I loved this apartment and the communication with the host was really great but there were some problems I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t address for other travelers to be aware. Firstly, the noise: yes, I was prepared for street music and everything that comes with being right at the very center of a city like Lisbon, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the noise from restaurant above between 7-8 am (moving chairs, tables and whatever heavy stuff they need to move around), which wasn’t fun at all, especially after not having been able to fall asleep until 3 am due to the fact that the apartment next door had the most rude and disturbing people playing loud music and making noise even though the host kindly offered to talk to them after he learnt about this problem. Another thing I didn’t like is how the exit to Barrio Alto on the 5th Floor has become a shelter for homeless people and it is full of garbage and drunk men, which takes away from the supposedly “boutique design apartment” stay that I thought I was booking.
For these reasons, and despite the fact that the apartment is beautiful, comfortable and the hosts are amazing (they even offer earplugs to mitigate the noise problems), I can’t give a 5 star review, as much as it hurts me. Noise problem aside, the apartment is perfectly equipped with everything you need and the location is impossible to beat. You are right in Chiado / Baixa or right in Barrio Alto if you use the exit on the 5th floor. You have the same views as people using Santa Justa Elevator without the queues. You’re also next door to the beautiful Igreja do Carmo, a must see in Lisbon. And you can basically visit the whole city on foot. So if you aren’t a light sleeper, this is definitely the place for you and I highly recommend. However, if you are a light sleeper and need a good night’s sleep, you might have some trouble here and you might be better off staying somewhere else.