Saturday 24th September
I was delighted to be invited by Leading Hotels of the World & Destinations Unlimited who put together an exciting and educational Familiarisation trip to Portugal Lisbon to showcase their beautiful 5-star hotels in Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais.
It was an early start at Heathrow ready to depart on the TAP Portugal airlines from London Heathrow direct to Lisbon Portugal– the flight was only very comfortable 2x 15 mins hours flight.
We were greeted by our drivers and then taken by private transfer straight to our first hotel site visit a the Olissipo Lapa Palace which is nested on one of Lisbon’s 7 hilltops overlooking the Tagus River and set amongst a sub-tropical centennial garden. The hotel is divided into three different sections – Palace Wing, Garden Wing and Villa Lapa with a total of 109 rooms which have all been decorated in difference styles with Portuguese style fabric and furniture.
We were taken on a show around of the hotel and meeting rooms followed shortly with a divine 6 x course Portuguese tapas then a cheese and port tasting session on the hotels terrace, overlooking the beautiful gardens and swimming pool.
After lunch we departed from the Olissipo and taken to the Tivoli Avenida de Liberdade for a site visit of the hotel. It is known as the Grande Dame of hotels in central Lisbon delivering hospitality since 1933 and is the place to be seen in Lisbon with a meeting point for celebrities, heads of state and royalty. The hotels has 285 bedrooms, from Deluxe rooms to Presidential Suites and 14 meeting rooms which are all flexible in size and can host up to 280 delegates for events in Lisbon central.
After the show around we were treated to drinks and canapes at Lisbon’s trendiest rooftop Sky bar located on the 9th floor of the hotel overlooking the River Tagus and the Arrábida Mountains. This is an stunning setting for any event to WOW your delegates!
Sky Bar Roof Top – Tivoli Avenida da Liberdade
Next stop – we walked through the beautiful, cobbled streets of Lisbon onto the a boutique hotel – Bairro Alto also located in the centre of Lisbon in a very prestigious area. This hotel was beautifully decorated with 3 meeting rooms, 1 auditorium and foyer complemented with a separate entrance for events attendees.
All the rooms were welcomed with natural daylight and the interior décor was above and beyond. We had the pleasure of eating dinner in their Bahr restaurant, located on the 5th floor which had a terrace overlooking the River Tagus. What a beautiful way to finish the day!
Sunday 25th
Pestana Palace –Palacio de Seteais – Grande Real Vila Italia
We checked out from the Olissipo Lapa Palace the following morning to be greeted by a couple of Tuk Tuks!
We were taken on a tour around the city to visit all the historic monuments and sights. This is the definatly the perfect way to see the sights of Lisbon.
We were then taken by tuk tuk to the next hotel –The 5-star Pestana Palace and we were welcomed by a Portuguese guitar player in the entrance to the hotel. This property is a stunning 19th century palace which has been restored with very grand meeting rooms in the main building, 2 swimming pools, spa, and surrounded by lush gardens.
We were greeted by the Hotel Manager and their staff with a glass of champayne and then was served a traditional portuguese lunch in the historic Renascenca room, which was the original dining room of the Marques e Marques Valle-Flor. This hotel is a hidden gem!
After lunch we departed towards Sintra which is a charming Portuguese town nestled on the hills Serra de Sintra and surrounded by historic buildings and natural scenery.
We departed Sintra to the next hotel Tivoli Palacio de Seteais for a Queens Tea Experience where we were welcomed with a beautifully dressed table with endless tea, sandwiches and portuguese cakes.
The hotel has 30 bedrooms all very elegant, decorated with ornate furnishings, stunning tapestries & two large conferencne rooms which can accomodate up to 200 delegates. There is also the Anantara SPA Palácio de Seteais within the hotel. This is ideal for a smaller conference or Incentive trip.
After the Queens Tea experice we were onto our last hotel site visit to Hotel Grand Real Villa Italia located in the beautiful town of Cascais.
The Five Star Grande Real Villa Itália Hotel & Spa represents the pinnacle of Hotel design and the very best in sophistication and comfort. Built on the site of a former Italian palace near the stylish town of Cascais, no expense has been spared in the construction, the decoration or in the superb facilities available in the hotel making this perhaps the best hotel in Cascais. Just to the north lie the fairytale hills and castles of Sintra, whilst Lisbon is within easy reach. Whether you are on holiday, or business, the Grande Real Villa Italia Hotel & Spa is the ideal choice for those wishing to visit the diverse charms of this part of Portugal.
The 16 multi-purpose meeting rooms, which can hold up to 450 people, are an important element in the hotel and have been designed to attract all types of events, from a simple business meeting to the international launch of products.
Overall each one of the hotels visted were unique in their own way and perfect for specific events such as meetings, incentive travel or conferences in Portugal – if you want to have a chat about any of the hotels in Portugal please get in touch or for any other locations.
Eleanor xx
Event Director @ Conference Desk @ Four Seasons Events
