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The Independent UK

Rachel Everett

Tarabel, Lisbon, hotel review

Lisbon Michelin

Escape to Tarabel in Lisbon with your beau, Rose Fournier’s latest hotel masterpiece

“I’ve reviewed many hotels in Portugal, and Tarabel is as close to perfection as it comes for a luxurious, original Lapa stay. I would recommend this hotel to couples seeking an avant-garde retreat in Lisbon, away from the tourist track.”

Rachel Everett

Location

Set in the peaceful diplomatic district of Lapa – Lisbon’s Mayfair – Tarabel has the great advantage of being in the city yet away from the crowds, allowing guests to experience a slower side of Lisbon. It’s a skip-and-a-hop to leafy Jardim da Estrela (a 5-minute walk) and Lisbon’s Time Out Market for food (a 10-minute walk), and key sights are roughly a maximum 30 minutes by foot – or do as Lisboeta’s do when they are navigating the hills in summer, and Uber. The location is ideal for travellers wanting to mix city and coast, as everything is so accessible, with alluring surf beaches like Costa de Caparica around a 30-minute drive.

The vibe

Sourced vintage furniture and modern art dress the rooms at Tarabel (Tarabel)

The boutique hotel itself is a 19th-century mansion that feels more of a home-from-home, well, a super stylish friend’s home. Situated on a quiet, tree-lined street in languid Lapa, from the outside, it is so discreet that it doesn’t immediately stand out as a hotel.

Once inside, you won’t want to leave. Everything has been carefully created with flair, from the brilliant interior design to sourced vintage items – such as the whimsical, huge birdcage at the entrance. Stepping through the door, the voguish, botanically-influenced, ultra light-filled interiors with modern art and antiques in the lobby, lounge and dining area are utterly magnetic – even better, they look onto the handsomely-dressed garden pool and reach as far as the River Tagus.

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Service

Service at the hotel is second to none; it would be hard to get this type of personalised service at a bigger hotel. The team is small and friendly, offering excellent service, genuine local tips and recommendations for lesser-known beaches and restaurants. Generally, nothing is too much trouble, and guests are made to feel like part of the family.

Bed and bath

There are nine boutique rooms at Tarabel (Tarabel)

All of the exquisite rooms and suites (there are nine) offer a dose of wow-factor style and space – they are sumptuous and bright in natural tones of white, gold and green with botanical elements. Every room is utterly luxurious in terms of design, furnishings and bedding; it is somewhere you will want to dwell. There are no TVs in the rooms, and guests are encouraged to treat the house like their home. Bathrooms include powerful rainfall showers, standalone, porcelain bathtubs and Molton Brown lotions and potions.

Though not as roomy as the ground-floor suite, the first-floor suites are the best rooms to book; they are beautifully designed around nature with plenty of space and high-spec furnishings, with chic lounges, and sunlounger-clad terraces with superb views. Book a room with a terrace if possible; the morning light is wonderful.

Food and drink

Sit down for an intimate dinner experience in the hotel’s dining room (Tarabel)

There’s one restaurant at Tarabel, and a small, intimate dining area which has incredible views. Chef Afonso Blazquez Raposo leads the charge. Breakfast is a sensational spread, complete with fantastic vintage crockery and the finest linens overlooking the pool gardens. The morning menu includes fresh orange juice and strong coffee, flaky pastries, homemade granola, yoghurt, honey and eggs. At dinnertime, highlights include delicious Portuguese rice with plump scarlet prawns and tasty Iberian pork. Finish with a prettily-plated red fruit tartelette.

Facilities

Perfectly sculpted gardens surround the hotel’s plunge pool (Tarabel)

There’s a glassy plunge pool at the bottom of the tiered hotel gardens, surrounded by sassy sunbeds with yellow and white parasols and Portuguese tile art. It’s the peak place to hang out for some serenity, escaping the midday sun with a good book.