Clara is a gracious, communicative, humorous, and attentive host. She not only made sure I was ok in the apartment across my stay, but helped introduce me to the Rato neighborhood and made some local connections.
The apartment is quiet and well appointed, full of maps, guides and resources to Lisbon and beyond. It matches appearances in the photos, though not as bright as the first few in the series.
I visited during a cold winter spell, and the apartment was cold the my first few days, using only the two wall heaters. Once the mobile heater was added, it made the overall temperature warm and comfortable.
The location is perfectly central, close to Principe Real and the beautiful Jardim da Estrela. You can easily walk to many nice neighborhoods like Campo de Ourique, Chiado, Lapa or Arrois. Transport is easy, by foot, subway, taxi, uber, or bus right down the street. There is a major supermarket but also small local farm grocery and bakery I found, with plenty of nice cafes and restaurants.
It’s also less touristy. Graca and Alfama are beautiful places full of history, views and vibrance, but also full of visitors. Rato has centrality and also a good local vibe, if that’s what you’re looking for with your trip.