Hotel Avenida Praia

The sea view was spectacular, and my room was refreshed whenever I came back. The hotel sits right in the middle of the main strip, with the beach only a few minutes away. Breakfast had everything I needed, and Carla gave me such a lovely welcome that she made the whole trip.

The beach is less than a five-minute walk away, and the hostel is right on the strip, so there’s plenty of music and people around. If noise doesn’t bother you, you’ll be fine, or bring earplugs. It’s female-only, and I had a bunk-room with two sets of bunks and a locker for every bed. There were codes for the entrance, my room, and my locker. The kitchen had a fridge, microwave, and stove, plus two bathrooms. I’m traveling solo, and this was my first time choosing a hostel. I was VERY VERY impressed. At checkout, I also want to thank Carla for helping me plan my travels to Lisbon. If every hostel were like this, I’d stay in a heartbeat.

The easy check-in and checkout and the great beach access were about the best parts of our stay. The service was okay, but we left at 8am and came back at 3pm to find the room still hadn’t been cleaned. Construction was going on, which got annoying, and the Wi-Fi was absolutely horrible. There were ants crawling around the bathroom, and one bit me in bed. The beds had almost no padding, so I could feel the springs. They were two twin beds pushed together, and kept splitting apart when we lay down. At night, bars partied until 4am, and drunk neighbors might bang on your door or scream. Don’t come expecting to sleep.

The rooms are great, and the staff are really friendly. It’s close to the beach and the city’s busiest street. That’s handy, though bars nearby play loud music very late, which could keep you awake.