Joaquim's apartment in the Principe Real neighborhood is the perfect place to discover and explore Lisbon. The apartment is very stylish, very comfortable, well-equipped, and the terrace view offers the best view of the city and the Castilo. If you want to avoid the busy touristy areas but still want to have access to the fun, trendy spots, you have to book this place! It's near the best restaurant in Lisbon (A Cevicheria) and a great cafe called Brooklyn where we had coffee and breakfast each day. We also were able to venture quite easily to the Rossio and Alfama neighborhoods, shopping districts, and night life in Barrio Alto.
Unfortunately we did not get to meet Joaquim, but his good friend Nuno let us in, introduced us to the apartment, and recommended which parts of the city to see and which to avoid. Very helpful! Joaquim was very responsive to email, often replying in the hour. Highly recommended!
(Only a couple of drawbacks: the street in front of apartment is very busy, so be aware in terms of crossing and night traffic. The second bedroom doesn't have A/C and this matters only during the hot times of the year).