After spending a month in Peniche, checking out one of the best surf spots in Portugal, we were in Lisbon for one night before flying to London for an event. As slow travellers, we usually stay at Airbnb-type of accommodation because it’s cheaper and more convenient but, since my birthday was coming up, Paul suggested that we’d treat ourselves to a lovely hotel spa stay. How to say no to such a genius idea?
One of the best-reviewed hotel spas in Lisbon, Epic Lisboa Sana came top on the list also because of its privileged location, near Sete Rios Bus Terminal and Lisbon Airport.
Hotel Features
We stayed in a Premier Deluxe Room that was super bright, spacious and also a tad techy. Aside from the Nespresso machine with coffee and tea pods aplenty; curtains, blackout blinds, lights, ambient music, A/C and the super cool mirror TV were all remotely controlled from the comfort of our bed.
Speaking of concealed TVs, some other features in the room were not as hidden. Take the glass-walled shower and toilet, for example. Whilst the fantastic dual shower had blinds on the outside for a little privacy, the toilet only had a frosty glass panel.
But besides this small detail that might bother some guests, our room was all that’s expected from a 5* hotel in terms of style and comfort. And to compensate for the plastic fest sponsored by Nespresso, each room at Epic Sana Lisboa Hotel has a recycling bin for pods and other recyclables not to end up straight in landfill.
Fast, easy and free WiFi
As it’s the case with most hotels these days, Wi-Fi is included in the room fee and accessible in all areas of the hotel. It’s quite fast and easy to log in to, which was awesome because I had some work to do before I was able to relax and enjoy our afternoon at the spa.
Restaurant, Bars and Location
Epic Sana Lisboa may not be located in the most picturesque neighbourhood in Lisbon but it’s very well connected to most places of interest. It’s just a short ride from the Old Town and the airport as well as a stone throw’s away from Amoreiras Shopping Centre, Mercado de Ourique indoor market and Eduardo VII Park.
The hotel has one restaurant, Flor-de-lis, and two bars, Scale Bar and Up Scale. With indoor and outdoor areas, the sophisticated Scale Bar serves light meals and has a vast drinks menu.
The rooftop Up Scale Bar is just perfect for those beautiful Portuguese summer days because this is where you can laze by an incredible infinity pool with a cocktail in hand whilst gazing at breathtaking views of the Portuguese capital.
The Staff
The staff at Epic Sana Lisboa was very friendly and helpful throughout our stay, from the moment we checked in up to our cruel early check-out time when we were still half asleep and had no idea of who we were or what our room number was.
Oh, and have I mentioned that they came knocking on your door to deliver a welcome chocolate gift? I repeat, CHO-CO-LA-TE!
We didn’t realise we’d booked a room which included VIP welcome treatment then I was so surprised at the sight of unexpected yummy choccies being delivered to my door that I nearly hugged the smiley lady that came over to our room with the goodies in hand.
Easy Check-In/Check Out
Checking in and out of Epic Sana Lisbon was a pretty seamless experience, really. Upon check-in, we received a welcome drink and, like in most hotels, we only had to show our IDs and provide a card for deposit. It all took only a couple of minutes and we were allowed to go to our room before the standard check-in time, which was really great.
The Spa
The single most thing we were looking forward to whilst staying at Epic Sana Lisboa was spending an afternoon at the hotel spa, going from the pool to the sauna and back. As soon as we could, we headed to Sayanna Wellness & Spa which is located on the lower ground floor, away from the hustle and bustle of the hotel common areas.
The spa has 6 treatment rooms, a fitness centre, a sauna, a steam room and a pool that overlooks a lovely winter garden. Whilst we made the most of our time at the spa, we weren’t exactly blown away by it as the pool was a bit on the cooler side and the steam room, well, wasn’t really steamy. On the plus side, the relatively small spa wasn’t busy considering that it services such a big hotel.
What we loved about Epic Sana Lisboa & Spa
- VIP welcome treatment
- Welcome drink
- Awesome monsoon and cascade shower
- Techy room, especially the 37” LCD TV mirror TV
- Comfortable desk space in the room
- Bluetooth sound system connection
- USB wall sockets
- Room amenities
- Infinity rooftop heated pool
- Comfy and wide mattresses
- Air conditioning
- Fast Wi-Fi
- Convenient location
- Sauna, fitness centre and free healthy snacks and drinks at the spa
Overview
Epic Sana Lisboa is a lavish yet relaxed spa hotel with well-equipped rooms for anyone visiting the city whether on business or leisure. Despite not being overly impressed with the spa, we’re sure that it was just an unusual afternoon and it doesn’t reflect how the spa usually is.