Casa Balthazar

Casa Balthazar

Casa Balthazar sits in central Lisbon on Rua do Duque, a three-minute walk from Carmo Convent and the Chiado district, in a townhouse the Castanheiro family has owned since 1882, when Balthazar Roiz Castanheiro, founder of the city's Confeitaria Nacional, first bought it. Breakfast still arrives from that same patisserie, laid out with a welcome drink and a Nespresso machine in each of the twenty rooms, most of which pair a king or twin bed with bathrobes, slippers and a shower or bathtub; several of the upper rooms add a private terrace with jacuzzi and views over the city and the castle. There is a spa and sauna downstairs, plus an outdoor pool, a garden and a terrace for the quieter hours between sightseeing and dinner at the restaurant. Staff speak English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, and the property is adults only, so it suits a couple or a solo traveller who wants Chiado's shops and restaurants within walking distance but no children's noise in the corridor. It does not suit anyone travelling with a lot of luggage or limited mobility, since there is no elevator on site. What Casa Balthazar has that most Lisbon boutique addresses do not is that direct supply line to Confeitaria Nacional, the family's own patisserie, rather than a generic breakfast buffet. Pets are not allowed, and children under sixteen are asked to stay elsewhere, which keeps the spa and terrace quiet through the evening. Book one of the Castel rooms if a jacuzzi terrace matters; a Standard room still comes with the same breakfast and the same three-minute walk to the Convent.\n\nA family-owned Lisbon townhouse near Carmo Convent, adults only, with breakfast supplied by the family's own Confeitaria Nacional and a spa, sauna and outdoor pool on site. Some rooms add a private jacuzzi terrace with city and castle views. There is no elevator, so heavy luggage is a real consideration.