Conde Nast Crowns The Ivens, Signalling Portugal’s Luxury Surge

Visitors landing at Humberto Delgado Airport this autumn may notice something different in the air: a growing conviction that Portugal has finally graduated into the top league of international hospitality. That mood crystallised this week when one of Lisbon’s most exuberant properties, The Ivens, leap-frogged rivals on both sides of the Atlantic to claim Condé Nast Traveler’s highest reader distinction in the United States and a silver medal in the United Kingdom polls.

Lisbon’s Chiado Lands Another Trophy

The historic Chiado quarter already brims with cafés, theatres and tiled façades, yet the recent accolade adds another layer of global prestige. Gathering a near-perfect 99.33 score, The Ivens Hotel outpaced competitors in the US edition of the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, while settling for a close second in the UK ballot. Hotel director Gonçalo Dias credits the result to “an attentive team who remember names rather than room numbers,” a remark that mirrors guests’ testimonials praising bespoke itineraries, art-filled lounges, and the effortless blending of Portuguese warmth with Marriott’s Autograph Collection standards.

How Readers Crowned the Winners

More than 1 M readers submitted surveys this year, rating experiences across hotels, resorts, cruises, spas and airports. Each property is judged on service, design, location, food & beverage, and value. The methodology, audited by an external firm, gives the awards a reputation for being the industry’s democratic barometer. Crucially for Portugal, the same dataset placed the country itself in 3rd place worldwide—behind only Greece and Japan—cementing its status as a bucket-list destination for the luxury segment.

Portugal’s All-Star Line-Up for 2025

The spotlight on The Ivens should not eclipse the broader Portuguese showing. This year’s national top ten, revealed quietly on Condé Nast’s website, reads like an atlas of the country’s most seductive hideaways: Palácio Príncipe Real claimed the crown, followed by The Ivens at 98/100, Savoy Palace in Funchal at 97.99, The Yeatman overlooking Gaia’s cellars at 96.56, and São Lourenço do Barrocal amid Alentejo’s cork groves at 96. Additional Lisbon stalwarts—Corinthia, AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado, and the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz—joined Madeira’s legendary Reid’s Palace and the Sublime Comporta retreat on the list. Collectively, these scores illustrate a geographical spread that stretches from the Douro Valley to the rice fields of Grândola, offering travellers a nation-wide mosaic of five-star variety.

Inside The Ivens: From Radio Waves to Velvet Sofas

Step beyond the revolving doors and the building’s past life as Rádio Renascença’s headquarters quickly fades into a riot of tropical wallpaper, velvet armchairs, and black-and-white marble floors. The 19th-century structure underwent a meticulous €multi-million renovation between 2017 and 2019, overseen by Spanish architect Lázaro Rosa-Violán and Portuguese interior designer Cristina Matos. Their brief: evoke the spirit of explorers Roberto Ivens and Hermenegildo Capelo, the first Europeans to cross Central Africa. The result is a “selva urbana”—an urban jungle dotted with scarab beetle sculptures, canary-yellow macaws, and a penthouse terrace that frames the Tagus River in cinematic widescreen.

Rooms—87 in total—play with beige, white and leaf-green palettes, while public areas pulse with an almost operatic maximalism. The culinary anchor, Rocco, nods to classic Italian osteria culture, complemented by a seafood-centric Crudo Bar and a treasure-trove wine cellar. A 24/7 fitness studio, discreet valet parking, and an “Explore Team” that curates personalised Lisbon expeditions round out the amenities.

What the Laurels Mean for Portugal’s Luxury Scene

Tourism analysts argue that awards of this calibre do more than fill booking calendars; they influence investment flows, drive average daily rates, and sharpen the competitive edge of entire neighbourhoods. Lisbon brokerage firms already report heightened interest from overseas funds seeking boutique assets in Bairro Alto, Principe Real, and emerging riverfront zones such as Marvila. Market tracker Bedsrevenue projects that RevPAR will continue to outperform 2019 benchmarks in both Lisbon and Porto next year, fuelled partly by the halo effect of international press. Hoteliers, meanwhile, acknowledge the flip side: accolades raise expectations. “Each five-star review is also a promise we must keep,” notes a rival general manager whose property landed just outside the top three.

Looking Ahead: Holding the Standard High

Portugal’s challenge now is to sustain its momentum without diluting its identity. Insiders point to three priorities: maintaining authentic service, embedding sustainability practices from energy to sourcing, and ensuring that luxury expansion does not price locals out of historic quarters. The Ivens intends to lead by example, launching an arts residency programme next spring that will see Portuguese illustrators reinterpret the hotel’s explorer theme. If execution matches ambition, Chiado’s latest trophy may prove to be less a victory lap and more a starting line for the next chapter of Portuguese hospitality.