Rossio / Baixa

My Story Hotel Rossio

★★★★★

For travellers who want to be in the absolute centre of Lisbon without paying luxury prices, My Story Hotel Rossio is hard to beat. It stands on Rossio itself, officially Praça Dom Pedro IV, the great square at the top of the Baixa that has been the city's meeting place for centuries, with its baroque fountains, wave-patterned black-and-white pavement, the National Theatre at one end and old cafés around the edges. Step out of the door and you are a minute from the Baixa's grid of shopping streets, the Rossio metro and railway stations, the Ginjinha bars where locals knock back cherry liqueur at the counter, and the climb to the castle. The hotel occupies a classic Pombaline building, rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake like the rest of the Baixa, with a modern, colourful interior. Rooms are contemporary and comfortable, compact rather than spacious, with practical bathrooms and good beds; the most sought-after look straight out over the square, which is a wonderful sight in the early morning and at night when the fountains are lit. The hotel has a restaurant and bar on site, useful for breakfast and a drink, though with so many cafés on the doorstep few guests eat every meal in. It is rated three stars, and the welcome is friendly and efficient rather than formal. It suits first-timers, couples on a budget and short city breaks, when location matters more than facilities. Light sleepers should note that Rossio is lively, and that the square is a hub for buses, taxis and late-night crowds.

The location is the whole point. You can walk to almost every central sight: the Baixa and Praça do Comércio downhill, the Chiado and Carmo Convent up the hill to the west, the castle and Alfama uphill to the east, and Avenida da Liberdade just north via Restauradores. The Rossio metro station is outside and Rossio railway station, with direct trains to Sintra, is a two-minute walk, so day trips are easy. Tram 28 can be picked up a short walk away in the Baixa or Martim Moniz.

Living in it: if you want the view, ask for a square-facing room, and accept that it will come with some noise; if sleep matters most, ask for a room at the back or on a higher floor. Rooms are compact, so pack light, especially if travelling as a family. Breakfast in the hotel is convenient, but the pastelarias around the square, including some of the oldest in the city, make a fun alternative.

Base math: rates sit in Lisbon's mid-range, usually well below the four- and five-star hotels nearby, for a location that luxury hotels would envy. Choose it for a first visit, a short break or a busy sightseeing schedule; choose somewhere quieter and roomier if you plan a long, slow stay.