Dear Lisbon is a collection of town houses designed to give guests an atmosphere of elegant Lisbon in total comfort and with historical locations to boot. The Dear Lisbon Bordalo house is no exception. Though situated without much fanfare in Rafael Bordalo Square (named after one of Portugal’s great artists), and you may even miss on your first attempt getting there, it’s more than worth the trouble. The general location is simply superb as it is bang in the middle of Lisbon’s beating cosmopolitan heart. The elegant Chiado is at your doorstep, Bairro Alto is but a couple of minutes away, ditto downtown, so any direction you take from here will lead you to new discoveries without even trying too hard.

Now, the people behind Dear Lisbon are passionate about their home city and the way they have done up the Bordalo House is not only a testament to their love of Lisbon but also their taste. All of the aristocratic Belle Epoque details have been kept, such as the wooden doors, iron railings and façade balconies but given a modern twist to meet the demands of today’s discerning traveller.

But all suites manage to keep history very much alive with features such antique plaster ceilings, classical furnishings elegant decor details and antique paintings. Some even have a fireplace for those (thankfully few) days when it is on the cold side. But without exception all suites are ample, extremely comfortable and come with privileged views over Lisbon’s singular light and vibes.

In short, we’re talking top-notch here. The Bordalo House more than does justice to the wonderful quarters it is located in. The two just complement each other wonderfully.