The Ivens, Autograph Collection

My family and I were thrilled for our first trip to Portugal. That excitement didn't last long. This hotel failed us at nearly every turn. We had 2 rooms under 2 separate reservations, and the hotel had arranged airport transfers for both. Only one driver showed up — the hotel's own mix-up left the rest of us stranded, forced to take a taxi after an already exhausting journey. Not a great first impression. When our flight was delayed by an hour, we proactively notified the hotel that we'd be late for our dinner reservation at Rocco's. The concierge assured us this wouldn't be a problem. It was a lie. Rocco's staff treated us with open contempt — scoffing, scolding, and acting as if we were an inconvenience rather than paying guests. It was humiliating and completely unprofessional. I have never been treated so disrespectfully at a restaurant in my life. Then it got worse. Three of the six of us came down with severe food poisoning, confined to our room for a day and a half, vomiting nonstop. For a property charging these prices, that alone should be disqualifying. The single bright spot was Inês S., who genuinely checked in on us and tried to make things right. She deserves recognition — because she was doing damage control the hotel itself should never have required. Everything else about the stay was miserable. Our room on level 2 was directly exposed to Rocco's nightly noise — music blaring, chairs scraping across the floor, doors slamming like we were sleeping in a hallway, not a hotel room. I barely slept the entire trip. Conveniently, the family members placed on level 4 had none of these problems, which tells you the hotel knows exactly which rooms are unlivable and books them out anyway. This was an expensive mistake. Do not waste your money here.

I had bookend stays at the Ivens during my trip to Portugal. Our first stay consisted of three nights in an Ivens King Balcony. The room was clean and the bathroom was good-sized. We didn't know it would be a Juliet balcony with no room to actually go out on it. We mainly used the space leading up to the balcony to store the second piece of luggage, as there was not enough room in the closet or in the room. The seating was underneath the TV, so you could really only watch TV in bed. The second stay was in a King room without a balcony - I didn't bother with the upgrade. It was small, but I know that is typical for European hotels. We stayed in several other hotels during our time in Portugal and this one was by far the smallest. The highlight was the location - it felt safe and was in the heart of a touristy area filled with shops and restaurants. We could also easily walk to the waterfront.

The Ivens has a very cool vibe. We loved the lobby and bar, and the public spaces are stylish and memorable. Unfortunately, the service experience did not match the design. The rooms were very small, and despite being a Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum / Titanium-level guest, there was no meaningful upgrade or notable elite recognition. The biggest issue was the concierge-arranged transfer. The hotel arranged a €110 Mercedes Viano transfer from Santa Apolónia train station to the hotel, which turned out to be roughly 3 km. At the same time, an Uber Black XL was showing at approximately $13 USD for the same route. I fully understand that a private hotel transfer is a premium service. But this was many multiples more expensive than a readily available premium alternative for a very short ride. When I raised the concern, management repeatedly defended the charge rather than acknowledging the guest-experience issue. They offered a complimentary return transfer, which I declined on principle because I was not looking for free services. Net/net: beautiful lobby and bar, but tiny rooms, weak elite recognition, and a defensive management response. I would strongly caution guests to check distance and market alternatives before using concierge-arranged transportation here.

This hotel in the Chiado area is fantastic. Beautiful boutique vibes. Perfect location. Daily delicious breakfast at Restaurante Rocco. Large, soft bath towels. Nice gym/fitness space. Helpful, professional and friendly staff. But what really made this hotel stand out for us was the dedication to customer experience. Every day this hotel left a surprise in our room, from a welcome treat and note on our arrival, to a candle, to relaxing oil, to fresh pastel de natas from Castro. These little gestures made us feel like valued guests. Highly recommend The Ivens.