The Queen of Graca!
Somebody give this lady the star of Graca please! Even though we only got to meet her at the end of our stay her presence and availability was there 24/7. Gabriela is the epitome of what Airbnb is all about; welcoming people into your home and giving them the personal touch.
As usual I'll give the -ves first and finish on the +ves.
The negatives -ve
To be honest none.
Nothing was too much to ask or out of the way.
If I have to nitpick - and I'm really thinking of something to complain about - it would be;
Climbing 2 flights of stairs with suitcases to get to the apartment.
Some may argue that the location is no good for them; you don't have a sea view and you are not in the 'centre' - which is ridiculous because Lisbon is big. Besides Uber is a super great way to get around the city and quick!
The shower head maybe could be substituted for a better one, but I am REALLY nitpicking here. It's fine.
The Positives +ve,
Location; we loved it. From the front windows you have the view of a bustling area which still feels very local and authentic. We became a regular of Saga the bakery/sandwich shop 1min walk from the apartment. It was perfect for those Pastel de Natas, cookies for the kids and espresso for the madame. Tram 28 is just outside, and it's in an area where you can actually jump on the tram and not fight to get on. Never really any queues; trust me big plus especially with 2 kids! 2min walk from the apartment is a park that we spent some time in. A nice green space where locals go with their dogs, bonhemians do yoga and lost tourists like us take photos.
5min walk away you have amazing view points and great trendy bars to chill out at. There are some wonderful shops too around the area. Visit By Nunes and Toranja for great unique souvenirs.
The apartment; for a family of 4 it was perfect. Self check in was done. Super easy peasy and well communcated. Check out was also super easy and will communicate about that later.
There are 3 actual full size bedrooms, a full living room and full kitchen . Condition of everything was great. Beds were comfortable and there were fans to circulate the air. For us personally we had the window open but I recognise that might be a little noisy for light sleepers. But then again you are in the centre of a city so some noise is to be expected from the street ie, trams, cars. We never heard any noise from neighbours or from people on the streets.
Amenities; fantastic. Everything was available. Great wifi, great water pressure and hot water (heat takes a minute to come) etc etc. Things just worked the way they are supposed to. A generous amount of bathroom amentities were available. Shower gel, shampoo, soap, even nail polish remover! You are truly in a home and given that warm feeling of being in one. Kitchen is well stocked. All the things you would expect. Lots of basic food even to cook up a quick pasta or porridge if you wanted to; but why would you... have you seen whats outside on the street? The cafes, restaurants etc etc on your door step.
The price as indicated on the listing is what you pay. I did not arrive to being told I have to pay some tourist tax or something like that. As indicated on airbnb.
Now the cream on the top, Gabriela herself. From the moment you book, Gabriela is in touch with you. She is the wikipedia of Lisbon. Need a restuarant? Ask her! Need a specific something, ask her! Nothing was too much to ask. Oh and by the way she is very detailed. You will not get a yes/no answer. You will get a proper answer.
And this is what I mean about her being the epitome of what airbnb is all about. She makes you feel completely at home with the apartment and your area. She wants to you enjoy your stay and wants you to enjoy Lisbon. It's not just I've rented you my apartment and taken your money and caio caio bye bye. There is a reason why she is so highly rated on airbnb.
At checkout Gabriela even allowed me to hold on to the key and leave my bags in the apartment while they cleaned for the next arrival as I had a late night flight. I got to the apartment at 1800 to collect the bags after a full day on the town and she insisted I should take a shower and freshen up before leaving. How nice of her, seriously. Such a genuine human. It's these little things that count.
By the way we did not get to meet Gabriela until collecting the bags at the last minute but at no point did we not feel her presence. She was always available on social media/airbnb. Always checking in making sure everything is ok. Basically she was available as much or as little as we wanted.
I hope the Mayor of Graca gives Gabriela the star of the neighbourhood. She deserves it. Thank you.