The growth of tourism in Portugal in recent years has also resulted in an increase in overnight stays in the national territory. To keep up with this flow, the hotel sector also had to grow and adapt. The consultant Cushman & Wakefield by 2019, it plans to open another 100 new hotel units, more than 9,000 new rooms, most of which will be in the 4 and 5 star category.
There are more tourists visiting Portugal with 57.5 million overnight stays, an increase of 7.4% in 2017 (source: Portuga tourisml). The main markets are the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France and the Netherlands. Brazil represents the sixth market in terms of overnight stays with 2 million and had an increase of 13.6% (source: tourism of Portugal).
Lisbon was where the number of hotel units grew the most. According to the Lisbon Tourism Association, the capital had 105 units in 2008, but in 2017 it had 204 hotels, that is, almost double. In 2018, another 65 new units are expected to open in Lisbon alone.
In addition to new hotels, local accommodation has also seen an explosion in recent years and in 2018 there were more than 73,000 units registered in the National Register of Local Accommodation, especially in Porto, Lisbon and Algarve. This can be an interesting way to explore Portugal for several reasons: it can be more rewarding in terms of price, it is more “cozy” (it's almost like being at home) and the accommodation units usually have very central locations.
The best areas to stay
So let's get to the point. Where are the best areas for you to sleep? The historic center is the area of Lisbon that has the most accommodation options, from hotels to local accommodation, including hostels and guesthouses (cheaper accommodation, but sometimes perfectly acceptable for those who want to spend little). The entire Baixa Pombalina has hotels from the Marquês de Pombal axis to Praça do Comércio, passing through Chiado. The historic neighborhoods of Alfama, Graça, Castelo, Bica, Mouraria and Santos have many local accommodation options. Here the terrain is quite steep and some streets have no traffic or access is limited, so you should take that into account. Bairro Alto or nearby areas can be noisy, so check the street in question before making your reservation.
In addition to this more central area, we still have good hotel options in Expo and throughout the area surrounding Saldanha. Both areas are very well served by public transport and although they are further from the historic center, access is very easy. They are safe and well frequented areas. The Saldanha area, more specifically in the Marquês de Pombal – Campo Pequeno – São Sebastião triangle, is closer to Baixa and has a metro and buses (buses).
If you want to escape the center for a bit, try looking for accommodation in the areas of Alcântara, Belém and Restelo, to the west of Lisbon, and in the areas of Intendente, Anjos and Arroios, to the north. This last stretch is not as typical as the historic neighborhoods, but it is very close to the center and also has good public transport. You can also choose to search on the other side of the Tagus. Here it will probably be cheaper but don't forget that there is the issue of crossing the river so if you don't have a car it's best to stay close to the Cacilhas area where the boats leave towards Praça do Comércio.
Finally, there are still some areas that I recommend, although they are further away from the historic center. However, they can be perfect if you want to stay closer to the airport, for example, or if you are in transit to other cities in Portugal. If you have a car, staying in Baixa can be a real problem for parking, so avoid that area if that is the case. Look first in areas such as Alameda, Alvalade, Laranjeiras, Lumiar and Benfica. These are all areas that I recommend and that have good public transport and security. Campolide and Campo de Ourique (especially this last neighborhood) are interesting, but they don't have a metro.
This is an overview of the areas where you can look for accommodation when visiting Lisbon. Throughout the city we can find good hotels, excellent local accommodation and good hostels. But here's a personal opinion: if you want to stay right in the center and easily do everything on foot, choose local accommodation in a historic neighborhood, but don't forget that having a car is a problem here and if your mobility is limited we're talking about hills with narrow and steep streets. On the other hand, if you prefer to stay in hotels then the Saldanha area is very good: it is very accessible from the center, it is a practically flat area, there are many shops, three small shopping malls to eat or make one or two purchases and it is quite safe too.