Destination Showcase : SANA Hotels in Lisbon
We were recently invited to visit Portugal to visit and flavour the MICE world of Lisbon.
Travelling with TAP Portugal on an easy and comfortable flight, we travelled to SUD Hall Lisboa which is a newly opened venue on the waterfront of the Tagus and with a view of the 25th April bridge. We tasted some fois gras canapes and the smartly dressed barman made us each a cocktail to our own taste – the perfect way to start the trip. (Or in fact, any trip)
The SUD is two offerings; one is a hip and modern restaurant, and the other is a lovely open hall with lights and AV controlled with an iPad and a wonderful semi-outdoor terrace which overlooks the peaceful water. With two separate kitchens, this venue boasts not one but two experienced chefs with knowledge from Dubai and London.
After this, we were whisked away to the SANA Lisboa 4*. In the heart of Lisbon, this central hotel has a range of meeting rooms over two levels of the hotel. With comfortable bedrooms and a lovely large window overlooking the area, or a playstation to plug in, it is easy to relax here.
Many of the meeting rooms at the SANA Lisboa have natural daylight, moveable walls and ample breakout space. The hotel is in a perfect location for an exhibition & conference.
Following the show round, and having worked up an appetite, we headed over to dinner, which was served up at the SANA Metropolitan. A 4* hotel with a more corporate focus, the meeting rooms can be opened up to have various sizes of boardrooms and breakouts. There is a large plenary room with an open terrace to enjoy a lovely summer evening.
With 306 bedrooms, it is ideal for big groups. The laminate floor bedrooms are practically sized with room service being served 24-hours a day. Dinner at the Metropolitan was delicious and well paced.
The next morning, the well-rested group of keen event bookers headed to the district of Belem, which has a lot of historical monuments from Portugal’s past. In this area is the famous Pasteis de Belem café. The café serves the famous custard tart made with the secret and ancient recipe. It is a place which you would be crazy to miss if you ever found yourself in Lisbon.
From here, we headed for lunch at the SANA Malhoa hotel 4*. Here we saw the large conference floor with moving walls, allowing for numerous variations of meeting room sizes, including a lovely plenary room with plenty of natural daylight.
The hotel has a large restaurant area including a terrace with lots of seating. The food at the Malhoa hotel was a delight. In fact, I was full on the delicious fresh and flavoursome bread that was served before the first course!
To work off our lunch, we proceeded with a walking tour of the historical centre of Lisbon. A delightful insight into the history of the area, and lead by a passionate guide, we really got to know the location. The famous mosaic pavements and various trams, go cars (of which we had a little go) and tuk-tuks enabled an easy access around the city.
We completed our walking tour at the Aura, located near the riverside, and facing the Commerce Square in the heart of Lisbon. A lovely classical Portuguese dinner venue with an arching ceiling and freshly designed decorations, would be lovely for an off-site dinner during a conference.
To end the day, we found ourselves at the Myriad by SANA, 5*. The Myriad is SANA’s flagship hotel and sits over the Tagus, the hotel has lovely views of the ‘Vasco da Gama Bridge’ which is 17km long, and as you can imagine, is quite a spectacle. The Myriad served us a delightful dinner, paired with some gorgeous local wine.
The next day, we visited the Myriad ‘Crystal Centre’ which is a conference centre attached by a walkway to the hotel. It has lots of light meeting rooms with green views and continuing the red / black / grey colour scheme of the Myriad Hotel. There are lots of facilities here including a reception area, so it is a great location to host a meeting or conference. The breakout area can even be taken outside to the riverside on days where the weather permits.
The last hotel to visit was the Epic SANA Hotel. A 5* hotel with a rooftop swimming pool and fresh flowers throughout. This hotel was delightfully bright. It has classic rooms and a dedicated event floor; the hotel has some impressive spaces with multiple boardroom and meeting areas. If you’re lucky enough to be at the hotel on a Sunday, the hotel serves an incredible brunch buffet. Fighting the locals to the fresh sushi and bread, we were pleasantly full and ready to catch our flight home.
Lisbon is a lovely destination with lots of infrastructure for meetings and venues for offsite dinners. With lots of history and a passion for food, the Portuguese are great hosts and ensure that all are catered for.
A huge thankyou to TAP Portugal SANA hotels and Abreu DMC for showcasing the destination in all its glory.
If you think that Lisbon might be a destination to explore for your next event, we would be delighted to work with you. Please do get in touch.
