Review: DoubleTree by Hilton Lisbon - Fontana Park: Just Another Hotel
This member of the Hilton group in Lisbon has been around for a long time now, the DoubleTree by Hilton Lisbon - Fontana Park opened its doors back in the summer of 2013. Almost ten years later, we were able to visit the house and get an impression, which we would like to share with you here.
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LOCATION
The DoubleTree by Hilton Lisbon - Fontana Park is located in the heart of Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. Specifically, it is situated in the Saldanha neighborhood, a vibrant and interesting neighborhood that offers plenty of dining and entertainment options. The hotel is also conveniently located within walking distance of several metro stations, making it easy to explore the city's many attractions. For example, the historic Rossio Square and the trendy Chiado neighborhood are just a few stops away on the metro.
However, those who wish to land directly in the old town of the Portuguese capital when leaving the hotel are at the wrong place. The Praça do Comércio, for example, is a good 45 minutes away by foot. However, no hotel of the Hilton Group can be found in the central old town at the current time.
Instead, the DoubleTree offers a central city location at fair prices. This may be a good starting point, especially for business trips, and the proximity to the airport is also helpful; it is only 20 minutes by cab.
ARRIVAL, LOBBY & CHECK-IN
As soon as you enter the building, you'll notice that the property already has a few years on its back. The design is flashy, rather dark, and surprises with quirky color accents, such as a bright green carpet. Unusual for these days.
The lobby is rather spacious, with several sitting areas and access to the front desk, bar, restaurant and the elevators.
Our check-in was friendly, we arrived at the hotel later in the afternoon after a flight from Porto. Our room was ready, unfortunately despite having a higher status in this case we could only be given the category we had booked as the hotel was unfortunately fully booked. As usual at the DoubleTree, we were offered a warm cookie, always a nice surprise and a great argument worldwide for a hotel from the DoubleTree series. Unfortunately, in this case the cookie was baked a bit too long and tasted dry and burnt. As it turned out later, this was unfortunately the first sign of the quality of the food offered in the house.
ROOM
After taking the elevator to our floor, we entered an almost completely black corridor. The design is certainly a question of taste, but we found it rather oppressive and sterile in an unpleasant way. The room number is only visible on the carpet, on a narrow green strip that runs along both sides in front of the doors.
Our room was compact and simple. There was everything we expected, even a bathtub that also served as a shower. A window allowed a view of the room and in reverse also the bathroom and shower, unfortunately this could not be shut either. The television seemed unusually small. Also the elements of the room were mainly black, together with a small window it made the room oppressively tight. Instead of comfortable seating, there was a long bench along the wall opposite the bed, which could be used for both sitting and placing luggage. Unfortunately, some of the furniture in the room also showed their age; the room looked worn out. This condition and the design call for a renovation of the hotel.
However, if looks and design are not that important, the DoubleTree by Hilton Lisbon - Fontana Park is a solid and clean hotel with a comfortable bed. Also, of course, our experience refers to the standard room, unfortunately, we had no opportunity to visit other rooms during our stay. The hotel also offers rooms with panoramic windows and private terraces, those who want to spend a longer time here will certainly feel much more comfortable in these rooms.
HOUSEKEEPING
Since we only spent one night in the hotel room, we didn't experience much from the housekeeping. However, we got a very clean and fresh room and our request for additional towels on the day of arrival was also fulfilled quickly and kindly.
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BREAKFAST
Breakfast turned out to be the hotel's biggest weakness and was so off-putting for us that it really had a significant and lasting impact on our stay. Already upon entering the breakfast restaurant, we encountered what we considered to be a rather unenthusiastic team. Communication with us at the entrance was limited only to validating our room number, after which we were left to our fate. Unlike the hotel, the restaurant was now completely white, including a cold tile floor. The room looked more like an operating room than a cozy restaurant. The buffet was kept very small and the selection was modest. The quality of the food was not convincing: the baked goods were dry, the cold cuts were standard industrial goods. Upon asking at the counter, we were told that we could order hot drinks and egg dishes. After some time, we received an omelet and two boiled eggs. The omelet tasted of old fat and was raw inside, the boiled eggs had an unusual pattern on the outside and had a foul odor after opening. Rarely have we completely passed up a hotel breakfast, but after the arrival of the inedible egg dishes, we preferred to leave the restaurant and find breakfast in the neighborhood. The combination of unmotivated team and poor quality made us lose our appetite. Too bad, there is definitely great potential for improvement here. In the meantime, we recommend using the gastronomic establishments in the neighborhood as an alternative.
LOUNGE
There is no lounge in this hotel.
DINNER OPTIONS
There are two food and beverage establishments in the hotel, one is the bar and the other is the main restaurant:
The Fontana Bar is located just behind the hotel lobby and offers a small selection of cocktails, wines and light snacks in the typical design of the hotel. Worth highlighting is the relatively large outdoor area, which is located in the courtyard but allows some brightness and fresh air in the gloomy hotel.
The Saldanha Mar restaurant serves a daily buffet breakfast and a la carte lunch and dinner menus featuring Portuguese and international cuisine. The lunch/dinner menu features a range of dishes, from traditional Portuguese favorites like bacalhau (salt cod) and grilled octopus to international options like sushi and pasta. After our breakfast experience, we didn't feel like going back for more. If you're thinking about eating at the restaurant, we recommend taking a close look at photos and reviews on popular portals beforehand.
ROOM SERVICE
Room service is offered in theory, but based on our experience, especially at breakfast, we did not try it.
GYM
The hotel offers a small gym, there are about five state-of-the-art machines as well as an extensive weight bench. The gym is located in the basement and therefore unfortunately offers no view, but for the daily fitness needs everything is offered.
OVERALL SERVICE
We would describe our experience with the service at this hotel as average. At no point did we encounter an over-motivated staff member, but everyone performed their duties adequately. We were least impressed by the restaurant team at breakfast.
STAY DETAILS
We stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Lisbon - Fontana Park for one night in April 2022 and rates started at around 130€ per night at that time.
STATUS RECOGNITION
We received complimentary breakfast due to our Diamond status with Hilton. Unfortunately, there was no upgrade, we were told that the hotel was completely booked.
SUMMARY
The DoubleTree by Hilton Lisbon - Fontana Park is a clean hotel in a central location. Unfortunately, the furnishings and design are a bit outdated and in need of a refresh. However, we were particularly shocked by the buffet breakfast that was offered. The quality of the food was not up to the expected standard, fresh egg dishes were inedible. If you are looking for a cheap room with a comfortable bed in a central location in Lisbon, this is a good place to stay, but if you have more expectations of the hotel, you should look for alternatives.
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