The hotel was a relatively small hotel in comparison with the monstrocities that surrounded it. Beautifully designed from the outside and full of character the hotel Veneza lived up to my expectations. The rooms were clean and comfortable. We had a room that looked out onto the main Avenue LIberdade and due to the windows being double glazed, every nights sleep was peaceful. The hotel staff were always friendly and helpful, speaking excellent English. Breakfasts were served over a period of 3 hours giving plenty of time to get up in the morning in a relaxed fashion. It was a pleasure to stay here and i would definitely come back to stay if i ever come to Lisbon again on holiday.

This was actually more of a 3.5, because the location was convenient to the Barrio Alto, Metro, and Baixa districts. The room size was also impressive. We somehow got a triple room when only requesting a double. So, we had so much room to spread out. The bathroom was good-sized, but it was older, and it smelled pretty odd...It was a carpeted hotel, which is odd in Europe, and I think the carpet held smells...I can't say it was horrible. We actually enjoyed this much more than other places we've stayed. But, it could be improved some...

First of all: We love Lisbon! It's a great city. It has lots of nice restaurants (from very cheap to very expensive) and it's a lot of fun to walk to all kinds of places. It has beautiful views almost everywhere you go.

The Veneza Hotel looks really nice in their folder, but we had a not so nice room. It was very small and hardly had any wardrobe space. The bed was good, the bathroom was very cramped. It didn't have a bath, just a shower stall. We didn't mind that so much. The problem with the shower was that you had to hold it in your hand to use it. If you didn't the whole bathroom got very wet. I did have a look into other rooms and I must say that those rooms looked bigger.... I think not all the rooms are the same. The part that really got to us was the blood stain on one of the curtains..... That really didn't look good.

The airco of our room didn't work very well. It made lots of noise, but didn't give a lot of cool air.

Our room was located at the back of the hotel. You could hear the birds in the morning. No traffic sounds from Avenida da Liberdade. I would have preferred the front of the hotel and I would certainly have liked a room with a balcony.

The breakfast buffet was simple, but ok. Don't expect eggs or fresh fruit juices. Do expect nice fresh bread, cheese, ham, sausage and of course jams and stuff like that. The woman who serves the tea is quiet and efficient.

The hallways of the hotel are very cramped and make the place look more horrible than it really is.

The reception staff and the chamber maids are nice.

I wouldn't go back to this hotel, but we had a good time anyway.

First of all, for context: CHERIE AND I LOVED LISBON, the city and its people -- and we loved Hotel Veneza. If you don't groove on Lisbon, you're probably dead, but I suspect that some of the reviewers noted below weren't having a very good time of it, and that colored their review of Hotel Veneza. Lisbon is a city that requires you to get out and walk and talk and meet people. It's not a tourist town per se, although it's a very kind and hospitable place, and very beautiful at a human scale. In other words, it's a real city, a really nice city, but it requires that you participate. In keeping, the Hotel Veneza is a partiicipatory hotel. ;-)

Au contraire to the possibly spoiled travelers who've written before, Hotel Veneza is a gem.

First, begin with the staff: all friendly and helpful, English-speaking. The conciege, Sergio Gomes, knocked us out: he suggested and directed us to places we'd never have seen on our own, even calling ahead to ensure reservations (he's friends with everyone). When we were leaving, he gave us a gift, a bottle of his favorite wine, in appreciation for our new friendship. Has that happened to you lately at a Four Seasons?

Then, consider the location of the hotel: smack dab among Lisbon's four and five star hotels, just a few blocks from the Metro, close to several major going-out-at-night neighborhoods (and what is Lisbon, without the night?), close to the eating and shopping districts -- and on Liberdade, the central boulevard for strolling and grabbing a bite in a cafe among the trees. Taxis are always waiting outside. It couldn't be better.

(Liberdade's quiet enough at night. Keep your windows closed in the morning, to avoid the rush hour traffic noise -- which is more like Des Moines than NYC or LA.)

Our room was large and comfortable, bright and well lit with big windows that we could actually open and walk through (drawing the curtains at night), all modern bathroom and bath, a king-size bed, a balcony big enough for two to sit and have a glass of wine overlooking Liberdade, a sizable frig, radio, and even a minor TV (but who wants to watch TV in this party town?). the frequent morning and afternoon breezes blew away the heat. We agree, the breakfasts could have been more local in flavor, but the helpings (buffet) were ample and besides, who are you dining with? Such connoisseurs as Brits, Germans, Norskies, and too few Italians to require excellent cuisine. We preferred to sleep in and have a fresh roasted-chicken or seafood brunch down in the zone of small shops and restaurant/cafes, anyway.

Finally, the Veneza's price is right and the management responsive. We had some special needs and the hotel -- and not just the hotel, but the management in Lisbon (this is one of three hotels in a small chain) -- were extremely helpful. BTW, the reason the big staircase in front is roped off is to present undesirables from coming in the front door and entering the hotel unseen by the reception, which is off to one side. The staff opened the staircase for us and let us use it, taking pictures of us as we did.

We loved Lisbon. We loved the Veneza. We loved Sergio and the Veneza staff. Go there. Enjoy it, too.