Comments from Canada

Guest: Atan & Papiya (Edmonton, Canada)
Date of Stay: 10/04/11 Review Submitted: 10/31/11

Four of us (two couples) stayed seven nights in October 2011 at the apartment. The apartment exceeded our expectations. It was immaculate, very well appointed with a great kitchen, comfortable furniture and spacious enough to throw our things around. The wrap-around balcony is a great place to people-watch from. Location in the heart of the Chiado district is excellent being close to lots of cafes, bakeries and restaurants. We walked to most places. Even so it was surprisingly quiet inside. We discovered one right across the street where we had one of the best meals in Lisbon. We were particularly impressed with Silvia, the lovely young lady who received us at the apartment. She was ever so helpful and attentive that it was unbelievable. Paulo also kept in touch throughout via e-mails. If we are ever back in Lisbon we will be looking to stay here and definitely will recommend to our friends who might be visiting.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

San Diego Seniors

Guest: San Diego Seniors (San Diego, California, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/12/11 Review Submitted: 10/28/11

We truly enjoyed our 11 night visit in the beautiful 2 bedroom apartment on Rua Garrett. The location was terrific. Even though it is the downtown Chiado District, the security is good and the noise level is very tolerable Close to everything- restaurants, shops, markets, tour buses, trains and the river Tigus, Paulo and Sylvia were great hosts (even for our picky special needs). Make sure you are healthy and bring comfortable walking shoes. Casual dress is common. The climate is nice but check the weather forecast on-line to decide how many layers of clothing to bring. It helps to learn a few popular Portugese expressions, the locals seem to appreciate that. There is a modern multi-level mall a block and a half east on Garrett. It has a great variety of shops and restaurants. If you tire of the Portugese food there are many others including an Italian courtyard restaurant almost directly across the street and even a great Japanese restaurant (Sea Me) going west on Rua Garrett just past the traffic circle. It's a good walk. We did not rent an auto and only used the taxis to and from the airport. The exercise up and down the hilly streets was good for us. In addition to the Lisbon bus tours, we took a 40 minute NW train ride to Sintra. It is a very picturesque mountainous green area, the air is clean, locals are very nice. The Palace tour via a beautiful twisting road was great. We also took a 40 minute train due west to Cascais. This is a beautiful seaside community (think portugal's version of Monaco). It has many narrow streets that are for pedestrians only containing many shops and a great variety of cafes. The whole town is easily walkable. We highly recommend this apartment and Portugal in general.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Unforgettable Vacation; Outstanding Apartment !!

Guest: George K. and family (Houston, Texas)
Date of Stay: 08/26/11 Review Submitted: 09/11/11

This was the "One" vacation we will remember for a long-long time !! Don't you wish you could go on Vacation and EVERYTHING would work out just perfect?? Well this was it for us. Travelling with our 3 boys, ages 16, 11 and 7 is not always that easy if you know what I mean... well add 2 flights and numerous hours in the air and amazingly enough everyone was in high spirits and really looking forward to arriving at our Chiado Apartment. At Lisbon airport we took a Taxi and the driver knew exactly where to bring us and it only took about 25 minutes. On arrival one of Paulo's associates met us at the door and showed us the apartment which was a pleasant surprise (and confirmation of the description provided by the owner). I should confirm that everything worked well, no complaints and no comments other than praises !! Location is ABSOLUTELY the BEST !!! it wasn't until we got there that we could appreciate how perfect the location was. No need to search any further!! Transportation: Easy to get a Metro Pass for all the family that covers all modes of transport to include the original Tram and the new tram that goes out to Santa Maria De Belem (and more). Must do: get the red tram up the street from the apartment and take it all the way to the end, then board then next one about 150 yards away and ride all the way back. Do the same with the yellow tram (catch that at Rossio square). Car rental: We picked up a car rental for just a couple of days to go south to Caparica beach and North to Sintra the next. Parking was not an issue there is a secure public garage around the block from the apartment. - ask Paulo for more details. Train station to Sintra is just up the side street and about 500 yards away.(we've got to stop and get some fresh baked goods at the bakery.... Amazing!!). We do recommend the restaurant across the street called "Taberna do Chiado", enter the alley and where you see the open air cafe and Pizzeria the Taberna is to your left. Go downstairs, don’t sit outside, ask for a table inside which brings you up a set of stairs in a very nice dining area. Also, Paulo has a folder in the apartment with some recommendations, where to go, where to eat (all good). 8 days went by so fast and we didn’t get to do all we wanted to... Wouldn’t' mind if we had an extra week in Lisbon (and at this apartment). Thanks Paulo for everything!!! We will most definitely recommend to our friends.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with young children, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Fantastic Well Equipped Apartment

Guest: Carlos (Foothill Ranch, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/01/11 Review Submitted: 08/15/11

Our family, including 3 teens, stayed in Lisbon as part of a European vacation starting in Rome and ending in London. This apartment was a notch above all the other places we stayed in terms of how well appointed it was. It was clean, secure and centrally located in the Chiado area only a few feet from the Armazens do Chiado Shopping Center with plenty of ATMs, restaurants and the metro station. A nicely stocked super market was just down the street and the area was filled with restaurants and pastry shops. From this apratment you can walk to the Castelo de Sao Jorge, the Cathedral, Praca do Comercio and countless other landmarks. Paulo was great to work with and a most gracious host. He even had some Vinho Verde chilling in the refrigerator for when we arrived. We didn't have the problems other have had with the AC as they seemed to work fine. The description of a busy street is correct but the dual pane windows dampened most of the noise from the street. Since the metro was just down the street, we took it to go to the Vasco da Gama shopping center, the largest center of both Spain and Portugal. Overall, our visit was fantastic, the apartment was everything the description said it was and we would stay there again without hesitation. Our kids really appreciated the wi-fi and the english TV channels We picked this apartment because of all the great reviews and we weren't disappointed.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Wonderful Apartment that met all our needs!

Guest: Chelsea (North Carolina, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/24/11 Review Submitted: 07/14/11

Location, location, location! This place has it! Walking distance to everything including great restaurants, tons of shops, and all the launching points for day-trips. Enjoy great vista-views from the wrap around balcony - very unique to this area. There was more than enough room for 4 adults and a toddler. Paulo had a crib set up for us which was awesome! The staff is superbly friendly and helpful. The apartment is clean and has all the amenities you could possibly need. Even a washer/dryer! Thanks for a GREAT stay! We'll be back.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Wonderful Apartment in Wonderfull Location

Guest: FoolForTravel221 (NYC Area in the Woods (really!))
Date of Stay: 04/26/11 Review Submitted: 05/30/11

Stayed in late April 2011. The recently renovated apartment was excellently furnished and extremely comfortable. At one point I thought that an equivalent suite in a hotel would have been something like 800-1000 Euros a night, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, full kitchen etc. And the location for tourists (this was our first Lisbon visit) worked out exactly as I had hoped. We could walk to almost everything, Bairro Alto (the climb is not that steep), the riverfront, Rossio and Largo de Camoes in just a few minutes. And the Metro and Tram 28 were 2 blocks away for trips further afield (Alfama is about a ten minute tram ride). There's a wealth of restaurants nearby up the hills, on our last night we discovered another whole trove just up the hill from the street nearest the apartment. And almost directly across the street is an excellent Italian pizzeria with full Italian menu, a nice change from the dominant Portuguese cuisine. There are also many vegetarian restaurants in the area. The 4th floor apartment is particularly charming because of the narrow balcony that runs all the way around, enabling some enjoyable views and people watching in the streets below. A few caveats, currently there is another building across the street undergoing renovation, so there is some noise during the day, they don't seem to start too early and it really wasn't a problem. The shower in the second bathroom is incredibly small, and I felt cramped in it--the rest of that bathroom and -the other bathroom overall is fine. Finally, the air-conditioning in the bedroom (and perhaps other units) had a strange problem, it would work fine for about an hour and then trip the circuit breaker. When notified the owner sent someone over quickly, and it was serviced, but problem was not solved. Entries in the guest book indicated this problem had been going on for awhile, hope it will be fixed soon. Finally, the location is on a big shopping street, if you're looking for a quiet residential area, this isn't it, but as tourists we found real benefits by being in such a service oriented location. We'd be happy to return on another Lisbon trip!

Owner response:Dear Stan, thanks for your kind words. Good news, the building's renovation across the street is over and they already removed the protection and the street is finally cleared. Thanks, Paulo

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, people with disabilities, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Great apartment, great location

Guest: Exchanger (Ireland)
Date of Stay: 04/06/11 Review Submitted: 04/12/11

Four adults stayed at this beautiful apartment from 6 -9 April 2011. It is beautifully presented - everything spotlessly clean. Two good size bedrooms, two bathrooms - which we found great for four of us. Large bright sittingroom with two comfy couches, television etc., The location is second to none being on Rua Garrett right in the centre of things and only a short walk to the other vibrant areas of the city. Would highly recommend renting this apartment. Paulo, the owner was extremely prompt with all his replies to our numerous questions and very helpful when one of us left a purse behind!! The agents that Paulo uses are very pleasant and helpful. Couldn't ask for more.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car.

Luxury and Solice in the heart of Lisbon

Guest: Scott & John (Atlanta, GA, USA)
Date of Stay: 03/31/11 Review Submitted: 04/06/11

This was my second stay in at this location in 2 different apartments both owned by Paulo. The management company is extemely helpful and is available for your every need. Also, Paulo is very kind, flexible and easy to work with. As far as the apartments, it doesn't get any better! They are fully renovated, tastely furnished, roomy, bright and airy, clean and well maintained, and all rooms have AC and heat. The pics don't do the apartment justice! The location is to die for! Right in the middle of the Chiado, I pretty much walk everywhere. The area is surrounded by great restaurants, shopping and many historical landmarks. Although the building is right on Rua Garrett, all windows and french doors are doubled-paned and provides a peaceful night sleep. Also, it's tough to find Lisbon apartments with teo full bathrooms! I travel to Lisbon several times a year, and this is my home away from home!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

December in Lisbon!

Guest: Marilyn (Westchester, NY)
Date of Stay: 12/21/10 Review Submitted: 12/28/10

We were 5 adults and one toddler spending a few days in Lisbon in December (by the way, the weather was in the 50s-60s and only rained briefly). This apartment is on the 4th floor of an elevator building. It is in the most desirable location of Lisbon in the Chiado neighborhood. It is close to shopping (including a supermarket), restaurants, and walking distance to the metro, the train station, the Alfama (we had grandma babysit while we walked to a wonderful Fado dinner), the castle, Bairro Alto, etc. We LOVED our trip to Portugal and would definitely recommend this great, clean, modern, comfortable apartment (with wrap around terrace with views of the Se Cathedral) and a trip to this country (also GO see Sintra!). The description and pictures are entirely accurate. The management company was very helpful and the owner was also very attentive. One note is that although it is low season in December, make dinner reservations on December 23rd (oddly enough) everything was fully booked and we had to get take out from the mall.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, people with disabilities, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

A wonderful apartment in a wonderful city

Guest: Amy160 (Aix-en-Provence, France)
Date of Stay: 10/17/10 Review Submitted: 10/25/10

We enjoyed every moment of our 5-day stay, including the ease of arranging the rental, meeting Paolo's representative and being shown around the apartment and given a map and advice about places to go. We stayed in 2 apartments because neither one was available for all our dates, and the changeover was arranged very smoothly. Both apartments are comfortable, attractively furnished, and very clean--just as they look in the photos. The location was perfect for us, between a historic cafe and the best ice cream parlor in Lisbon, on a lively and well-lit street, close to the metro and the Santa Justa elevator, lots of restaurants and fado bars. I highly recommend it and hope to stay there again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, people with disabilities, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.