First, the excellent — the hosts of this flat are exceptionally responsive, helpful, and kind. We had a delay that led to a late arrival, and Ana & Rita could not have been more accommodating. When my partner needed a ride to the airport, they arranged it without a second thought!
Now, the place itself is in definite need of a deep clean and some refreshes of the furniture/fixtures in the space. Small touches like the house guide were lacking, and the delayed sensor lighting in common spaces were downright dangerous. Yes, there are lots of stairs—but it’s perfect practice for the rest of Alfama. Yes, there were some cigarette and sewage(?) smells that emanated into the flat, but I don’t think that can be helped by the hosts.
All in all, a good flat, but nowhere near as polished as is portrayed in the photos. That said, with some fairly minor improvements, this could be a winner—especially with such amazing hosts and an unbeatable location.