DOME Alvares Cabral

The price and location were good, and the rooms were clean and perfectly fine. The main issue was the locks. The doors, especially the ones between the elevator and your floor, were so hard to open that several times I had to knock and wait for someone to let me in. Inside the room, you have to use your key to lock the door. There’s no deadbolt or other non-key lock, so getting up to use the washroom in the night means fumbling with an old key and could wake someone else who’s sleeping. Not a bad stay, but a few modern updates would help.

The bed was clean and the communal washrooms seemed fine, though having one toilet for two standing showers is a choice. The motion-sensor light keeps going off, so be ready to shower in the dark. Otherwise, it’s a rough place to stay, really only suitable if you need a bed. The ancient key and lock are a hassle, you hear people in the hallway, and the old elevators didn’t seem to work half the time. It didn’t feel safe. Our rooms were over 3 hours late after we were told they’d be ready, and nobody notified us, so we ended up waiting on the roof. I doubt I’ll return, and hope others are cautious.

Our bed had hair and dirt all over it. I told the front desk, and they said they’d change the sheets but never apologized. When we came back that night, the sheets were still unchanged. It’s disgusting, and makes me wonder whether they change them between guests. Cheap or not, dirty bedding isn’t even up to health standards. The rest of the place was run down and gross. We weren’t expecting everything to be nice, just clean sheets, and they couldn’t manage that. The front desk people were rude too. Don’t come here.

The shared spaces were especially clean, from the bathrooms and kitchen to the common areas, and everything was organized and well maintained. We booked a private room with two separate beds at Dome Alvares Cabral. Though it’s a hostel, it felt closer to a hotel, with real comfort and privacy. The room was spotless too. The reception team were friendly, polite, professional, and ready to help, so we felt welcome right away. The decor was stylish and cosy, and the quiet corridor layout gave us a peaceful, private feel. For the price, it exceeded our expectations: affordable, clean, and comfortable. We give it 5 out of 5 and highly recommend it for a relaxing stay in the city.