Tivoli Oriente Hotel

The Tivoli is housed in a gray cylindrical structure with 15 stories of rooms and three elevators. A modern lobby is complete with marble floors and a mix of hanging and recessed lighting. There's a huge blue-and-white-striped column at its center, surrounded by a velvet upholstered bench seat. Blue-and-beige carpeting adds to the contemporary, if a little corporate, vibe. Most guests here are business travelers, though the hotel also gets tourists in transit who want easy access to the nearby Oriente railway station and the airport. 

The Tivoli Oriente is located in a newer area of Lisbon, right on the former grounds of Expo ’98 (a World's Fair site). However, what makes the location attractive is its proximity to Gare do Oriente, a major transportation hub located right next door to the property. Oriente Station offers easy access to metro, bus, trains and cabs, which puts the city center within easy reach -- it takes about 25 minutes to get to the heart of the action in central Lisbon. While it's a bit far from tourist attractions, it is close to the airport (a nine-minute drive away). There are shops, restaurants, and a casino just down the street. It takes about a half-hour by metro to reach St. George's Castle, Bairro Alto, Praca do Comercio (a beautiful plaza facing the river), and the Santa Justa historic elevator. The National Museum of Ancient Art, Jeronimos Monastery, and the Belem Tower all take just over 20 minutes to reach by car, as does the National Coach Museum, the largest museum of royal coaches in the world.

This hotel offers a variety of air-conditioned rooms, including 18- to 20-square-meter (194- to 215-square-foot) Superior Rooms and 40-square-meter (430-square-foot) Junior Suites, distinguished by their views. Most units look out over the Targus River or the city; however, some of the city views are a bit bleak and industrial. The hotel also offers a few 60-square-meter (645-square-foot) Executive Suites, located on the hote's top two floors, all with separate living rooms with tables and chairs. All units come with -- at a minimum -- desks, minibars, Nespresso machines, and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs with cable. Decor is contemporary and elegant, with light-gray carpeting, patterned accent walls, and lovely plush velvet chairs. Large windows with blackout curtains and recessed lighting helps keep the spaces feeling bright. Bathrooms are consistent across categories, with lovely deep-teal walls, magnifying mirrors, and long counters with vessel sinks and toiletries, plus lovely walk-in showers with ceiling-mounted rainfall showerheads. While rooms are generally quiet, there have been some complaints of maintenance issues ranging from malfunctioning air-conditioning to stained upholstery.

Amenities at the Tivoli Oriente are geared toward business travelers. The hotel offers 12 sleek, modern meeting and event rooms, the largest of which can fit 400 people theater-style. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, but there's a daily fee levied after the first hour of access. Wellness features include a decent-sized fitness center with a few cardio and weight-training machines, plus a rack of free weights. There's also a lovely indoor pool area with a few lounge chairs and a whirlpool hot tub, but it's a bit on the small side for lap swimming.On-site dining includes an affordable steakhouse -- T-Bone -- which is open for lunch and dinner, and focuses on meat-based meals, though they do have a vegan section on the menu. Room service and a breakfast buffet are available. However, a number of past guests have complained that the food isn't that great. For something more casual, Tivoli Caffe Oriente offers light snacks, lunch items, and coffee drinks, but it closes at the end of the lunch hour. Sky Bar Oriente opens at the end of the workday and offers cocktails, sushi, and other light items. The dining room provides good city views.