So, Lisbon then (sort of)

[hobbes]

Before anyone blows their top, I've read the old threads. Thank you all for them.
None of them say specifically where to stay though. It's P's 40th in November, so we're doing a cub free Friday - Sunday and Lisbon is, unbelievably a European city neither of us have been to.

So where to stay? I've done a search on the hotel websites and even the tip top hotels are within 40th birthday budget. But does one stay near the sea? Or further inland?

[ursus arctos]

It's been a number of years, but the Pousada is very nice and very central. It used to be the Interior Ministry/Home Office, but if you don't have family who were surveilled, exiled or jailed, that may not be an issue.

The Lisbon waterfront can be (but is no means always) very windy and rainy (rather like the lagoon front in Venice). My understanding is that the old port has been the site of much recent trendy redevelopment, but it had barely started last time I was there. If you were going for a more coastal resort type experience, the standard suggestions are Cascais or (my personal favourite) Sintra (which also has castles, palaces, wineries and a national park between the town and the ocean).

[ad hoc]

In Lisbon stay somewhere near the castle. I think the district is called Alfama.

That's my recommendation anyway

[Sporting]

I second the recommendation about Sintra. It's an easy train ride from Lisbon.

Also, I would try to pay a visit to Bertrand Chiado, the oldest bookshop in the world still in operation:

http://liveportugal.pt/en/bertrand-chiado-en/

[hobbes]

Thanks guys.
It's a weekend jaunt so I reckon city centre is the order of the day. Perhaps we can do Sintra next time we're in Portugal.
I shall have a look at the Pousada and around Alfama.

[Wouter D]

I was there for a weekend trip in September 2015. Stayed in the Novotel, which was quite nice but not exactly in the middle of things. Back then, city center hotels were markedly more expensive than the ones on the outskirts, so that's why this choice was made. If the budget allows a stay near the Avenida da Liberdade or the Praca da Figueira, I would go for that.

[hobbes]

On the booking sites, the most expensive 5 star is £230/night so I'm OK with that as a 40th treat.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

If we're not booking a hotel because of its restaurant (and sometimes we do) we tend to choose on the basis of which appear walkable at night to and from restaurants that we're interested by. I don't like public transport systems by night if I can avoid them, and I also hate being ripped off by taxi drivers, or discovering that the city you're in just doesn't seem to have any in the evenings.

[White No Sugar]

We stayed 12-15 mins walk from the Time Out foodie market place but have no idea of its name. I can’t even visualise it to be honest. The foodie place is great.

[Toby Gymshorts]

TLMG and I once booked a holiday to Lisbon. Come the day of departure, shortly after a lengthy period of horrible work-related stress for both of us, the alarm went off and we looked at each other and TLMG said "do you want to go on holiday, then?"

"Not really, no."

So we turned the alarm off, went back to sleep, and missed our flight. I think that's the most extravagant I've ever been with money. Still haven't been to Portugal.

Erm, so. Can't help, really.

[San Bernardhinault]

I've been in Lisbon a couple of times and loved it like crazy. I think I react to it the way others react to Berlin.

Last time I stayed in a quite glam but rather identikit business hotel. It was a little on the outer-edge of the interesting part of town, but that didn't seem to matter because getting around was easy. Of course, it was summer and being outside was easy - Portugal isn't renowned for its lovely late autumn climate, so I don't know whether November might be wetter and more annoying. So, er, probably stay closer to the Bairro Alto and all those elevator trams and things. But not in the Bairro Alto itself or you might keep getting lost and not finding the hotel.

[hobbes]

Flights and hotel booked. Two nights at the Pousada as per UA's recommendation. If it's good enough for you, it's good enough for me.
(It's very highly rated on Trip Advisor too.)
So thank you all for your assistance.

[diggedy derek]

we really, really enjoyed eating at Taberna Moderna very near to there

[hobbes]

Cool. Thanks dd.