The Ivens
Urban explorers will love this vibrant, design-led boutique hotel, which sits on the corner of two streets named for the Portuguese explorers Hermenegildo Capelo and Roberto Ivens, whose adventures in Africa are celebrated throughout the property. The hotel is part of the Marriott Autograph Collection of independent boutique properties, but nothing about it feels like a chain, thanks to hand-painted wallpapers, contemporary art, and other astonishing design details (be sure to check out the fabulously flamboyant bathrooms in the hotel's trendy Rocco bar-restaurant). Superior soundproofing makes for silent nights despite the bustling streets outside, and staff go out of their way to make every guest feel like a VIP.
