We enjoyed our stay… and they returned my daughter’s Teddy Bear – the Concierge sent it packing – the bear, not the daughter. This was service, very good service, and with a steady smile.
The Tiara Park Atlantic Hotel is an excellent Five Star hotel, located a short walk from the landmark Marques de Pombal statue and adjacent to the monumental Parque Eduardo VII gardens. It’s part of an aspiring Bahrain hotel chain. They have consistently invested in a quality experience, pitching at a comfort level to attract the lucrative and expectant Arabian market. The hotel used to carry the Meridian brand, but now the Tiara group believes it has a real chance to stand on its own reputation. It is right; Tiara is a brand to trust.
Four years ago, I stayed at the Tiara’s sister hotel in Oporto, north of Lisbon; at the time, also under the Meridian brand. Four years ago it was a great place to say, and from what I’ve been told they’ve refurbished and upgraded since. The rooms were modern and spacious, warm and inviting. In Lisbon, the Tiara offers a level of service consistent with the its aims of positioning as a leading hotel brand.
The Tiara’s breakfast is the most enjoyable I’ve had this year, at home or in a hotel. I loved the scrambled eggs, though my wife thought the opposite. I do the cooking. The eggs were great. Go to the Tiara for the Hermes and the eggs!
Its staff proved consistently courteous; each day they remembered our kids’ preferences. Though working most days, and not always at breakfast, I still heard that the kids got their preferred drinks without needing to ask every morning. Most hotels don’t care about kids, most don’t care about your preferences – the Tiara cares about both.
There is free Wi-Fi in the open access business suite, located in the lobby, and in the rooms there is broadband, at a price. This may shock American readers, but Europeans still haven’t got used to the idea of free Wi-Fi. There is a small, but useful gym in the hotel and spa facilities, but the real gem is Lisbon’s finest sports club, literally on your doorstep.
During the last decade Lisbon has been determined in creating a leisure and business package rooted in a deep literary, artistic and architectural tradition, re-emerging as a vibrant, ambitious European city. The past fifteen years have brought great energy back to a noble capital. Investment followed the 1998 World EXPO, proving a catalyst for harmonious regeneration, ambitious architecture and contemporary styling, particularly in the Oriente district. Shopping is more varied, more interesting in Lisbon than most other European cities; it retains a presentation of quality and diversity in its retail malls, of which there are many.
Taxi drivers in Lisbon are probably amongst the rudest in Europe, but the fairs are cheap, so, you kinda appreciate why they’re so grumpy. They do try to ripe you off on occasion, so ask someone how much the fare should be in advance – my colleague paid 25 Euros from the airport, and 8 Euros on the way back, at the same time of day. In August there’s not much traffic, as 93% of Portugal is on the southerly beaches of the Algarve.
Later, in a special Lisbon business guide, we’ll look in more detail at the business and conferencing offering at the Tiara, but for now, think green, think oranges, and go treat yourself in Lisbon, or book a seminar at the Tiara – it plays host to many top brand names. Not all rooms offer the Hermes treat, standard rooms offer the specialist Tiara range. As your Sampler-In-Chief I can tell you it’s a fine product, but I bet they really won’t mind if on arrival you ask ‘Could I have the Hermes in my bathroom, please?’
European Business Express Recommends… |
EBX Recommends...
 Ritz, Four Seasons, Lisbon, Portugal
Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt, Ireland
Tiara Park Atlantic Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal
Lapa Palace Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal
Gran Hotel La Florida, Barcelona, Spain
Excelsior, Dubrovnik, Croatia |
