Memmo Alfama Hotel
by the TopOfHotel team
Memmo Alfama is a night inside a 17th-century building on the cobbled lanes of Lisbon's most Moorish quarter, paired with a red rooftop infinity pool and red-tile views running down to the Tagus — it sells atmosphere and the view far more than room size.
Memmo Alfama is a night inside a 17th-century building on the cobbled lanes of Lisbon's most Moorish quarter, paired with a red rooftop infinity pool and red-tile views running down to the Tagus — it sells atmosphere and the view far more than room size.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture threading your way through the narrow stone lanes of Alfama — the one part of Lisbon that survived the great 1755 earthquake and kept its Moorish-era layout intact — and suddenly hitting the small wooden door of a 17th-century building turned into a 42-room boutique called Memmo Alfama Hotel. It opened in 2013 after a careful restoration that kept the original stone walls and tall old ceilings while folding in clean, contemporary Portuguese style. Rooms run crisp white against bright red and the blue of Lisbon azulejo tiles, with soft wood floors and good linens. River-view rooms have a small balcony for morning coffee while first light hits the red tile roofs sloping down to the Tagus — reviewers say it wakes you without an alarm. Interior rooms with no view are smaller and much quieter, good for light sleepers but trading away the view that is the whole point here.
Food and amenities
The heart of Memmo Alfama is the rooftop that became a Lisbon Instagram staple — a small, bright-red infinity pool set against a sea of red tile roofs and the blue Tagus running to the horizon, a corner no other hotel in this district can really match. Beside the pool, the Wine Bar with a View pours Portuguese wines from across the regions — crisp Vinho Verde, deep Douro reds, sweet chilled Port — alongside tapas and small bites. Sunset up here is couples' territory: the sky goes gold to pink to purple in under half an hour, washing the roofs and the river. Breakfast is served on that same rooftop, with pastéis de nata baked fresh each morning, bread, Portuguese cheese and ham, fruit, juices, and a strong bica espresso. Service draws steady praise too — staff speak fluent English, book tables and nearby fado bars, and the concierge happily maps out Alfama walks that never make the guidebooks.
Location and getting there
The location is an old-town lover's dream. The hotel sits dead-center in Alfama, Lisbon's oldest quarter and a 1755 survivor — winding cobbled lanes, laundry strung from balconies, fado drifting from small bars after dark. It is about a 5-minute walk to São Jorge Castle, the Moorish fortress on the highest point of the quarter, with 360-degree views of the city and the Tagus. A short walk reaches Sé de Lisboa, the city's oldest cathedral, and the tiled Miradouro de Santa Luzia viewpoint. Santa Apolónia metro on the Blue line is roughly 6 minutes on foot, with easy runs out to Baixa, Chiado, and Belém. The famous Tram 28 through Alfama stops nearby too. From Humberto Delgado airport (LIS) it is about a 15-minute taxi or Uber, roughly 15-20 euros — take the car to the door and skip dragging luggage up the stairs and cobbles.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. First, several reviews warn about getting to the hotel: Alfama is a steep hill of rough cobbles and stairs, so wheeling a suitcase up is rough, and even the short walk from Santa Apolónia climbs — take an Uber or taxi to the door. Second is room size: because this is a boutique in a historic building, most rooms are not roomy by new-build standards, and some reviewers call the bathrooms compact; if you want space, upgrade to a larger River View room with a balcony. Third, the rooftop pool is a small plunge pool for cooling off and photos, not lap swimming, so reset expectations there. In high season the rooftop bar seats go fast — get up before sunset for the best edge seat. Finally, Alfama's main lanes are busy with day-trippers, but after they head back the quarter returns to the quiet, romantic mood that is the real draw.
Our take
After reading through hundreds of real reviews, Memmo Alfama Hotel sells one thing with rare clarity: the charm of Lisbon's oldest Moorish quarter, plus an unmatched rooftop view over the Tagus, plus warm service — at a price that is still reachable. If your trip in your head is exploring Alfama's cobbled lanes all day, climbing São Jorge Castle in the afternoon, catching a fado bar at night, then soaking in the red rooftop pool at sunset with a cold glass of wine, this nails it. Couples rating it 9.6/10 backs up the romance. But if you are a family with small kids and a stroller, or you expect the generous rooms of a new 4-star chain, the rough cobbles and room size here may not be the easiest fit. Overall we give it 9.2/10 — best for couples and culture travelers who fall for an old town and design with a story over new-build convenience in the business district.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The red rooftop infinity pool and Wine Bar with a View look out over a sea of red tile roofs and the Tagus river — a view you simply cannot get from any other hotel in this neighborhood.
- The location is dead-center in Alfama, the genuine old Moorish quarter, about a 5-minute walk to the hilltop São Jorge Castle and only a few minutes on foot to Sé de Lisboa cathedral.
- It is a boutique of just 42 rooms in a 17th-century building restored in 2013, keeping the original stone walls with a white-blue-red palette that matches Lisbon's azulejo tiles; river-view rooms get a small balcony for morning coffee.
- Breakfast is made fresh and served up on the river-view rooftop, with pastéis de nata baked that morning, fresh bread, Portuguese cheese and ham, and a strong bica espresso — reviewers call eating with that view one of the meals they remember most.
- Couples score it 9.6/10 for the romantic mood of Alfama after dark — narrow stone lanes, fado drifting from small bars nearby, and soft orange light washing the building walls, a postcard of the real Lisbon.
- Alfama sits on a steep hill of rough cobbled lanes and plenty of stairs, so wheeling a suitcase up from the main road is genuinely painful. Take a taxi or Uber straight to the hotel door instead.
- Because this is a boutique inside a historic building, some rooms run smaller than a modern build and a few reviewers note the bathrooms are compact. If you want real space, upgrade to a larger River View room.
- The rooftop pool is a small plunge pool built for cooling off and the view, not for swimming laps, and in high season the rooftop bar seats fill fast — get up there well before sunset to grab an edge seat.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Book a River View room with the small balcony even though it runs about $60-85 more a night — waking up to the full Tagus is well worth it over an interior room with no view.
- Head up to the rooftop roughly 30 minutes before sunset to claim an edge seat; the red roofs shift color with the light, and in high season the good spots go quickly.
- Take an Uber or taxi from LIS airport for about 15-20 euros straight to the door — do not try to drag luggage up from Santa Apolónia, since the climb into Alfama is stairs and rough cobblestone.