The Indy House by LovelyStay

The location between Anjos and Graça is a plus, and both are interesting parts of Lisbon. At night you might see drunk locals around, though they generally keep to themselves and don’t cause trouble. The building is old, with very poor sound insulation, so you can hear nearly everything from the rooms next door. The room felt worn and not especially well maintained, was much smaller than the photos suggested, and had a tiny shower and sink. You have to move a table to open the window, and room cleaning isn’t provided. It’s affordable if you’re on a budget, but those are things to keep in mind.

At 10 am, while we were still in bed, a housekeeper opened our door and rushed us to check out, even though checkout wasn’t until 11. After we’d gathered our things, I tried talking to her, but she was disrespectful and obnoxious. The patio and lounge are nice, but the area didn’t feel like the best choice, especially for a woman. I wouldn’t stay here again.

The kitchen situation is a deal breaker for me. The worst part was finding all our fridge food thrown out the night before checkout. They ask you to label everything with your name and room number, but we’d planned to make a big salad and take some food along for the next leg of our trip. That was €20 wasted, and even after writing to complain, the food is gone. I can’t recommend a company that throws away its guests’ money. The kitchen also isn’t clearly described as basically just a microwave and kettle. There is an induction cooktop, but it’s covered with a marble slab and caulk. The Keurig was broken all week, there were no kitchen knives, and the only cutting board was tiny. If you don’t plan to use the kitchen, it may be fine.

The room was honestly okay, with a comfy bed, shower amenities, a snack, a bottle of wine, and interesting furniture. The building felt spooky, though, and the neighbourhood was the main reason I’m writing. As a woman travelling alone, I was terrified to walk around after sunset; during the day it was okay-ish. It felt really dodgy, so I left after one night despite booking three. It could have potential.