I'm not a city-center guy so let's begin by saying Sofia's place was perfect for me. If you go by train, the climb to the top of the hill can be quite challenging if intoxicated but that's just Lisbon for you.
About the pros and cons:
Pros:
- Place is really nice. The view from the balcony of your room and living room is legit. Downside is it may make you want to stay home to watch ships and submarines and not bother going to the noisy center.
- Sofia and Marta are very nice hosts. Always to the point when you need help and ready for a nice chat.
- One thing I extremely like is the privacy of everything. You respect Sofia and Marta and they respect you. Trust me on this one, booking Sofia's place is bazillion times better than cramming yourself into a bunk bed in the center for the same price.
- The dog and cats are fun, especially Mathilda. Sofia will introduce them but chances are Mathilda will introduce herself to you in person.
The cons:
- Maybe the standing shower is a bit small. I'm pretty small by European standard but I did find it hard to move around in the shower. But I understand it's not easy changing one of those things it's minor for me.
- Mathilda is really friendly and I love her. But if you happen to dislike cat fur on your clothes, pet her in a way that prevents that. Again, she's amazing.
All in all, at the end I was wondering how much money it would take to buy this place or work in Portugal full time remotely so yeah, top tier stuff.