Azulejos Cais Sodra B B

The location was very good, and the building had an authentic feel. The staff were nice and helpful. Still, the room at the back was noisy at night because it’s on Pink Street, so I can only imagine what the front rooms are like. The place definitely wasn’t clean: the towels were torn, the heating barely worked, and the hair dryer was so dirty I felt disgusted using it.

The bathroom was private but sat outside the room, and it smelled like sewage. Breakfast was basic too, just toast, bread, jam, cheap mortadella, sweetened yogurt, and coffee. Our room was very bare. The regular latch on the door was broken, so the only way to keep it shut was with the deadlock. There was nowhere to set down or hang our things. It was very expensive for what we paid.

The location is the only real plus. The room was clean, but breakfast in the kitchen made mornings very loud, and by evening the street was so noisy we couldn’t open the window. The bathroom was clean, though the shower was extremely small. The listing called it a “superior-suite, bathroom, city view (external),” but I didn’t realize the bathroom would be outside the room, between two other rooms. There was basically no privacy. The owner contacted me twice about payment during our four-night stay, even though I’d paid in full when I booked. That felt unprofessional. If you’re coming to Lisbon to party, it might suit you. If you want to rest, there are much better options.

The location is the one thing going for this place. We were excited to arrive by taxi at the end of Pink Street, just a block from the Time Out Market and right in the middle of the nightlife. The self check-in directions came by WhatsApp and were clear. The stairs up to the third floor didn’t bother us, but they could be difficult for some, so that should have been mentioned. We’d booked a Superior Suite, pictured as a large room with a double bed. What we got was small, with very little furniture and what looked like two camp beds. Calling it a suite was a stretch, and if this was superior, I’d hate to see the alternative. I’ve had better rooms in hostels. The beds were uncomfortable, one sagged in the middle, and we both woke up aching. The chair was broken, the storage was a flimsy rail with camping-style shelves, and the shower was tiny and smelled. Breakfast was laid out each morning and was pleasant enough. We knew not to expect a luxury suite for what we paid, but this was hostel standard at best.