Casa das Bonecas

The decor and colors in apartment #2 were really cute, the beds were comfortable, and the new window with its inside shutter was great. It’s cozy for two, though the ceiling is very low if you’re tall. There was good internet, plus coffee, tea, sugar, napkins, dish soap, and shower soap. Aunty Maria welcomed us, and she was sweet but very loud. She doesn’t speak English, so we had to get online and use Google Translate. I booked expecting a washing machine, but the owner has two apartments and only one has one. The listing initially said there was a washer, and when I booked it showed just one apartment, so I didn’t realize there were two. We ended up having to find a laundromat and wait there, which was a hassle. The bathroom was awful because of the sloping roof, and the bidet seemed useless. The gas lighter was empty when we arrived, so we had to buy one nearby. With a gas stove, I’d expected at least matches. About half the floor tiles were broken or loose and need replacing. The hot water tank is so small you have to limit water use if someone else needs a shower. There was no colander or microwave cover, either. The stairs are very steep, so getting to the third floor takes some effort. Noise made sleeping difficult, too. On Wednesday, the other apartment’s guests left at 4:30am making loads of noise. New guests arrived around midnight the next day, and on Friday night the people on the second floor had a party. After walking 25K steps, all we wanted was sleep. When we finally raised some concerns, the owner was very rude in response.

The bathroom was terrible, though the apartment itself was very nice.

Getting up to the third floor on those treacherous stairs was a problem. It wouldn’t suit older people, anyone with limited mobility, or families with babies or little kids. The bathroom was unusable too, with the shower tucked into a corner and only large enough for someone under 1.40 meters. The place didn’t live up to what we expected.

Getting in was really difficult, and there wasn’t a proper bathroom. You have to do everything sitting down. The beds were only sort of comfortable. It’d be a nightmare for older or disabled guests, or families with kids and strollers. I wouldn’t recommend it at all.