The family-run Lisbon Old Town Hostel is a serene place to set up shop while you explore the city. The building is spacious and comfortable, and the staff go out of their way to ensure that you enjoy your stay.
The Location
Old Town is a short walk north of Cais do Sodre, a major public transportation hub featuring metro, bus, tram, and train. This makes it easy to navigate the city and find your way back home, as well as to direct a taxi back to a familiar area. Unfortunately, the walk from Cais do Sodre to the hostel is uphill -- a hill that feels evens steeper with a bag or backpack. It is easy to miss the hostel's unassuming cross street initially, but once you know what to look for, it's not difficult to find it again.
The neighborhood can be a bit dodgy from block to block, but the hostel has excellent security. Each guest buzzing in to the front gate is seen by video camera before being allowed in by the twenty-four-hour desk staff. All visitors must then walk in the front door and be seen by the front desk staff in order to gain access to the hostel.
Rooms and Bathrooms
We stayed on the hostel's newly opened second floor, which has its own kitchen, living room/dining area, bathrooms, and dorms. This floor has one men's bathroom and one bathroom with a co-ed sink area partitioned from the toilet and shower area that operates as a women's bathroom. These are kept very clean, although they get musty when guests keep the doors closed. The showers feature removable showerheads and plenty of hot water. Towels are available for a non-refundable charge.
Our six-bed dorm had a locker assigned to each bunk. While this is a nice gesture, the lockers are flimsy and can be opened with a fingernail. This floor is very quiet, and the entire hostel has good noise control with hallway doors insulating the dorms from the common areas.
Common Spaces
The first floor hosts a small common room with couches; two computers; a television with DVD player; and a humble, subtitled video library. The hostel allows free unlimited internet, which would be a good thing except that guests are not encouraged to limit use when others are waiting. Wireless internet is available as well. There are many cultural and tourist event fliers and a small collection of travel books. In addition, each floor has a separate living room with a dining table, couches, and reading materials.
Each floor also has a large, well-equipped kitchen with microwave, stove, full table service, and cookware. These are kept immaculate jointly by the staff and guests. Breakfast is simple but made extraordinary by the fact that it is available all day and all night. Fresh pears, bread, jam, cereals, milk, coffee, and teas are in each kitchen at all times. We saved money by having this option for a mid-day (and midnight) snack. The kitchens and living rooms facilitate meeting people when first-floor common area gets crowded or too loud.
Summary
This hostel is a great place to stay while planning your trip, but there are no activities going on in the hostel itself. The owners treat you like family and the vibe is very low-key. Old Town is a great place to take a breather, recharge, and find inspiration for your travels in Lisbon.
— Exklusive Hostelz.com Übersicht
July 2008
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