[QUOTE=Spymon;36300633]To round off our time in Portugal we spent two nights at the Vignette Collection Convent Square. As per the previous posts in this thread it will also be a comparison with the IC Lisbon. If you want to be right in the hustle and bustle of tourist Lisbon the location of Convent Square cannot be beaten, all the main sights are within walking distance, there are numerous buses close by and Rossio Metro station is practically outside the door. In short it couldn't be any more convenient for sightseeing.
Our first impression of the hotel was excellent, the lobby area is quite small and intimate and that allows the staff to easily acknowledge guests as they come and go, making you always felt welcome and like a valued guest. The lobby leads into an atrium area where the cloisters are used as an informal seating area for the bar/restaurant which you will find if you keep on walking. I really like the style of the property, the photos on the website/IHG app give off a horrible Saved by the Bell, early 90s aesthetic, when in fact the decor is modern with key period features from the building's past are maintained. In short, like the staff it has plenty of character! I think I blame the pink colour and the mirrors that are designed to look like the arches of the cloister, but anyway... the property looks excellent in the flesh.

I liked our room which was upgraded from the entry level Cosy Room to a King Deluxe Cloister View Room. Although it was compact, it was well designed for a short stay. The bathroom was lovely too, though the design of the shower screen meant I left a nice puddle under the sink as the water went through the gap in the screen. We also received a nice welcome amenity of a chocolate dessert and sparkling wine wishing us a happy anniversary which was a nice touch. However, there was one issue we had and that was noise. Between the light thud of bass from the bar downstairs and our neighbour testing the limits of the in room TV (personal request followed by complaint to font desk resolved this very quickly), and the occasional slam of a door it was a touch on the noisy side, especially when we had just come from the IC in Porto which is surrounded by building works and was probably less noisy. Again maybe we were unlucky, but something you might want to consider.

Breakfast was also good, the buffet was plentiful and I particularly enjoyed the daily selection of home made cakes. You can also order one a la carte dish alongside the buffet selection. Staff will bring you tea/coffee. The service at breakfast was excellent, almost too much in fact. The lady running the room was clearly incredibly proud of the hotel and its offering and was keen to make every single guest coming down for breakfast feel really special. It was a sharp contrast to the IC Lisbon Club Lounge.

So the question many of you will have is should I stay here or at the IC? If you want a calm, collected, classic five star hotel experience than clearly the IC is for you. If you want a very good four star experience right in the heart of the action than Convent Square is where it's at. I would also take a look at the price as despite the better hard product the IC may actually be the cheaper option and in that case there is only one winner in my book. Pictures below:

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