Duas Nacoes Hotel

The Hotel Duas Nacoes is an affordable hotel with some stylish touches and uneven marks for cleanliness and service. Its entrance, on a cobblestone, pedestrian-only street takes guest past its cafe tables into a lobby with marble floors and mirrored and marble walls. The wraparound, aluminum front desk sits under recessed lights and the space is set with black leather chairs. An elaborate marble pediment is placed above the entrance to the elevator corridor. The breakfast room off the lobby has light wood floors, a high ceiling, and cream walls. There are dark gold draperies on tall French doors and black wrought-iron chandeliers. At one end, leather-saddle sofas are clustered around a working fireplace. The tables are covered in peach and white tablecloths. There's also a TV lounge with a blue-and-white tile mural, olive draperies, and tub chairs in velvet taupe. With the exception of bland meeting rooms, the hotel's common areas are airy and convey an Old World elegance. The property attracts solo travelers and, due to its triple rooms, families on a budget. 

This hotel is centrally located among shops, bakeries, and cafes in a neighborhood of street performers. It's a one-minute walk to the shops of Rua Augusta. In three minutes on foot, guests can reach the lively Rossio Square. It is a five-minute walk to both the Terreiro do Paca and the Cais Columns. The Baixa/Chiado Metro is a six-minute walk. Reaching the central district of Barrio Alto takes a 13-minute walk, and Castelo de Sao Jorge is a 15-minute walk. The charming Alfama neighborhood is a 15-minute walk. The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum can be reached in 17 minutes by either car or train. The Navy Museum is 21 minutes by car or 31 minutes by train.  Lisbon Portela Airport is a 19-minute drive or a 42-minute train ride. 

Half of the rooms at the Hotel Duas Nacoes have been renovated with stylish, dark-wood headboards and gold curtains framing French doors that lead to balconies. Beds here have dark throws and satin throw pillows. These rooms also have small, pretty bathrooms with thumbnail bronze tile, rectangular sinks, and walk-in showers. The other half of rooms at this hotel need an upgrade: They're rather plain, with little to no artwork and old-fashioned bedspreads. Bathrooms in these rooms are small with tub/shower combinations and older fittings and fixtures. Guests routinely complain, to the point of suggesting ear plugs, about noise from the streets in the lively neighborhood surrounding the hotel. The Single and Double Rooms are quite small while the Triple Rooms are a bit more generous and include bidets and upholstered furniture. All of the rooms have air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and safes. There are also irons and ironing boards. Individual toiletries are presented on painted tiles sporting a Portuguese pattern. 

There are a few places to mingle at the Hotel Duas Nacoes. The 24-hour lobby has some seating and free coffee. The concierge staff can arrange for car rentals, tickets, and airport transfers for a fee. Free luggage storage is on offered in the lobby. The hotel provides free Wi-Fi and a free buffet breakfast that is largely continental, consisting of breads, fruits, and pastries. There are a few, bland meeting rooms with natural light available, and the business center has a computer, fax, and copy machines. Laundry and dry cleaning services are available for a fee. The hotel will provide extra beds, cots, high chairs, and, for a fee, babysitting. There is no gym but guests can use a nearby fitness center at a reduced rate. The property is handicapped accessible, and pets are welcome.