Pátio do Tijolo

Tucked away between Bairro Alto and the quieter residential district of Príncipe Real, this boutique hotel is only accessible via a hidden passageway. The setting may be private, but once inside, Pátio do Tijolo is a surprisingly sociable place. The open design, dreamt up by a Spanish interior designer and carried out by a Lisbon-based architecture studio, takes inspiration from the Portuguese concept of a patio or shared space; indoor and outdoor communal areas include a leafy courtyard, a modern kitchen, and a stylish living room ideal for reading or relaxing. It’s the kind of hotel where guests are more likely to be lounging in the garden or indulging in a late, leisurely breakfast than to be spending time in their rooms.

Which isn’t to say the rooms leave anything to be desired. The interiors are luminous, minimalist, and cozy, with pale wood flooring, bright white linens, and elegant floor-to-ceiling drapery. Thanks to the hotel’s hillside location, the rooms are elevated above Lisbon’s red roofs and treetops. All have large windows, and some have balconies; many offer views over the city skyline or the estuary and its picturesque suspension bridge. Those without views have private patios facing the palm tree-dotted courtyard. All in all, they’re fine retreats at the end of the day, but it’s just as peaceful to sip tea amid the patio’s lush greenery or plan a sightseeing excursion over wine and cheese in the kitchen. Slow living is the guiding principle behind these shared spaces, and no one is in a hurry, especially with Lisbon's attractions so easy to reach just beyond the hotel’s entrance.