Leading a wave of new international openings in Portugal’s ancient capital, to include this autumn, The Standard and next year the Six Senses, Andaz Lisbon, designed by Patricia Urquiola, is a triumph of colour and carefully curated art, perfectly reflecting the city’s vibrant cultural melting pot.
Wallpaper* checks in at Andaz Lisbon
What’s on your doorstep?
Everything you might want really, starting with Lisbon’s most impressive square, the Praça do Comércio. Open to the water, this was once the gateway to Lisbon, where the grand caravels arrived in the Golden Age of Discovery to unload the gold and exotic spices from their travels or visiting dignitaries alighted to meet the King. Between this square and the hotel is the imposing Rua Augusta Arch, built to commemorate the city’s reconstruction after the devastating 1755 earthquake. Several of the hotel’s rooms look directly onto the arch, topped with, among other figures, the great explorer, Vasco de Gama; a unique view to wake up to.
Bar Z
Opposite it, along one side, is Lisbon’s Design Museum, MUDA, which houses fashion and design from the 19th century to the present day. A little further afield, but visible from the hotel, is Lisbon’s 12th-century cathedral and the even older Castle of St. George, which dominates the city’s skyline.
Bar Z
Who is behind the design?
Patricia Urquiola, leading her acclaimed design studio, Studio Urquiola, was responsible for the entire interior design concept, which immediately immerses the visitor in colour, warmth and creative detail. Inspiration came from Lisbon’s rich heritage, where past influences from Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Goa, Brazil, Japan and Macau are all woven into today’s Portugal. This is writ large in rooftop restaurant Luzzi, where blue floors represent the Ocean which connects these countries, vibrant African designs clad the ceilings, and wall décor mixes rope masks from Japan with bold murals.
Reception
Over-layering the vivid colours and textures used, art, curated brilliantly by Federica Sala, grounds us closer to home with the traditional Portuguese materials of local Lioz stone, cork, textiles, ceramics and tiles, much in evidence. Vibrant cork artwork by Beatrice Bonafini decorates the walls in the Andaz Lounge, the hub of the hotel, where the bar is a contemporary reinterpretation of Lisbon’s famous street kiosks. In the rooms and suites, bespoke furniture from Studio Urquiola and contemporary art, such as a geometric textile work in yellow, blue and white by Rosarinho Andrade or colourful abstract dyptychs by Farinha Rosa hang on the tactile wood panelling, adding yet more depth to rooms which come with a strong sense of place.
Lounge
The room to book
I loved my Arch Suite, one of only four in the hotel, from where, through the Rua Augusta Arch, I could watch the wonderful Lisbon light rise on the shimmering water. But all the 170 rooms are charming. Filled with light, many with views on a quintessential Lisbon landmark, they come in calming tones with art which reflects the surrounding Lisbon streets, their vivid colours, gleaming tiles, and pottery, such an integral part of Portugal’s culture. The capital’s red roofs might well have been the departure point for the glossy red walls in the bathrooms, where red and white tiles also feature, with Lioz stone square basins. Mine came with a tub to sink into and a generous double shower. Amenities are Eleventh Hour from Byredo.
King Landmark view
Minibar high?
Championing the best of Portugal, the mini-bar offers white port from the north, Ginja, a sweet and sour cherry liqueur from Obidos, beer from Sagres in the Algarve and a Portuguese gin, Sharish. Elegant, ribbed bottles of tonic water and lemonade come from the Spanish Tribute brand, and there is, of course, water and Coke. There is a Nespresso machine, capsule coffee and a variety of teas. A nice touch is the coffee cups, which come from Vista Alegre and are an interpretation of the famous Lisbon pavement mosaics.
King Landmark view
Staying for drinks and dinner?
You definitely should, for the concept in the rooftop restaurant, Luzzi is an interesting one, and the food here is a serious delight. The menu, created by Bruno Alves, is billed as ‘modern Lusitanian cuisine’ and draws on the countries that are part of Portugal’s culinary heritage but uses ingredients essential to these countries’ cuisines today. Goa, Macau, Mozambique, Japan, Cape Verde, Angola and Brazil are all represented with dishes like kibbeh, a Levantine dish popular in Brazil served here with bulgur and a citrus tahini sauce, or the tuna tartare, which nods to the simple tuna pie loved in Cape Verde. Reimagined anew here, it is elevated with fresh rather than canned tuna, cream from the Azores, spices from Japan and piri-piri from Angola. Guinea Fowl might come in a clay pot with cachupa, another Cape Verdean dish, while puddings include a traditional, conventional layered cake from Goa, with a roasted coconut sorbet and a Port glaze, from the vineyards of the Douro further north.
Luzzi
Drinks, at the Bar in Luzzi or across the rooftop in the terrace where live music and the warm Lisbon breeze blow, are equally creative as are cocktails at the Andaz Lounge, on the ground floor, where home-made pennyroyal (an herb much used in the Alentejo) soda is mixed into Mojitos. There, too, Portuguese wines can be explored from a list which represents the best female winemakers; a nice touch. Soak it all up with the ‘street food’ served here, the kind of popular snacks that can be found in the iconic kiosks which dot Lisbon’s squares and avenidas. Cod fritters, chicken empanadas and meaty croquettes. Save room, though, for the Basque cheesecake made with sheep’s cheese from Portugal’s mountain range, the Serra da Estrela. It is a triumph.
Bar Z
Where to switch off
As yet, the spa has not been opened, but there will be both a spa and a gym in the future. Currently, there is a room on the ground floor which has been equipped to serve as a temporary gym with weights and treadmills. Meanwhile, the rooftop overlooking the Rua Augusta Arch (there is a little niche with a table in it, which has a bird’s eye view) is as good as it gets for downtime.
Gym
The verdict
This is the first Andaz to open since it has been rebranded by Hyatt, after their acquisition of another lifestyle brand, The Standard, and its more upscale positioning is evident. Visually compelling, it dazzles with warmth, storytelling and respect for its location.
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Andaz Lisbon is located at R. do Comércio 132, 1100-060 Lisbon, Portugal