This boutique hotel is a new addition to the SANA group, as it is the first under the Mythic brand and also the most luxurious to date—and not just because of its sophisticated decor and prime location. The property is the “first in Portugal” to feature an exclusive team of butlers, the Golden Sleeves Butlers. There are seven in total, two of whom are senior butlers with several years of experience. “Upon arrival, we give guests the opportunity to choose whether they prefer a butler who is more or less discreet or talkative,” explains João Meneses, a member of the team, to NiT.
For guests, there is an initial conversation—during which the entire concept is presented—right in the room where check-in takes place. Guests who prefer can also check in at the lobby. During a tour of the property, Marie-Hélène Moreira, general manager, explains to NiT that the main goal has always been to bring something different to the Portuguese capital. She has previously worked at luxury hotels in Asia and Europe, and for Mythic SANA, she sought to combine the efficiency of the former with the history of the latter to bring an innovative concept to life. “Before guests arrive, we send the Golden Preluce questionnaire to the person who made the reservation to learn more about their personal preferences, such as room temperature,” she explains.
The boutique hotel was built with an investment of 45 million euros on the site of the former Millennium BCP building. The property features 48 rooms and suites, all of which are incredibly spacious. They range, for example, from 39 to 72 square meters—and are all equipped with a bar and kitchen, in case guests wish to hire a private chef. Upon arrival, guests are always welcomed with Port wine, local gin, and champagne. In the rooms, there’s also a tablet for booking experiences or contacting the butlers directly. The staff also provide a QR code with their WhatsApp number. “Some guests prefer this more direct form of contact,” explains João. “Some send us a message when they leave their room for breakfast, so we can arrange for housekeeping to be done right away.
We also let guests know when the shuttle is arriving, for example.” hotelA luxurious space. The tableware in the rooms and common areas of the boutique hotel is also all by Vista Alegre, featuring gold trim, as a nod to the name of the street where the hotel is located. Another highlight is the experiences included with the reservation. One of these is the Dusk Mix, available daily from 6 to 7 p.m. During this time, if the guest wishes, the butler will come to the room and prepare the mocktail or cocktail of the day, serving it with canapés. The drinks vary daily. In the late afternoon, guests can also enjoy a tea experience featuring selections from Companhia Portugueza do Chá, or even champagne.
The bathrooms, which are also spacious, feature amenities from the French brand Lalique, a company with roots in jewelry and artistic glasswork. One of the experiences allows guests to sample five of the brand’s fragrances and use their favorite one for dinner, for example. They also have the opportunity to purchase a bottle. In rooms and suites with bathtubs, a soaking bath is also included. Guests choose one of five types of bath salts, and the butler is responsible for preparing the experience, taking into account the water temperature and each guest’s personal preferences. The bathroom is also decorated with candles. The butlers also offer an Unpacking & Packing service.
In the first case, clothes are taken out of the suitcases and arranged in the closet—if necessary, the staff will also iron some items. There is also the Shoe Care Service, where the butlers take care to polish guests’ shoes. Pickup and delivery are always handled discreetly in the guest’s room. The bathrooms are made of marble. Finally, the hotel offers a pillow menu (which currently features an aloe vera option and a memory foam option) and the Turndown service, described as an evening ritual featuring storytelling about Lisbon and sensory touches. The latter is provided, for example, when guests return to their room after dinner. The goal is to ensure everything is ready for them to relax and sleep.
The butlers are members of the Chaves de Ouro Portugal organization and, for this reason, are able to assist guests with matters that extend beyond the hotel’s facilities. For example, they can book a meal at a restaurant in the city, purchase tickets for a music festival, or help find a personal shopper and private chef. The hotel’s decor has also been carefully thought out, with art playing an important role in every area.
Above the beds, for example, there are exclusive works by Maria José Cabral that allude to the history of Lisbon. At the entrances to the rooms and suites, there are works by Luís Alves. The hotel’s two entrances (one on Rua do Ouro and another, more discreet one at the back) feature pieces by Luis Bivar, who combines painting with ceramics. The Dining Experience António Pinto was responsible for the space’s architecture and also chose the name of the hotel’s gastrobar: Black Moon. “He thought the name was interesting and a good fit for the hotel. We liked it too, so we decided to design the restaurant’s concept around it,” says General Manager Marie-Hélène Moreira.
The restaurant has an intimate atmosphere and seats 24 at tables and eight at the bar. It also features a champagne bar, boasting one of the “largest selections of champagne in Lisbon.” The kitchen is led by Chef Luís Ortiz, who draws inspiration from various parts of the world. Portuguese cuisine serves as the foundation, complemented by influences from Thailand, Japan, and Mexico—the country where he was born. In the morning, the gastrobar is set up for guests’ breakfast, and starting at 11 a.m., the atmosphere (and even the staff uniforms) undergoes a transformation. During the day, the space features ambient jazz music, and at night, it shifts to livelier tunes. For appetizers, the chef highlights the ash-preserved lily, served with macadamia “leche de tigre,” cucumber, avocado cured in cilantro salt, black recado oil, and ceremonial toast (€23). For main courses, the spotlight is on red mullet with onion purée and black recado, charred onion, nduja, and beurre blanc (€35), and on aged duck with Bordelaise sauce, Madeira banana purée, and xnipec. For dessert, Luís highlights the pau santo ice cream with almond praline, cocada, marzipan, and amarguinha, finished with caramelized almonds (€11). Although Mythic SANA does not have a spa, guests can use the wellness facilities at other properties in the group located throughout the city. All they need to do is request a shuttle from their personal butler or directly at the hotel’s lobby. The hotel is also pet-friendly and does its best to accommodate guests’ pets with the same level of luxury—for example, it provides a bed, bowls, and even a collar. Rates at the new boutique hotel start at 600€ and can reach up to 5,000 euros (this rate applies to three suites, which can be separated to accommodate families or larger groups). Reservations can be made online. Click through the gallery to see some photos of Mythic SANA Downtown Suites.