How reliable will be the apartments listed in VRBO or AirBnB in Lisbon? If we stick to the neighborhoods listed in Rick Steve's guide will that work. For example if we pick something in the Bairo Alto or Baixa will we be good? We are a party of 6 and the costs for the VRBOs or AirBnBs are hard not to look at. Plus we may get access to laundry and some of them look fantastic.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
163 posts
We always stay at the same AirBnB in Lisbon, in the Mouraria neighborhood. Not only are we surrounded by locals in a modernized, spacious apartment where we can have our own bedrooms, do laundry, and cook fresh seafood for dinner, but the host has become a lifelong friend.
Posted by
Fairfax, VA
763 posts
We stay in Airbnb apartments about 90% of the time, including our last trip which included Lisbon and Porto. You often get a lot more for a lot less, including more space rather than a single room. I have heard of people having occasional problems (including my sister), but we never have. Research them like you would a hotel -- pick a neighborhood, then look to see what's out there. I'd suggest that you look across the sites, VRBO, Airbnb, even booking.com lists some pretty nice apartments, and compare rates. I have seen different rates for the same apartment on different sites. There are also sites that are city specific, like flatio in Lisbon. We haven't gone the corporate short-term rental route in Europe, so I can't vouch for them, but they are another possibility. The reviews can be quite helpful, as are photos, but I'd encourage you to engage the host with your questions. It's pretty easy to sort out the apartments you're not interested in by the owner's response (in terms of time, type, friendliness, honesty). I've had hosts tell me about construction noise, morning light in the bedrooms, lack of restaurants in the neighborhood, lots of stairs, and no street lights in their alley -- all sorts of things that in the end helped me make a decision not to rent their apartment. But, I appreciated the honesty and I'm sure it comes back around to them. And yes, the laundry is a great reason to rent an apartment. You don't pay a ton of money for someone else to do it or sit around in a laundromat for a few hours. While it can be a cultural odyssey, it also takes time you might want to spend elsewhere. Throw a load in before dinner, hang it before bed and you're good to go in the morning.
Posted by
BC, Canada
47 posts
Why not check on Booking.com? We found the ranking system and user reviews on Booking.com more accurate and reliable than AirBnB.
Posted by
washington state
93 posts
A lot of owners advertise on both. Just search for the ones with the most number of reviews and that have a high rating. Also search the reviews themselves for things that may bother you like heat, noise, cold, ear plugs, shower, AC, washer, dryer, stairs, hard. I also search for but, though, however, too, etc.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
I would use Booking.com as my first source, followed by VRBO and Trip Advisor Rentals next, then if I was desperate I would use Airbnb. Airbnb’s service fee is usually higher and they don’t tell you the exact location of properties until you have booked. Many places are listed on several platforms so check each for the best price.
Pick somewhere with reviews dating back at least a couple of years so that you know it’s genuine. You can only leave reviews on Booking.com if you have actually stayed there.
I never stay in hotels and have found some fantastic places to stay.
Places in Portugal should be registered so check they have an AL licence number.