Hotel da Estrela

NileGuide Expert tip:

It's definitely worth exploring the nearby Jardim da Estrela public gardens.

Description:

• It's back to school at this unusual and delightfully offbeat property. Designed to resemble a traditional schoolhouse, this 19-room boutique hotel artfully mixes vintage school paraphernalia and apparatus with contemporarily styled furniture and décor. Carpets woven with blackboard motifs, dog-eared textbooks and even a headmaster's desk all help conjure up memories of a carefree childhood. A refreshingly youthful vibe bounces off the walls and corridors. Rooms are bright and colourful and very spacious. Perched on top of a hill, views from the windows are exceptional and take in the magnificent china-white dome of the Basílica da Estrela. The classroom ambience is carried through to the Cantina da Estrela restaurant where daily specials are chalked up on slate and school benches number among the seating arrangements. The property is near the Lisbon Hotel and Tourism School and some of the students work at the hotel to enrich their education.
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