Almaria Officina Real Apartments | Chiado

Among the most unique hospitality concerns in Lisbon is the Almaria group, which transforms unusual historical structures into stylish and modern apartment-style quasi-hotels. For Almaria Officina Real the raw material is a handsome building in Baixa-Chiado which was once used as a pewter workshop for the Royal House — one imagines the pewter needs of a royal family were rather greater in those days than they are today. The loss of this workshop is a gain for Lisbon’s hospitality world, however; Almaria Officina Real adds 10 attractive and characterful apartments to the city’s stock of lodging.

The apartments retain plenty of historical character by virtue of some well-preserved architectural elements, as well as decorative choices that echo the building’s historical use. But the style is more contemporary than classic, even if it’s a warm and inviting variety of contemporary. The top-floor apartments come with mezzanines and plenty of natural light; others, on the lower floors, offer views of the neighborhood’s colorful thoroughfares. Kitchenettes are universal, and breakfast is supplied on a daily basis by your hosts; after that, you’re on your own, though surrounded by no end of options for restaurants and more.