DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Lisbon - Fontana Park {PRT}
 

LISBON, PORTUGAL
http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hot...PDI/index.html

This property is now active and working as a DT, wasn't scheduled to come on-line until November 2013.

Anyone staying here soon? I will be at this property in late December, so I'm hoping to do a little advance intelligence gathering regarding on-site benefits for Gold/Diamond, as well as general impressions of the property and management.

Thanks for the heads-up! Looks like you'll be there before me (early 2014), will be looking out for reviews!

What was it rebranded FROM?

Nothing, it was an independent property not affiliated with any chain. Formerly called Fontana Park Hotel Lisbon.

Just looked at Tripadvisor reviews. Mediocre at best--typical DT, I guess.

But photographs DO NOT look like this belongs in the DT brand--more like AC by Marriott. But I guess DT will accept anything in a desperate quest to grow.

And apparently location is not optimal.

Bottom line--I am still looking for a great chain hotel for a future (first) visit to Lisbon.

Yes, I read those couple of TA reviews. Didn't seem like either person is a HHonors member? I'm really interested in how they treat Gold/Diamond guests; I'm already committed to a five night pre-paid stay, so there's no going back now.

Most concerning about those two reviews is they both report inconsistencies with the wi-fi. Really not good if I'm going to be there for five nights and I can't have reliable wi-fi. :td:

Here's hoping we get a HHonors/FT member in-depth review of this property soon.

I’m just finishing up a one-night stay here, and I’m posting a review.

Location.

The hotel itself is located in a central area of the city within walking distance of the yellow and red metro lines and is one stop on the yellow line away from the blue line. It is also two blocks from the Lisbon Sheraton. If location is all you care about this place is pretty good.

Comfort

I like a good bed. I can’t stand the rock hard foam beds that are popular in other EU Hilton properties. While this bed is an innerspring mattress, it has seen some mileage and needs to be replaced. While somewhat more comfortable than other EU standard beds I still prefer the US style bed.

Room

The whole hotel has a “W”esque hip minimalist vibe going on and that extends into the rooms. First, I don’t think the hotel has suites and it definitely doesn’t have a lounge. As a diamond I got upgraded to a “superior” room. There was 2 1.5L bottles of water in the room, but no bottle opener to pop the cap. I used my teeth. They put concrete linoleum on all of surfaces in the room. I’m not too sure what is going on with that. The TV is way too small for the room. It’s a 20inch TV when the wall it is on demands a 32inch or larger TV. The bathroom is blacked out with a one-way mirror built into the shower. I think that is supposed to be “sexy.” The desk chair is this cheap plastic Ikea thing, so if you’re planning on working in the room look elsewhere. The heat didn’t really work that well, so I thought the room stayed cold during the night. Then again I like it at 79f/27c so I’m weird like that.

Amenities

The hotel provided at least in the superior room a full Doubletree amenity set. It is the same product set would get in a US Doubletree. I like them, so I am cool with that. Breakfast was a pretty standard European breakfast. They did provide everything for a full English, but not much more than that. This Gold/Diamond breakfast compares pretty similarly to a US Hilton/DT that does provide a full breakfast but with a few more cold cuts and cheese. It doesn’t come close to the Asian Conrads I’ve stayed in or the Stockholm Hilton, which I consider to be the gold standard for hotel breakfasts. There was nothing cooked to order. Room service looked decent and reasonably priced. I didn’t order any room service.

Wi-Fi

Wifi is spotty. My room was at the end of the hall and the wifi barely worked from the bed and not at all from the desk. If you’re looking to do serious work on the internet look somewhere else or back up frequently because the connection drops pretty regularly. For speed I couldn’t get a youtube video at the lowest quality to run smoothly.

Overall

It’s a nice hotel with big rooms (US Standard). The staff was great and the food was passable. However, the whole place has this feeling of cheapness about it. For 59 Euro a night there is nothing to complain about. If I was paying anything over 100 Euro a night, I might have been disappointed. Graded against other US properties it’s a meh and runs in the pack. Against other EU properties it’s pretty good, but it needs a better desk setup and a better breakfast.

Thank you for the review.
Thinking of going there October next year and some of the nights are actually more than 100€ as of now. So I will wait and see what'll happen to the price - maybe an end-of-year sale....

Lisbon and Madeira points hotels?
 

Are there other Hilton properties in Lisbon? There seems to be a newish Conrad in the Algarve but hadn't planned on visiting the Algarve. Also wondering what IHG, Marriott, and Hyatts properties there are in Lisbon and also Madeira.

I've got some Starwood points but only around 20K total--not a lot to work with.

Could also part with some Avios points for a points stay.

This is the only Hilton property; don't know about the others. Sofitel Lisbon is rated very high.

Thanks Fozzie. I have Sofitel status but no points, so will have to check prices.

I'd say this hotel has a great location, plenty of cafés around that area selling incredible espresso and pasteis. Lots of good lunch spots around Saldanha and just up on Av da Republica is Restaurante Clube dos Empresarios which is a seriously awesome restaurant. It is also worryingly close to Galeto which for my money is the worst restaurant in the world.

The DT is close to Estação Picoas too which is the metro station that inspired the song Lisboa Não Sejas Francesa by Amalia Rodriguez due to it resembling the Paris metro.

For nightlife you'd have to walk/cab to Bairro Alto or Alcântara but the DT is certainly in a great area to wake up and start your day. It is a very typical and central business/residential area.

No Hiltons in Madeira
 

Anyone have any idea why Hilton has no properties in Madeira? Madeira looks absolutely stunning--in some places, a mixture between Bali (terracing), Peru, possibly even Mykonos or Santorini (view of the shore of Funchal for example). With the Levada walks as a great draw for hikers.

What is it about the lodging market in Madeira that would explain the absence of major players like Hilton and also Marriott, IHG, Hyatt, etc?

Checked in for a five night stay, as others have said, very modern fee. Rooms have concrete surface tops and built-in benches used throughout the room.

Received an upgraded room to 7th floor; King Deluxe with terrace ^. Although, it's a bit too cold to enjoy sitting out there. My room has a very large soaking tub complete with under water "mood" lights. On-site restaurants are cozy and not large and over-sized. Given it's so close to Christmas, the place seems empty, so maybe that helped with the upgrade?

As a HHonors Diamond, will receive free breakfast each morning at the lobby level restaurant. Bathrobes and slippers waiting in the room when I arrived ^

Although I'm not a big fan of the uber modernist design/style, this place is fine for a short stay. Most people either LOVE the look/feel or don't care for it; no in between. The staff here are very friendly and try very hard to please.

I have no problem suggesting this place.

Congrats on the upgrade and happy holidays.