Alma Porto Hostel

The old building is beautiful, with high ceilings, a lovely garden with trees and hammocks, good shared spaces, and balconies. The kitchen has an old gas cooker, and there’s plenty of free food to cook if you're backpacking on a budget. The staff were very kind, including some volunteers. Cleanliness and food hygiene need work, though. I'd keep the place much cleaner and label groceries with dates so expired food gets removed. It has a lot of potential, and the building could be put to better use.

For a three-star stay, this seems geared toward backpackers, and the price can be cheaper sometimes. The beds are mixed, there’s no bed cover or bed linen, and the room got a bit cold at night. The location is good: about a 30-minute walk to the city center, with a metro nearby. I took bus tours to Lisboa and Braga, and the long-distance bus stop is close too. Everyone on staff was friendly, and I felt more welcome here than anywhere else. The downsides are just three shared showers for over 20 people and one toilet for the whole floor, which was a bit dirty. They only accept cash, so bring some, plus a 5 Euro key deposit.

For one night, it was okay. The breakfast was limited in both choice and quantity, and the old wooden floors made the rooms rather noisy. Check-in and checkout took a long time, and the staff could be friendlier and more practical. Cash only, and €€€.

I travel often, but this was the worst hostel experience I've had. We paid 90 euro for 4 days and I just wanted to leave. The photos are misleading, and the shared showers were dirty. Toilets are only on some floors, with three toilets for three floors of rooms that each have 12 beds, so good luck if you need to go. Even though we booked for two people, they put us in beds very far apart, and I got the upper bunk I was afraid of. P.S. Bring 100 euro, since they only take cash.