HotelChatter

I stayed in this hotel for 5 nights/6 days in October 2007 on a leisure trip.  Though the hotel is of average quality it certainly does not deserve to be ranked as a four (4) or even a three (3) star hotel.  It is unclear how anyone would ever consider this accommodation a top-end hotel.  

Customer  service.  Among the first things you will notice is that the staff at the front desk are not customer service oriented.  I asked several questions one would ordinarily ask at a front-desk and was surprised at the relatively unfriendly answers.  For example, it was pouring rain and I asked where I could purchase or obtain an umbrella.  The response from the counter was that none were sold in the neighborhood (this isn't true since I found one for sale one block away at the train station).  No offer was ever made to lend an umbrella or even to call a cab.  Another routine request was whether the hotel could provide a stamp and mail a letter.  The front counter told me to go to the post-office.  I asked to purchase a voucher for internet services in the hotel and was told that there were only 2 euro vouchers (30 minutes) available and that if I wanted to use the internet I should go to the internet café in the basement of the nearby mall.   While I would expect this in a youth hostel  I was surprised to find it in a hotel that charges more than 120 Euros per night.  Speaking of rates, at one point the hotel staff, either through inexperience or inattentiveness, tried to charge me an additional amount over the prepaid online reservation.  According to the hotel, they could not  be held to the lower rates offered by online travel agency underpriced their services.  Eventually the staff realized that they had made an error in processing the paperwork and that the hotel had in fact been paid in full by the online agency.  No apology, however, was made by the hotel for their mistake.  

Elevator.  There is a great view of an ancient aqueduct from the glass walls of the elevators.  And, if you look up at the ceiling of the left elevator you will enjoy the view of black grease smudges.  

Hallway.  In the carpet of the hallway there was a 1.5 foot long green stain.

Room.  The room I requested was a non-smoking room and it was marked as such.  However, on entering the room I discovered that even non-smoking rooms are provided with ash trays in the bedroom and the bathroom.  Looking down at the carpet I noticed that it was dirty and stained (possibly the glue from underneath is showing).  The tiles in the bathroom were also stained.  The light fixture on the left side of the bed was broken and several of the fixtures in the bathroom were improperly installed and crooked.  The mattress was very hard as noted by a previous reviewer, but I like hard mattresses.  The cups in the bathroom were cheap plastic, and the bathtub drain was clogged and tended to fill several inches when taking a shower.  

Prices.  To wash a pair of pants in the hotel laundry you will pay six (6) Euros (8.40 USD).  To wash a skirt you will pay seven (7) Euros.  A coca cola from the mini bar will cost you two (2) Euros (3 USD).  Local calls however are a bargain at approximately 0.25 Euros/minute with toll-free calls being surprisingly free.  There is also pay TV but it is unclear what the schedule is and how much it costs.  

Location.  The hotel is located some distance from the center of town in a characterless business district. However, there is a metro station nearby that will take you to the center of town in four (4) stops.  From the very loud rumbling of aircraft engines in the hotel room I was able to determine that the hotel is beneath one the landing flight path for the Lisbon airport.  The flights which stop late at night and resume between 8 AM to 9 AM will wake all but the heaviest sleepers.  The upside, no need to request a wake-up call.  

Other.  There is a rooftop pool with a great view of the sunset.  There is also a restaurant for those feeling too lethargic to find much better cuisine at better prices in nearby.  

Overall this is a very average hotel with an outrageous rack rate.  I would rate this hotel a half (1/2) below a Holiday Inn Express.