Fodor's Expert Review Residencial Florescente

This budget-friendly inn at the heart of Lisbon's Pombaline old town has great service and a good standard of accommodation for its price category. The simple guest house is close to Rossio and Restauradores squares, and within walking distance of Lisbon's main shopping, sightseeing and nightlife destinations. Public transport links are good and, though small, rooms are nicely appointed. A generous breakfast with plenty of fresh Portuguese pastries provides fuel for traversing Lisbon's hilly streets on foot. The building is not luxurious but has a simple charm, with lots of blue and white azulejo tiles. There's a good on-site restaurant, as well as a shop selling gourmet goodies.

Bring comfortable shoes--many of Lisbon's tourist attractions are within walking distance, but sightseeing on foot involves a lot of hills.

room

Rooms are small but thoughtfully decorated, with lots of colorful detail--some walls are brightly painted and feature small murals, others have cheery paintings--and have French windows looking out onto the busy streets below. There's free in-room Wi-Fi, cable TV, and air conditioning, and some superior rooms have a small alcove with sofa, which serves as a cozy living room.

YOU SHOULD KNOW Guests should expect some street noise, especially on weekends and during major festivities.

bathroom

The bathrooms are modern, with colorful tiling and hairdryers. Some rooms have tubs and others have standalone shower cubicles.

lobby

Service at the 24-hour reception is extremely friendly, and the lobby is filled with comfy arm chairs and sofas, lots of traditional tiling, and colorful framed paintings. There's an elevator for those who don't fancy taking the stairs.

dining

The hotel's on-site restaurant, Perola, was revamped in 2017, and is now a slick space for enjoying meals from the seafood-focused menu. Grilled fish dishes are very good. Exposed stone walls and bright, modern decor make it a pleasant space for a meal or drinks from the bar. The restaurant is open to non-guests, and attracts quite a lot of passing trade from sightseers. A small on-site shop next to the restaurant sells typical Portuguese ingredients such as cured meats, tinned fish, and cheeses.

The fish and seafood here are very fairly-priced for this central part of town.

drinking

The restaurant doubles as a lounge-bar, serving a good range of cocktails and wines to guests and passers-by alike. It's not super-trendy, but prices are fair for this part of town.