The short & sweet:
Joao & Carla's apartment was great! Good location in popular neighborhood, yet quiet and close to the train station and city center. Joao received us well and gave us some excellent tips on what to do. Apartment was clean and comfortable.
Thank you Joao & Carla!

Looking for a bit more detail?
What a welcome to Portugal. Even before we arrived, Joao & Carla reached out to us and made us feel excited for our trip. When we arrived at the airport, and realized that we had no idea how to get to their apartment, Joao responded to all of our messages right away and helped us navigate there. Joao met us at the apartment, even though it was late in the evening, and showed us all of the amenities. They even left out some cookies, samples of a local drink, and metro tickets for us! Every detail was thoughtful and made us feel cozy and welcome. He even showed us some of his favorite restaurants, and we went to one that night (which was fantastic). The place is small, but well laid out and located in a quiet and cute neighborhood. The walls are a bit thin (can hear the overhead neighbors), but it adds to the authentic feeling of the stay.