hotel, in a convenient location, staffed by the kind of people who are happy to look after you — sometimes that’s all it takes.