This is a great space in terms of location, well located in the lovely Alfama area and super close to the tram 28 stop, with lots of places to eat and mini markets nearby. We would however not recommend this place for someone with mobility issues as the entrance stairs are very steep. The main door is right on the road so there are cars and motorbikes going by and barely no sidewalk, which needs consideration if you are travelling with young children.
The communication with the host was great, really straight forward and they were always quick in getting back to us for any queries we had before and during our trip (although we wouldn't have expected any less from an agency). Our flight was really delayed and they were great in accommodating our checkin time and someone was there to welcome us when we arrived, which was much appreciated after a long journey.
The place is nicely decorated and clean and it is relatively bright, although the main bedroom feels a bit stuffy as it doesn't have any windows, same with the bathroom. It looks much bigger in the photos but it was fine for two adults, a baby and a child. The kitchen is well equipped with everything you may need for cooking. However, it is the first time that we stay in an Airbnb and the place is very much empty. In the past we have been welcomed with basic things like milk, biscuits or even a lovely breakfast and it didn't feel very homely to open an empty fridge and coverts that didn't even have salt. We of course didn't expect an all inclusive or continental breakfast included, but some basic snacks would have been appreciated.
Despite what we had read in other reviews, we didn't find the place noisy at all, even when the windows were open at night. In general we had a pleasant stay, however I feel I must add some things that we experienced that could have been better:
There was no soap and not much toilet paper when we arrived and we had to contact the host for this to be included, and no other toiletries either. We have always had toiletries included (even tiny bottles of shampoo) in other Airbnbns that we have stayed in before.
The most concerning issue for us was that during one of the nights that we stayed there, we woke up at 4:00 am smelling a very strong fuel-like or fume smell, which really concerned us. It didn't come from outside but from within either the apartment or the building, and as soon as we opened the windows, the smell faded a bit as fresh air came in. We notified the host and apparently they had technicians checking it the day after and they couldn't find anything obvious and they suggested that this might be sewage smell. This was NOT sewage smell but clearly form some sort of fuel burning related activity and had we read a review mentioning this, we probably would have chosen not to stay there, as we were travelling with a young child and a very young baby.
The last thing I would like to add is that sadly this Airbnb experience felt very detached and impersonal to us. All of the places we've stayed in before had been managed by a host who gave us lots of local tips and was either living in or owned the property and that it what made the Airbnb experience so memorable, to meet someone local and feel like being at home. Because this property is managed by an agency, it felt very impersonal, we only met the person who gave us the keys and that was pretty much that, there was no one-to one contact which for us is a shame as that is they reason why we decided to travel using Airbnb. Having said that, the agency staff were efficient, polite and friendly.
Overall, I would recommend staying in this flat for its central and convenient location, but not if you are looking for a typical Airbnb experience where you get to meet the host. And definitely would not recommend staying there until the host looks into the issue of that strong smell that could be potentially hazardous to guests.