Guesthouse Pena

I spent a night here in October and the room was more spacious and bright than I expected, with a nice bed. The owner was really kind, showed me around the facilities, and made sure I knew where things were. She also allowed a late check-in, which some hostels don't. There's a communal bathroom and kitchen, so it suits backpackers. The patio outside was a lovely place for morning coffee, and can be a great spot to watch the sunrise if conditions are right. The kitchen is pretty basic, so bring or buy supplies if you're staying a few nights. My bedroom fan was damaged, and the night felt humid even in October. If you have accessibility needs, check that you're comfortable with the steps around Lisbon. The spacious room, the guesthouse's charm, and the owner's warm welcome made it a lovely start to my Portugal holiday. I'd recommend it if it suits what you're looking for.

Getting there by taxi wasn't easy. The place is up a hill, and the drivers couldn't make it up, so we had to carry our big luggage uphill. The shared bathroom also wasn't very clean. The room itself was large, with plenty of space, a refrigerator, and daily amenities, and check-in went smoothly even though we arrived later than usual. But it was cold when we checked in at night. I messaged the host, and she apologized and said she'd bring an electric heater the next day. We were sick by morning despite wearing two sweaters. If she knew the rooms were cold, I think a heater should've already been there instead of us having to ask and spend the night freezing.

The best part was leaving. When we arrived, the host wasn't there despite us having told her our arrival time, and we waited 15 minutes to get in. The room was horrible: dirty, with sheets covered in hair, spots on the blanket, an uncleaned bathroom, dirty towels, and curtains full of vomit. We called the host right away to ask her to clean it, but she wasn't helpful. She only changed the sheets and towels, and even the replacement towels were dirty. The guesthouse is also in a very bad neighborhood.

The owner was awesome. She let us leave our things after our stay and gave us a spare key so we could come back for our luggage when we left the city. The place itself was clean and comfortable, although some of the surrounding area felt a bit dodgy.