Lisboa Central Hostel

The family-run Lisboa Central Hostel is located in an area with a mix of shopping and business traffic, but at a relaxed pace. At night, the neighborhood gets relatively quiet aside from live music playing at some bars on nearby Avenida da Liberdade on the weekends. From the front door, the small lobby is a few steps down onto a parquet wood floor. A large world map decorates one wall and a little sign declaring "free hugs" hangs on the reception desk. Useful information about the city is readily available on signs, maps, and brochures throughout the hallways on the ground floor. Common spaces are colorfully decorated, including the two lounges, where travelers gather and hang out. The house cook churns out freebies that are left in the communal kitchen, with everything from cake and milkshakes to Portuguese soup served on a regular basis. 

The hostel is housed in a beautiful historic building on a one-way street a block from Marques de Pombal square. It's in a prime shopping area, within a few minutes walk of luxury shops along Avenida da Liberdade. While there are some restaurants within walking distance, guests can also hop on the metro at the Marques de Pombal station, a five-minute walk away, for access to the Baixa neighborhood and its plethora of quaint stores and eateries (10 minutes away). Lisbon Portela Airport is about a 20-minute drive, or an 18-minute metro ride.

Lisboa Central Hostel has shared dorms that sleep four, six, or ten people on wood-framed bunk beds that have cute built-in staircases rather than typical ladders. The decor is simple, but classy, with parquet wood floors and funky chandeliers. Each bunk has a small fan, reading light, and storage shelf, along with larger private lockers. All units have small desks and free Wi-Fi, but they lack AC. Most dorms have shared bathrooms, with small walk-in showers, but there's a female-only dorm with an en-suite bathroom. The private rooms have hardwood floors, two twin beds, and they're individually decorated with a mix of shabby-chic and contemporary furniture. They're equipped with wardrobes, and have en-suite bathrooms with small walk-in showers.

This hostel has a solid lineup of features, including several freebies. There's a dining room and a well-equipped communal kitchen, with a toaster, microwave, and a kettle, where a free hot breakfast is served. The spread includes breads, pastries, cereal, and pancakes, plus tea and coffee, which are free throughout the day. Other freebies include cake, milkshakes, and weekly Ginginha tastings (a Portuguese liqueur popular in Lisbon). The hostel has two small lounges -- one is a game room with a Playstation and board games, and the other has a few computers for guests to use free of charge. There's also a tiny interior courtyard with several chairs at a patio table under a shade umbrella. Free activities are organized by staff, with daily walking tours and nightly pub crawls in Bairro Alto. There's also a guest laundry facility and free Wi-Fi throughout. Limited parking spaces are available for a fee.