Help me choose a hotel ...Spending 5 days - first time Lisbon. Thanks

Visit both, but stay in Belém! Enough treasures right there for several days, all on foot, and when you do go into Lisbon itself, it's nine minutes on the train (the line to Estoril and Cascais) or twenty minutes by tram or bus to Cais do Sobre or Praça Figueira (Rossio Metro and Rossio train station to, for example, Sintra).

See http://lisbon-portugal-guide.com/bel...ct-lisbon.html

Well, they are both very nice hotels, Avenida Palace more classic and Bairro Alto more boutique, they are both well located. Bairro Alto is known for its rooftop bar overlooking the river and Avenida Palace for its service and breakfast. In regards to rate, the Avenida Palace is slithly cheaper and offer great benefits for booking on their website.

I liked Belem but would not stay out of town..
(the tram to and from Belem was absolutely jammed )

Avenida is very close to the train station..
BA is in a very popular area ( could be noisy).
Both are very central

I just stayed at Bairro Alto and would recommend it highly, although it was a lot more pricey than agenda Palace for my dates. I heard absolutely no noise from my windows overlooking the Praça, even though there is action all night long. Breakfast was included with my package and it was quite lovely but not over-the-top.

AP looks lovely although I saw only the public rooms near the lobby. I think I was told by someone who was in the know that the hotel rooms need a refreshment.

I loved the area of the Bairro Alto. You'd do fine with either, though, I'm sure.

Would not prefer stay in Belem.

Avenida..cannot imagine why it came out as "agenda."

>(the tram to and from Belem was absolutely jammed )<
Just walk over to the train station - a "real" train, nine minutes to Cais do Sodré