Review: The Ivens, Lisbon, Autograph Collection
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For a short stay in Lisbon, we decided to stay at The Ivens Hotel. A new Marriott property under the Autograph Collection banner, The Ivens is a five-star hotel opening in the fall of 2021.
The hotel has 87 rooms, including ten unique suites on four floors.
Its name comes from 2 Portuguese explorers, Roberto Ivens and Hermenegildo Capelo, who made different expeditions in the south of Africa and got lost for 42 days in the jungle.
Location of The Ivens Hotel
Located in the heart of the Chiado district, at the crossroads of Ivens and Capelo (the names of the 2 explorers), the hotel is close to the main tourist sites such as theSanta Justa historical elevator (6 minutes’ walk), Place du Commerce (8 minutes) or the famous Time Out Market (11 minutes), ideal for discovering Portuguese gastronomy. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the Château de Saint-Georges and enjoy a magnificent panoramic view.
The hotel is easily identifiable with its beautiful freshly painted pink façade.
From the airport, it takes about 20 minutes by cab to reach the hotel ($10-15). If you have a car, the hotel has its own parking lot (€30 or $41 per day).
Reservation at The Ivens
For this reservation, we did not use points, in order to take full advantage of Marriott Bonvoy’s current promotion to get double the elite night credit to renew our status.
My advice to get the best rate is to book as early as possible by choosing the flexible rate, as this will allow you to monitor the rate regularly and be able to cancel your reservation if the price is lower. When I originally booked, the nightly rate was $570, but we ended up paying $530.
The price of a night can be costly depending on the season, so using Marriott Bonvoy points can be a good alternative (between 40 000 and 60 000 points per night).
Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points
The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at more than 7,000 hotels around the world is with the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card (and/or the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card).
In addition to the exceptional welcome bonus of each of these two cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all your purchases and 5 points per dollar at any of the Marriott establishments. On top of that, every year, you’ll receive a free hotel night certificate (worth 35,000 points) and 15 Elite Night Credits toward your Marriott Bonvoy status.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 |
Details of the hotel The Ivens
| Parking | Paying 30 €/d Available charge for electric car | Breakfast included | No |
| Swimming pool | No | Room with balcony | Yes, some |
| Spa | No | Room with kitchenette | No |
| Fitness room | Yes | Lounge | No |
| Restaurant | Yes | USB sockets in the room | Yes |
| Accepts animals | No | Smart TV | Yes |
| Mobile card | Yes | Shower/Bath | Shower |
The Ivens Hotel Reception
When we arrived, we were escorted by the valet, dressed as an explorer, like the rest of the hotel staff. The entrance leads to the lobby where you can find the concierge services.
The reception is on the second floor. Check-in was quick and we learned that we had been upgraded to a superior room. We are given the keys to the room and a card with a QR code to connect to the Wifi. To my surprise, we are informed that if we are Marriott Bonvoy members, we can enjoy free Wifi. We realize that our Titanium status had not been taken into account in their system.
As the hotel does not have a lounge, breakfast is offered to Platinum and Superior members in addition to the 1,000 point credit as a welcome gift.
We were also given two large coins to get a Negroni per person at the hotel bar. The Negroni is the bar’s specialty, with nearly a dozen variations on the menu.
Bedroom
We had a corner room that was very bright. At first, we thought the room was a bit small, but in the long run, we found that it was quite enough because the space was well optimized with the small sitting area and the desk area. The decoration is very relaxing and invites us again and again to explore with a beautiful tapestry.
The bedding is of very good quality, so that you can rest well after having climbed the sloping streets of Lisbon all day.
We also had a nice welcome cake when we arrived in the room, along with two glasses of port. Perfect to get in the mood!
You will also find the essentials to make a coffee (Nespresso) or a Kusmi tea. A mini-bar is located in the hallway closet, as well as a safety deposit box. Please note that the contents of the mini-bar are complimentary for Platinum members and above (except champagne and vodka).
The bathroom is located directly at the entrance of the room. We really enjoyed the Jo Malone brand of toiletries. Moreover, the fragrance of these same products is diffused throughout the establishment.
The services of The Ivens Hotel
The Ivens, Lisbon, Autograph Collection has 3 dining options in a chic, sophisticated setting with live music in the evening (DJ or violinist).
Le Rocco: restaurant serving breakfast, but also lunch and dinner. The menu offers Italian flavors. Except for the breakfast, we did not test this restaurant.
The Gastro Bar: it is impossible not to fall under the spell of this magnificent bar and its wall filled with bottles of wine. The Gastro Bar serves seafood cuisine in addition to a wide selection of wines and cocktails.
The Crudo: we dined there during our stay and it was a favorite. The food was very good and the portions were correct. The atmosphere is Mediterranean and the main dishes are seafood and fish. Although affordable for a restaurant of this standing, you may find other less expensive options outside.
Breakfast is served between 6:30 and 10:30 a.m. in the form of a buffet and a la carte options at the Rocco.
For Marriott Bonvoy Platinum and Superior members, you are entitled to the buffet for 2 people (value of €35 per person, or approximately $48), which includes a selection of cold cuts, pastries as well as drinks (juices, smoothies) and coffee. A selection of eggs and side dishes (bacon, sausage, sautéed mushrooms, beans) are also available.
The room is open 24 hours a day. It has the essential equipment for cardio and strength training. The only drawback is that it is in the basement, so there is no window. The hotel also provides bottled water and Powerade.
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600Plus $100 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $600
- Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months
- Up to 70,000 points
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My general impression of The Ivens
We had a great stay at The Ivens, Autograph Collection and will return the next time we stop in the Portuguese capital. We were really won over by its explorer’s world, its central location but also by its recognition of the Elite status. The hotel is intimate and very quiet even though it is in the heart of the city.
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