The Golden Gate Bridge has a twin. It is the Ponte de 25 Avril in Lisbon, a suspension bridge over 190 metres high spanning over two kilometres joining Lisbon to Caparica on the south side of the Tagus River. South of the river is rustic, bohemian and full of protected national parks. Expect to see forests and rolling sand dunes progress into long, untouched beaches. It is home to beach shacks, surf and yoga hostels and eco hotels; most famously the Sublime Comporta. The north side is home to the undulant old city centre of Lisbon and a wider bustling metropolis. Sublime Hotel’s have at last taken the plunge and opened on the north side, the Sublime Lisboa.

Sublime Comporta is a multi-award winning luxury hotel with food and sustainability at its forefront; a firm favourite amongst travel journalists and environmentally conscientious tourists. On the back of its success, it was no surprise that they were eager to open another venue. However this time they have chosen, in complete contrast, to open a city abode. It is a small boutique hotel of only fifteen rooms – less thank nearby the Avenida Liberdade, the backbone of Lisbon’s most affluent shopping area and luxury hotels. The Sublime Lisboa is not trying to emulate it’s older sister, but instead it stands alone as a one of the great idiosyncratic boutique hotels of Lisbon.

Built in just two years – an accelerated timeframe by most hotel standards – the Sublime Lisboa is an old palacete, meaning small palace, one of Lisbon’s many large former homes of the affluent. Its previous incarnation was a family home for a husband and wife who were both revered architects and who have left their unique stamp on the interior design of this traditional period building. Most of the grand features of the original palacete are unchanged; palatially high ceilings, a stone staircase and long, elegant windows. Every effort has been made to pay homage to what was already there: all of the original tiles and eye-catching wallpaper are still in place and design components have been deliberately blended around them. Facilities include a library and conference room with a mezzanine.

Maintaining the old charm of the palacete and suitably filling in the blanks is the vision of Rita Andringa, one of Portugal’s hottest interior designers. A Lisbon local, Rita Andringa’s trademark method is to work with local artists and artisans, appealing to history and traditions whilst understanding local materials. The hotel is stylishly bedecked in deluxe fabrics against convivial choices of wall colour, creating a pleasing and comfortable experience in the communal areas. The bedrooms contain traditional wall panelling, preserved tiles and wallpaper which make their mark; integrated with the more modern design choices of furnishings such as crittall glass showers and contemporary shaped lamps. Aromatic and skin-friendly Sublime bathroom products are at your fingertips, all containing ingredients grown nearby the Sublime Comporta.

The Sublime Lisboa’s choice of contemporary art is what is most memorable; some are nuanced and others more risqué in their content, but all with a sense of humour. The upstairs hallwaysAromatic and skin-friendly Sublime bathroom products are at your fingertips, all containing ingredients grown nearby the Sublime Comporta. are purposely banal and lined with a colourful exhibition of eccentric artwork collages by artist Alma Mollennans. Entitled The Dictators Behind Desks, the exhibit pokes fun at communism: imagine a cutout of Harry Styles’s face on a superhero-body by swimming pool being watched over by Che Guevara. In the downstairs loo and other public areas there are large, amusing photos by a Portuguese artist Manuel Correia: an Asian women squashed into a bath of rose petals and an image of a Miss World contestant caught on the loo(!).

Davvero Restaurant, on the ground floor of the Sublime Lisboa, is where breakfast is served – at any time of day for guests – and is fast becoming a destination in itself for the best Italian food in Lisbon. The Sublime Comporta is revered as a foodie hotel, (it’s head chef having won a Michelin star earlier this year) so it’s no surprise the quality of the Sublime food extends to it’s urban little sister. Again, original tiles of the palacete cover the floors and in this exquisitely designed restaurant diners can enjoy a hearty Italian menu packaged into fine dining. They are proud to serve Sublime branded olive oil and wine which are grown and made in Comporta. The delicious rice beer is also an unusual addition to the drinks menu and well worth a sample.

You can find pasta dishes amongst other traditional dishes which hails from all over Italy. The Baccala Mantecato, whipped salt cod (a firm traditional Portuguese dish) on top of a crunchy polenta blackened with cuttle fish ink is an overriding favourite for both the chefs and guests. Two textures have never complemented each other more in a mouthful. The Carciofi Alla Giudea – fried artichoke topped with panko breadcrumbs is also a collision of textures. The crispy, salt crumb emphasises the sweet, butteriness of the artichoke heart and this is all off-set by a sprinkling of fresh mint ribbons to make a decadent vegetable dish. The butternut squash risotto is sweet, creamy and comforting like rice pudding. It is made savoury by the flecks of crispy prosciutto and bitter fried radicchio toppings as well as the two types of cheeses, a local Portuguese cow cheese and naturally, some aged parmesan to finish. The Saltimbocca with crispy sage is a fragrant and tasty dish, served with truffle mash. For desert at Davvero, the white chocolate and whiskey soufflé won’t disappoint.

For a perfect place to stay for a city-break in Lisbon, look no further than the Sublime Lisboa. Allow any preconceptions to dissipate from its attachment to the Sublime Comporta. This stands on its own as a beacon of hospitality within a district of Lisbon known for its dominating hotels and municipal landmarks. Like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Ponte de 25 Avril, take a close look and they are incomparable despite first appearances. It’s a tasteful honouring of the old and the new where two ages collide and the result is something quite sublime.