Torel Palace hotel review, Lisbon

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HOTELSTorel Palace hotel review, Lisbon

From superb food to a competitive price point, Rachel Everett covers one of her favourite Lisbon hotels

Wednesday 03 December 2025 13:54 GMTCommentsopen image in galleryTorel Palace is high up on the Lisbon hills, serving expansive views over the city (Torel Palace Lisbon)

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I’ve reviewed numerous hotels in Lisbon and would recommend Torel Palace for being a beautiful, centrally located hotel with superb food options – at a very competitive price point. It’s a pleasure taking a dip in the pool with an incredible view, having breakfast on the pretty outdoor terrace, or just lingering under the avocado trees with a cloudy lemonade. The magic at 2Monkeys is the cherry on top.

Location

Torel is a tucked-away, peaceful, palatial hotel made up of three distinct houses designed around Portuguese royalty, high up in the Lisbon hills with commanding views. Its resort-like sanctuary appeal, away from busy central Lisbon, means you could happily spend all of your holiday here. Pretty Torel Gardens, with its locals and wraparound views of Lisbon, is literally a two-minute walk away. Dating from 1884, the oldest funicular in Lisbon – the Lavra Funicular (Ascensor do Lavra) – starts just outside Torel Palace. It offers a short route (five minutes) to Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon’s Champs-Elysees, a super-luxe boulevard. Key Lisbon sights are all within easy reach of the hotel, or a short Uber ride away.

Read more: Best hotels in Lisbon for city views and rooftop sunsets

The vibe

open image in galleryTorel Palace brings a luxury resort vibe to the city centre (Torel Palace Lisbon)

Torel Palace is a luxury boutique hotel with wow factor made up of two historic palaces and a mansion. It’s set high up in Lisbon’s hills and boasts dreamy views. Dating from 1894 and formerly the Belgian embassy, the hotel has a prolific history with a cocoa family. The hotel feels like a luxury resort destination with great food to match. With this enviable location and resort-style feel, guests are quite happy to stay put for a few days too. Inside, the stylish and comfortable rooms, suites and apartments are ideally set up for couples or families. You can enjoy visiting two outdoor pools, two restaurants – Black Pavilion and 2Monkeys – and a sleek British bar, Duke’s.

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Service

Service at the hotel is excellent. The front of house staff are first-rate: attentive and helpful with local tips and advice on the best sights to see, and nothing is too much trouble. I also saw staff deal with some inconsiderate guests in a highly professional manner – it was quite impressive.

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Bed and bath

open image in galleryThere are 33 unique rooms at Torel Palace (Torel Palace Lisbon)

Torel Palace is cloaked in greenery, which makes it a lovely haven to just hang out at. There are 33 deluxe rooms and suites, five apartments and a villa, all with nods to Portuguese royalty and arranged across three houses: one house being named after kings, one after queens and one after the children. Suite 45 is luxurious and an extremely spacious, light-filled space with pretty terrace windows. There is a spacious double bedroom, lounge area and a power shower. Rooms are all different; apartments can accommodate families and have easy pool access – plus there’s one with incredible views of Lisbon’s terracotta rooftops.

Read more: The best luxury hotels in Lisbon for a chic city break, from butler service to Michelin-starred meals

Food and drink

open image in galleryMichelin-starred 2Monkeys is an immersive dining experience (Torel Palace Lisbon)

There are two restaurants at the hotel. Breakfast is served in Black Pavilion restaurant, the aforementioned dining space with the gorgeous outdoor terrace location. The breakfast at BP includes a hot and cold buffet and hot menu items to order – try the eggs Benedict and a tiny pastel de nata (or two). Service could have been a bit quicker at times, but the staff were friendly and efficient. The restaurant truly excels at dinnertime – at around £100 for two delicious starters, steaks, a good bottle of rosé and two glasses of vino verde. It is a wonderful evening location, looking out to the twinkling city lights and up at swaying palms.

Restaurant 2Monkeys, helmed by Vitor Matos and Guilherme Spalk, is the hotel’s Michelin masterpiece (it currently holds one Michelin star) – do not miss a chance to dine here. The immersive, modern tasting course menu is pure joy: guests are seated around the chef’s counter table for an intimate yet totally unstuffy and fun fine dining experience. The chefs chat with diners and plate the food before them, each dish with a side of wit – we loved every minute of it. Highlights were the red shrimp and wagyu courses and the mango rice was pure Singapore nostalgia (this writer’s former home).

Facilities

open image in galleryThere are two outdoor pools on the property (Torel Palace Lisbon)

There are two sensational outdoor pools, sheltered day beds, an outdoor bar, a hammam room and a spa. The pools help to make the hotel feel more like a resort and somewhere you could happily zone out for a while. Outside the blue mansion is an outdoor lounge-bar area sheltered by avocado trees – this and the hotel’s elite address in Lisbon means it could be your base for a week spent mixing city, coast and relaxation time.

Ask for Marta at the spa, a highly experienced massage therapist who leaves guests feeling that little bit lighter. Go for the cocoa and lavender full-body massage; there’s also a cute space to have a lemongrass tea and some chocolate afterwards.

Read more: The best hotels in Lisbon’s city centre for 2025 – for stays near popular restaurants and bars

Disability access

There is one accessible room at Torel Place. But due to the characteristics of the terrain and the historic buildings, most public spaces have steps and are more difficult to access.

Pet policy

The hotel is proudly dog-friendly. Dogs up to 10kg are welcome with their owners, and other pets may be allowed on request. There is a fee of €65 (£57) per animal per night.

Check in/check out?

Check in is 3pm; check out is 12 noon.

Family-friendly?

Yes. It’s best suited to older children, though.

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At a glance

Best thing: The high standard of accommodation and the two pools. Plus, the food in the main restaurant is excellent and reasonably-priced.

Perfect for: Couples and families – the hotel is a haven and offers easy access to key sights.

open image in galleryThe spa offers a range of treatments (Torel Palace Lisbon)

Not right for: Very young children because of the tiered areas.

Instagram from: The main pool, which offers an epic view of the city.

Address: R. Câmara Pestana 45, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal

Book now

Phone: +351 21 829 0810

Website: Torelpalacelisbon.com

Read more: The best budget hotels in Lisbon for a cheap break in the Portuguese capital

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