Casinha das Flores

Breakfast was generous, and piano music made the atmosphere especially lovely. We also appreciated the complimentary wine available throughout the day. The staff were so friendly and accommodating, and the hotel itself is beautiful and conveniently located. We had a wonderful stay and hope to return.

The room was beautiful, with lovely details, and Rosa 4 has a little balcony or terrace that doesn’t show up in the pictures. The staff were attentive. There’s no soundproofing, as you’d expect, so we heard noise until the restaurant below closed at 23:30, then again when breakfast started. At 11 pm there wasn’t enough hot water for a second person. We mentioned it at checkout, and they asked whether we’d contacted staff at the sister hotel. We hadn’t, since I doubted they could have done anything, so that part’s on us.

There are two barrels of wine guests can help themselves to any time of day, and breakfast was above and beyond, with a piano player in the morning. The staff were incredibly helpful and always in good spirits. I spent ages browsing the collectible books placed around the hotel. My wife and I stayed two nights and didn’t hear outside noise, despite what some reviews said. The room is small, though. The shower leaves little room to move, and the toilet would be a tight fit for a bigger person. Some guests may find other things disappointing, but the beautiful decor and the work put into the place made up for it for us. It felt more like an art gallery where you can stay a few nights than a hotel with pretty art.

The only thing I can praise is the central location in Chiado. The interior looks good in Instagram pictures, but the place felt dirty and neglected up close, and I wouldn’t recommend staying here. The stairs are steep and there are six flights, which wasn’t clearly stated. If you can’t manage that climb every time you come and go, this isn’t a suitable booking. At check-in, staff at the sister hotel carried our bags up and walked us over, and told us reception was open 24 hours. In practice, calling reception got us nowhere: they told us to contact staff at Casinhas das Flores, who were only there during the day. We never saw them at the small second-floor desk. When we tried to check out at 5 am for our flights, the sister hotel door was locked, and nobody answered the buzzer or phone. There was a strong, musty, strange smell throughout the hotel and our room. It gave us headaches, so we had to keep the window open. The knickknacks and decor seemed dusty and not cleaned regularly. I have allergies and asthma, and being inside was a struggle. The rooms look pretty at first, but they’re dirty and dusty. We skipped breakfast because the floor where it’s served seemed to have a fly infestation. There were at least 50 flies buzzing in the room next to the breakfast area. We also found a roach in our bathroom at night, and I suspect there were more in the building. I understand it’s an old building, but the bugs are unacceptable. Our bathroom was the smallest I’ve ever been in, with no space to stand and get ready. It was dirty and poorly maintained, and the shower was so cramped you couldn’t turn around or bend over to wash. If you’re tall or plus-sized, showering and using the toilet will be difficult. They said reception was available around the clock, but no one was reachable when we needed to leave early.