One word: Cockroaches. If you do not have any problems with them, you should continue reading for a full review. If you do have a problem with them, you should stop reading and go look for another place to stay.

Sooo...

Communication with Filipe was easy - he was quick to answer my questions and provide me with the information we needed to find the apartment. I did not get to meet him myself, but he sent another person to let us into the apartment and give us the show around.

The location of the apartment is really good. It is located on at charming little street within walking distance from the lovely neighbourhoods of Bairro Alto, Alfama, and Chiado and only a 5 minutes walk from the train station Cais do Sodré, which makes it easy to get there. When we visited, though, there were a street festival going in the street just outside the apartment. And since the apartment is located on the ground floor and you step directly from the street into the living room, that made it a pretty noisy visit for the person that had to sleep on the sleeping sofa in the living room (just a few meters from the partying). So if you need a good nights sleep, you should inquire before booking that no street festival is going on.

Which takes us to the apartment itself.

The livingroom was in the back of the apartment with no windows but a fan to keep the temperature down. It was no problem for us, but if you are claustrophobic, you might consider if it will be a problem for you. The sleeping couch in the living room wasn't to comfortable, but worse was a musty smell that penetrated the apartment and THE COCKROACHES. To me an apartment full of cockroaches is neither charming nor authentic just because it is located in an otherwise charming and authentic part of a beautiful and very old city. It is just grose. Unfortunately, I had overlooked the few reviews that mentioned the cockroaches, which is why I have started mine with the warning against them. Had it not been for them, the review would probably have been more positive.

Besides from the smell and the cockroaches, the apartment was fairly clean.

But again: It is hard to beat the location - and Lisbon is a very beautiful city that you should look forward to visit and explore.