The Original Lisbon Guesthouse

I didn’t feel safe in the surrounding streets as a woman traveling alone, and the room was tiny, probably well under 10m². It was on the fifth floor of a private building in central Baixa-Chiado, right opposite a toilet. Getting in was a struggle: it took me ten minutes, and two other guests had to help. You have to pull the door hard and turn the key the opposite way from what you’d expect. The shower was ice cold on both my first and second days. When I told a housekeeper, she sent me to the bathroom downstairs. After sleeping there, I also had insect bites all over. The place felt filthy and uncomfortable, and wasn’t worth the money.

The clean, interesting-looking rooms and well-stocked kitchen on each floor were nice. The problem was the bathroom: just one small one shared by about five rooms on the floor. Such a shame, because with at least two bathrooms this would have been five stars.

I wouldn’t recommend it. The room didn’t look like the pictures, and the pillows and wall were dirty and cold. The heater looked outdated, maybe from the 70s, and seemed like a fire hazard. I refused to stay, so save yourself the wasted time. Reception heard me out but offered no solution.

We booked a double room with a balcony, and it felt new and stylish. The location was perfect. There was also a shared kitchen on our floor with a fridge and stove.