Warning this review is LONG but detailed. Please read if you plan to stay here. The Pros soften the Cons, but, there are Cons.
Pros:
As Described. If you read the other reviews, everything is as described, unit has an old rustic vibe. Large enough for a big group or family, clean and in a secure building. Beds are comfortable.
Location. Near many restaurants, bars, sights and night life. In walking distance to Everything! Major Pro.
Hospitality. IIdar is a great host, going above and beyond in receiving us. He even gave us a mini tour of the area, on arrival and scheduled taxis for us to and from airport. IIdar was very responsive to all our communications.
Cons:
Foul Order. The house had a weird smell like bengay and burning wood. The bathroom also had a weird pungent smell, like sewage. We had to keep bathroom door shut so the smell would not linger throughout the house. Though the sewage smell is not unique to the AirBNB, we noticed this throughout establishments in Lisbon. Also could be attributable to building construction.
No Heat. There is no central heating system, space heaters are provided but the unit is cold in the winter. The space heaters were effective in warming the unit, but they were gas heaters ( also contributing to smell). ** IIdar and his family went above and beyond supplying us with extra heaters, blankets and even warming sacks. Obviously this won’t be a problem for warmer stays.
Thin walls, extremely thin. You could hear EVERYTHING, including construction work that started at 7am, DAILY and lasted until 5pm. The unit directly below was being renovated, so the workers sounded as if they were directly in our unit, you heard every word, hammer, nail, drill and saw. I highly recommend checking if construction is still on going before booking. Waking up to drill on vacation is NOT my idea of vacation. ** IIdar asked the workers to wait until at least 9am but they started at 7 anyway.
No elevator. If you have heavy luggage, please note that you are walking up several flights of stairs. ** Though IIdar and his Dad were helpful with carrying our luggage.
While I probably won’t stay here again, I think IIdar and his family were great! They were wonderful. The coldness, construction and smell killed the experience for me, especially after long days of walking and or partying.