MACAM Hotel, Lisbon
Where Contemporary Art Lives Inside an Eighteenth-Century Palace
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● Portugal’s first hotel-museum, seamlessly combining a restored Baroque palace with a world-class contemporary art collection.
● A masterful adaptive reuse project where historic architecture and modern design coexist without compromise.
● An immersive cultural experience in which art is woven into every aspect of the stay, from guestrooms to galleries and public spaces.
A Palace Reimagined
MACAM Hotel occupies one of Lisbon’s most remarkable historic buildings. Originally commissioned in 1701 as the Palácio Condes da Ribeira Grande, the palace survived the devastating 1755 earthquake before serving as a school and eventually falling into disrepair. Following an ambitious restoration led by MetroUrbe, the building has been reborn as Portugal’s first hotel within a museum, carefully balancing architectural preservation with contemporary hospitality. The palace remains the protagonist. The hotel simply gives it new life.
Living Among Art
Unlike most design hotels, MACAM doesn’t decorate its interiors with art. It is art. More than 600 works from owner Armando Martins’ renowned collection are integrated throughout the galleries, guestrooms, corridors, gardens, and public spaces. Paintings by Paula Rego, Marina Abramović, Eduardo Viana, Thomas Struth, and many others become part of everyday life, creating an experience where guests move naturally between museum and hotel. There are no clear boundaries. Only continuous discovery.
Historic Grandeur Meets Contemporary Design
The interiors respect the palace’s extraordinary architecture while introducing a restrained contemporary language. Original staircases, decorated ceilings, Portuguese tiles, restored chapel spaces, oak flooring, Perlina Bianca stone, bespoke lighting, and carefully designed furniture create elegant environments that never compete with the historic building itself. A contemporary garden wing extends the experience with spacious rooms overlooking sculpture-filled courtyards and landscaped gardens. Old and new exist in quiet harmony. Each enhancing the other.
Culture Beyond the Galleries
MACAM has been conceived as an active cultural destination rather than a static museum. The beautifully restored deconsecrated chapel now serves as an atmospheric bar and performance venue, hosting concerts, exhibitions, poetry readings, and cultural events throughout the year. Contemporâneo restaurant, led by chef Tiago Valente, celebrates Portuguese ingredients with contemporary finesse, while the rooftop pool overlooks the Tagus and Lisbon’s evolving skyline. Every space invites curiosity. Not just admiration.
A New Cultural Landmark
Located in Alcântara, one of Lisbon’s fastest-changing districts, MACAM sits close to MAAT, the Berardo Museum Art Deco, riverside restaurants, galleries, and the city’s growing creative scene. It offers a different perspective on Lisbon—one where history, contemporary culture, and architecture meet naturally.
Why It Works
MACAM Hotel succeeds because it treats hospitality as part of a wider cultural experience. By transforming a magnificent eighteenth-century palace into Portugal’s first hotel-museum, it creates a destination where architecture, contemporary art, gastronomy, and design are inseparable. It’s more than a luxury hotel—it’s one of Lisbon’s most compelling cultural institutions.
