Cristina's place was hands-down the best Airbnb we have stayed at so far. It's just as charming as the pictures suggest, with lots of little touches emblematic of how much thought and attention went into designing and arranging it. Additionally, Cristina was extremely communicative, responsive, and helpful throughout our week-long stay. In brief, she took every effort to make us feel at home and succeeded with flying colors.
LOCATION AND ACCESS: Cristina's apartment is on the 3rd (top) floor of a building overlooking the Tagus (which is a stone's throw away) and immediately neighbors Alfama. We knew exactly how to get in thanks to the detailed instructions she sent us beforehand. While the stairs leading up to the apartment are somewhat steep, this is (1) typical in Lisbon and especially Alfama, (2) clearly communicated by Cristina before you arrive and included in the description, and (3) not a problem unless you have serious mobility issues (in which case I'm not sure why you would book a top-floor apartment). Having lived in Portugal before, I can confirm that the stairs compare favorably to many similar buildings - and the place you get at the top is unrivaled. I should also mention that the view is FANTASTIC, which is not fully reflected in the photos - a picturesque stretch of the Tagus featuring a horizon dotted with ships of all varieties and a cruise ship pulling up opposite the window every few days. Small local supermarkets are close by; Pingo Doce (Portugal's major supermarket chain) is a short climb through Alfama, but totally doable, plus there's a branch that's even closer, at the train station, a leisurely 5-minute walk away.
APARTMENT AND AMENITIES: Believe the positive reviewers - it's a stunning open space with tasteful minimalism as the leading theme. Great value for what you pay. The best compliment an Airbnb can get is that it feels like home, and that's exactly how I would describe this apartment. "Cozy" is often synonymous with "small and cramped" - this is not the case here at all. It's just the right size for two people and feels even larger due to the high ceiling. It's warm and inviting, the heating works well (a rarity in Portugal!), and it has all the amenities and kitchen utensils you need (except for a microwave, but that's not a problem and encourages you to cook/eat local :-)). On rainy and gloomy days, we could do with just a bit more light, but most days are not rainy and gloomy and 95% of the time the lighting throughout the house was totally enough.
The apartment also contains plenty of personal "smart minimalist" touches that create a retro-modern vibe with plenty of character and gave us ideas for our own place. :-) Some favorites:
- the kitchen table (thick wood and steel rivets)
- the large fridge disguised as a cupboard
- the separator wall between the sleeping area and the rest of the house that doubles as a spacious closet
- the variety of lamps (including a very flexible one screwed directly into the bedside wall)
- a bookcase with novels in Portuguese and and guidebooks in various languages
- the stone heaters, which blended in very well with the rest of the apartment
- the (apparently functional!) sewing machine.
We only used the smart TV once, but Netflix worked just fine as advertised and we had zero complaints about it.
In the bedroom section, the mattress was very comfortable and just the right balance of firm and soft. It's well-lit but very cozy. If reading in bed is your thing, this place is perfect for it. :-)
A special word on the bathroom: it is gorgeous, large, and designed with the same smart, elegant simplicity as the rest of the house. The walk-in shower provides plenty of space, you get a variety of bathroom amenities in the cupboards below the sink, and the countertop of the sink itself has a ton of usable space. It also has ventilation, which is not too common in Portugal.
COMMUNICATION: Cristina is an extremely responsive and caring host. We came in the evening that Storm Elsa battered Portugal and found out that the airline had lost our luggage after two hours of confusion at the airport. Although it was 11 pm, Cristina was engaged and supportive the whole time, even giving us advice on the situation based on previous experience. She gave us practical tips throughout our stay when we had questions, responded to every message with lightning speed, and had very clear instructions for both self-check-in and other parts of the experience. We really felt like we were talking to a caring friend.
Overall, our stay at Cristina and Ricardo's place was a fantastic experience that I recommend unreservedly. Cristina is what every Airbnb host should aspire to be. Both she and the apartment set a super high standard that will be very difficult for others to match. Muito obrigado, Cristina!