Lisbon is one of those cities where it is very easy to spend an entire day walking, eating, looking at beautiful buildings and then realise your legs have completely given up. So, when we arrived at the Hyatt Regency Lisbon, sitting right on the Tagus in Belém, I was very happy to discover that this was a hotel where you could do both: explore the city, and then properly retreat from it.

There is something about being beside the water that immediately changes the pace of a place. The hotel feels calm and spacious, with the river providing a rather spectacular backdrop, and after a busy day in Lisbon it was lovely to come back somewhere that didn’t feel quite so busy.

Hyatt Regency Lisbon: The Rooms

Our room was spacious, comfortable and, crucially , very very easy to relax in.

The river views are the real star. We spent a fair amount of time simply looking out at the Tagus, particularly in the morning when the light was beautiful. Lisbon has so much going on that having somewhere to sit quietly and watch the boats go by felt like a small luxury in itself.

It is also a great base if you want to explore Belém and the wider city without being right in the middle of it all. And after a day of Lisbon’s famously steep streets, I was more than happy to retreat back to the hotel.

Hyatt Regency Lisbon: The Food

We were meant to have a leisurely dinner on arrival at Viseversa, the hotel’s Portuguese restaurant, but, to be totally transparent, Ryanair had other ideas. We arrived far too late for the traditional Portuguese fare, but instead the kitchen very kindly made us burgers, fries, sautéed vegetables and a rather sumptuous chocolate mousse, which we consumed in our dressing gowns.

However, breakfast at Viseversa was something no flight delay could prevent. I really appreciated how easy the hotel made eating when you’re travelling with dietary requirements. There was plenty of care taken around my gluten and dairy-free diet, which can sometimes turn a meal out into an unnecessarily complicated affair – a bit of Russian roulette when you’re not sure exactly what you can eat.

There is also ZEST, a healthy restaurant which was sadly closed on the day we were there, serving healthy fare including acai bowls and smoothies. And lastly, the hotel’s rooftop bar, ICON, is a must for a vibey sundowner with views of the Tagus River.

Hyatt Regency Lisbon: The Spa

One of the things I was most excited to try at the Hyatt was the Sentir Lisboa Treatment at the Serenity Spa. And this isn’t just a massage. The whole 80-minute treatment is designed to take you through Lisbon using all of your senses.

It starts with breathing exercises while you inhale basil essential oil – basil being closely associated with Lisbon’s Santos Populares celebrations. You’re then given a full-body exfoliation using salt from Samouco and agar seaweed, before moving onto the massage itself.

The massage uses ginger and cinnamon oils, inspired by Portugal’s Age of Discoveries, while Portuguese guitar gently plays in the background. It’s one of those treatments where there are so many little details going on that you actually stop thinking about what time it is.

I particularly loved the way the smells changed throughout. You start with the fresh, herbal smell of basil, move into the warmer, spicier notes of ginger and cinnamon during the massage, and then finish with another hit of basil in the form of a refreshing mist.

And just when you think you’re finished, you’re taken through to the relaxation area for a pastel de nata tea. Yes, pastel de nata tea. It sounds slightly strange until you smell it – sweet, creamy and unmistakably Portuguese – and actually feels like the perfect little full stop to the treatment.

It’s a very clever concept because you aren’t just being told about Lisbon’s history and traditions; you’re quite literally smelling, hearing and tasting your way through them.

Afterwards, we stayed in the spa for a while longer, which I would definitely recommend. There’s an indoor pool, sauna, steam room and thermal area, so there’s no need to rush straight back out into the city.

And after a day of walking Lisbon’s hills, I was more than happy to stay put.

Hyatt Regency Lisbon: The Verdict

What I liked most about the Hyatt Regency Lisbon was that it gave us a bit of everything. You can spend the day exploring Lisbon, come back and properly switch off at the spa, and then have a lovely dinner without needing to head back into the city. A resort-style hotel in a city, having somewhere to come back to, slow down and watch the river go by felt like the perfect way to end our Lisbon day.

This stay was hosted by Hyatt Regency Lisbon as part of a press trip.

As always, all views are my own. More details and to book on Hyatt Regency Lisbon